Social Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice

by Ryszard Praszkier , Andrzej Nowak

• ISBN13: 9780521149785
• ISBN10: 0521149789
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-10-17
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

Social Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice is about the creative ways in which social entrepreneurs solve pressing and insurmountable social problems. Theories of social change are presented to help demystify the 'magic' of making an immense, yet durable and irreversible, social impact. Utilizing case studies drawn from various fields and all over the world, the authors document how social entrepreneurs foster bottom-up change that empowers people and societies. They also review the specific personality traits of social entrepreneurs and introduce the new kind of leadership they represent. This book will be valuable to undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate students, while remaining accessible to non-academic readers thanks to its clear language, illustrative case studies and guidelines on how to become a successful social entrepreneur.

Author Biography

Ryszard Praszkier, Ph.D., is a researcher at the University of Warsaw Complex Systems Research Center. Andrzej Nowak, Ph.D., is a professor and lecturer at the Warsaw School of Social Sciences and Humanities, Florida Atlantic University, University of Warsaw, and Columbia University in New York.

Table of Contents

List of Figures	p. vii
List of Photos	p. ix
Preface	p. xi
Acknowledgments	p. xix
Social Entrepreneurship	p. 1
Defining Social Entrepreneurship: An Overview	p. 9
Dimensions of Social Entrepreneurship	p. 14
Identifying Social Entrepreneurs in Practice	p. 26
The Dynamics of Social Change	p. 31
Social-Change Theories and Dilemmas	p. 36
Equilibrium and Complexity	p. 50
Theory of Social Emergence	p. 65
Social Capital Built by Social Entrepreneurs	p. 75
Social Capital	p. 80
Social Networks: Bedrock of Social Capital	p. 90
Personality Traits That Facilitate the Building of Social Capital	p. 107
A New Kind of Leadership	p. 121
Social Entrepreneurship: A Dynamical Account	p. 123
A New Kind of Leadership	p. 140
Addressing Insurmountable Problems and Conflicts	p. 155
Epilogue: The Past and the Future	p. 169
Conclusion	p. 187
Becoming a Social Entrepreneur	p. 189
The Process of Assessing Candidates for a Fellowship	p. 203
Excerpts from Interviews	p. 209
References	p. 213
Index	p. 225
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