Collective Action Within and Beyond Social Entrepreneurial Networks : A Market-shaping Perspective

Interestingly, while markets are at the center of social entrepreneurial activity in emerging economies, its academic debate remains narrow as it pictures markets as ‘given’ underestimating how markets can be intentionally shaped for social good. Drawing on a market systems approach this paper explores the institutional work undertaken by heterogeneous actors within and outside a social entrepreneurial network to shape a viable market system that delivers improved social outcomes. The study draws on an embedded case study of Ghana’s most prominent social entrepreneurship platform and its surrounding network of social entrepreneurs, incubators, foreign educational and cultural organizations, and other market actors. By developing a two-stage framework with five market- shaping patterns we illustrate the process of building a viable market system for social good over time, and highlight the importance of collective social entrepreneurial action to shape markets in emerging economies. Full paper available at http://proceedings.emac-online.org/index.cfm?abstractid=A2021-94587&Collective%20action%20within%20and%20beyond%20social%20entrepr