Research on sustainability through the lenses of the business formation process of social entrepreneurship

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K21708
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 7:Economics, business administration, and related fields
• Research Institution: Waseda University
• Principal Investigator: Shimoda Yukimi 早稲田大学, 社会科学総合学術院, 准教授(任期付) (30746483)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-06-28 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 社会起業 / 起業誘因・動機 / 事業形成 / ソーシャルビジネス / 国際開発 / アジア

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aimed to obtain some implications for future social entrepreneurship by examining the entrepreneurial incentives, motives, and business formation processes of Asian social entrepreneurs (especially Japanese) whose activities directly or indirectly contribute to international development. The analysis of data collected in Japan and overseas (Kyrgyzstan and Indonesia) using qualitative research methods revealed: 1) a diversity of motivations and business formation processes leading to entrepreneurship to address social problems; 2) common characteristics such as special events, ties, identity, self-realisation, and joy; and 3) the influence of personal interests and capacities, 4) the importance of local partners and network building. These research findings were disseminated through presentations at international conferences.

Free Research Field

ビジネス人類学、社会学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の成果は、国境を越えて活動するアジアの社会起業家（特に日本人）の経験や視点から起業の促進要因や環境を考察して導き出されたものであり、欧米に偏重しがちな社会起業家や社会的企業に係る研究に貢献する学術的意義がある。また、社会起業の動機や事業形成過程の多様性、社会起業家の特徴、社会起業を可能にする環境（enabling environment）の一端を明らかにできたことで、社会起業を目指す人びとや国際開発に取り組む実務者への示唆があるだけでなく、人材育成やグローバル人材育成などに資する社会的意義がある。