A Narrative Synthesis of the Empirical Literature on Social Value Creation in Social Entrepreneurship: Gaps and Opportunities for Future Research and Action

Abstract

Social value creation defines the mission of social entrepreneurship in that, through it, complex social problems are addressed, and the needs of beneficiaries are met. Despite scholarly calls for a definition, current depictions lack clarity and focus. This systematic literature review is the first to aggregate the current body of empirical literature on social value creation in social entrepreneurship. Results from the review of studies in leading academic journals yielded 14 relevant studies, mostly originating from North American and European contexts. A narrative synthesis of these studies depicts social value creation as a processual phenomenon that takes shape in response to opportunities to realise social impact. The process is enacted by multiple actors through innovation and collaborative, reciprocal relationships within a specific context. Findings suggest a paucity of social value creation research in leading academic journals, which denotes a narrow contextual view of the phenomenon. The review discusses implications on social entrepreneurship practice and suggests directions for future research that pursue a more inclusive and diverse contextual view of social value creation.