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Abstract

As social entrepreneurs and the enterprises they create gain momentum in the marketplace, research aimed at better understanding the effects of this growing form of social commerce has burgeoned. However, consensus regarding how a social entrepreneur differs from a traditional one or exactly how a social enterprise or social entrepreneurial program differs from other forms of social commerce has not been reached. Indeed, confusions involved in defining social entrepreneurship can hamper attempts to apply the constructs and methods of complexity theory to this burgeoning new arena of “social capital.” To remedy this lack of clarity and, accordingly to more fully grasp the nature of social entrepreneurship, the current paper introduces the diagramic construct of the Social Entrepreneurship Matrix (SEM). Using a systems thinking perspective, the Matrix combines entrepreneurial mission concerns with enterprise profit requirements. It is hoped the interaction that results can serve as a mechanism for better conceptualizing and exploring social commerce.