Document Type : Research
Authors
1
PhD Candidate in Entrepreneurship, Ali Abad Katoul Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ali Abad Katoul, Iran
2
Assistant Professor in Entrepreneurship, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
3
Assistant Professor, Department of Accounting,Ali Abad Katoul Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ali Abad Katoul, Iran
4
Assistant Professor in Innovation Management, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
Abstract
Social entrepreneurship has emerged as a new issue in the social arena that by creating social value can be a response to the needs and challenges of societies in the current situation. However, the theory of social entrepreneurship is still in the conceptualization stage and, like economic entrepreneurship, the core of which is recognition of opportunity. The aim of this study was to identify the factors affecting the identification of social opportunities for creating social value in Iran. This research used qualitative approach and its strategy is Glaserian grounded theory. Data collection tools were semi-structured interviews. The interviews were conducted with 19 social entrepreneurship experts and founders of social enterprises selected through purposive sampling. In order to analyze the data, MAXQDA software was used. Four criteria of trustworthiness, transformability, dependability and conformability were used to evaluate the strength of the research. Data analysis was performed in two stages of substantive and theoretical coding. The results of this study show the extraction of 263 codes or basic concepts as well as eleven concepts from interviews. These concepts are in the form of two main categories, namely, "motivational factors including social and prosocial motivations" and "contextual or environmental factors, including educational background and previous experience, entrepreneurial capabilities, personality characteristics, family factors, role patterns, educational system, government and policies, socio-cultural factors, and the media”. These factors affect the recognition of social opportunities for "the process of creating social values" in Iran. The results of this study can address some of the cognitive gaps of social entrepreneurship in Iran.
Keywords