Understanding social advocacy : An integrative model of motivation, strategy, and persistence in support of corporate social responsibility and social entrepreneurship

Purpose – This paper aims to examine characteristics that contribute to leaders' emergence and development as social advocates in their organizations and communities. Design/methodology/approach – Building on theories of social problems, influence, and impression management, this paper examines how advocacy is affected by needs and situational conditions. Advocacy is the act of supporting an idea, need, person, or group. Advocates use cognitive, emotional, and behavioral strategies to influence attitudes, behaviors, and/or decisions for the benefit of individuals or to promote organizational change and/or social welfare. Social advocacy occurs within organizations in the form of corporate social responsibility, and it occurs within communities in the form of social entrepreneurship. Findings – This theoretical paper argues that motivation of leaders of social ventures is a function of their conviction, self‐confidence, and extroversion. Advocates' beliefs about people are likely to shape their advocacy strategies, in particular, their beliefs about whether people are likely to change their attitudes and behavior, are sensitive to possible losses and gain, and respond to information about the probabilities and outcomes of actions and events. Advocate's resilience and transformational abilities (communications and political skills, knowledge of change management, and learning orientation) are predicted to influence their success. Originality/value – The paper discusses directions for management development research and practice to promote involvement in social ventures.