Handbook of Sustainability Science in the Future: Policies, Technologies and Education by 2050

Abstract

Sustainability-oriented social entrepreneurship is called on to support our society in solving global social and environmental challenges. Such entrepreneurial efforts have received acknowledgment in the context of developing economies, where essential social needs are still to be met. However, emerging economies – which still struggle with the availability of such resources as electricity, water, affordable healthcare, and education – currently struggle with entrepreneurship rates in general and with sustainability-oriented social entrepreneurship in particular. Accordingly, the related literature lacks evidence on sustainability-oriented social entrepreneurship in the context of emerging economies. Following the notion of bottom-up social innovation and a process perspective, in this research, we provide an overview of social entrepreneurship in emerging economies, relying on several inspiring cases. Aiming at a comprehensive overview of sustainability-oriented social entrepreneurship in an emerging economy context, we develop an overarching framework that combines multiple theoretical streams and concepts around this rapidly growing phenomenon. Furthermore, we discuss and share implications on how bottom-up initiatives could complement global top-down approaches, such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, in the emerging economy context.