2023 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
Investigating the hybridity and scaling strategies of for-profit social enterprises
| Project/Area Number |
20K01873
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| Research Institution | Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University |
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Principal Investigator |
ALCANTARA L.L. 立命館アジア太平洋大学, 国際経営学部, 教授 (10584021)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
三橋 平 早稲田大学, 商学学術院, 教授 (90332551)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2020-04-01 – 2025-03-31
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| Keywords | social enterprise / hybrid organization |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
This project investigates B Corps, which are certified for-profit social enterprises that adhere to rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. As B Corps jointly pursue economic goals and social goals, they are considered as hybrid enterprises. While others perceive them as catalysts for sustainability and inclusivity in business, others remain skeptical about their business model. In FY 2022, the project focused on investigating how B Corps and other social enterprises are perceived or stereotyped in comparison to traditional commercial or non-social enterprises. Through a series of experiments involving samples of fashion brands with slow and fast business models, the study found that B Corp-certified slow fashion brands are perceived to be more ethical than fast fashion counterparts. Moreover, in contrast to previous findings on warmth-competence tradeoff, our study demonstrated that the perceived ethicality of B Corps overrides the warmth-competence tradeoff, highlighting that B Corps are perceived as excelling in both warmth and competence. Nonetheless, the study also found that there was no significant difference in perceived ethicality between B Corp-certified slow firms and non-B Corp certified fashion brands. This study was presented at a Paper Session in the Academy of Management Annual Conference. Both the Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator attended this session.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
3: Progress in research has been slightly delayed.
Reason
The PI also initially targeted to conduct interviews of B Corps and submit the paper by March 2024. Due to schedule conflicts and other work engagements, the progress has been delayed. Nonetheless, in FY2023, a draft of the paper was presented at the Academy of Management (AOM) Annual Conference in Boston, U.S.A. Based on the additional comments received from AOM reviewers and audience, the paper is being revised. The PI initially targeted the Academy of Management Discoveries as the target journal for publication. However, after thoughtful consideration, the PI together with her research collaborator has chosen Business and Society as the target journal for publication because the objectives and scope of this journal are more aligned with the objective of the paper.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
In FY2024, the PI will focus on three tasks. The first task is to complete the revision of the paper on the social judgement of B Corps and submit this paper to Business and Society for publication by July 2024. The second task is to visit B Corps to share research findings and obtain valuable feedback from practitioners in the field, enriching the study with real-world insights and perspectives. The third task is to synthesize the legitimacy challenges and competitive challenges associated with the scaling strategies of B Corps. By doing so, this research projects aims to provide a comprehensive conclusion that sheds light on the complexities and opportunities faced by B Corps as they strive to grow and generate impact.
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| Causes of Carryover |
Due to schedule conflicts, the PI and co-investigator were unable to meet in person and the PI was unable to visit B Corps in FY2023 as originally planned. The remaining funds will be used for proofreading and travel expenses to disseminate research findings and visit B Corps in the United States, the major country host of B Corps. This provides a valuable opportunity to interact with practitioners in the field whose insights are crucial for crafting the practical and managerial implications of the study.
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