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The Practical Intelligence of Social Entrepreneurs: Managing the Hybridity of Social Enterprises

  • Byungchae Jin EMAIL logo

Abstract

The hybridity of social enterprises – that is to say, their simultaneous pursuit of both economic and social value – has increasingly drawn the attention of scholars in the fields of social entrepreneurship and, more broadly, entrepreneurship. To date, there has been significant debate as to whether or how social enterprises are distinct from for- and non profit organizations and whether generating economic rents and achieving a social mission can complement or substitute for each other. To add nuance to this literature, this study focuses on the role of social entrepreneurs’ practical intelligence, seeking to understand how the practical intelligence of social entrepreneurs can contribute to creating both economic and social value. We generally find positive relationships between practical intelligence and the creation of both social and economic value. However, empirical evidence suggests that some dimensions of practical intelligence are closely related to the creation of economic value, whereas others are related to creating social value. Based on the findings, we discuss how practical intelligence can effectively help social entrepreneurs manage the hybridity of their social enterprises.

Acknowledgement

The author wishes to thank the Happiness Foundation for financial support (grant # G04160050). Any opinions and conclusions expressed in this manuscript are those of my own and do not necessarily represent the view of the Happiness Foundation. The author also appreciates the considerable work of Sung-Wook Huh in the data collection process.

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Published Online: 2019-04-24

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