What makes social entrepreneurship distinctive from commercial entrepreneurship or charity work? What is the role of social entrepreneurship in modern societies? What constitutes a social market versus a commercial market?

Grounded on research experience and the contact with social entrepreneurs, Professor Filipe Santos is developing a conceptual framework to explain and contextualize the rise of social entrepreneurship and guide the work of social entrepreneurs.

A working paper “A Theory of Social Entrepreneurship” is available here.

A teaching case “Social versus Commercial Markets: The Compartamos Debate and the Battle for the Soul of Microfinance” discusses the implications of choosing a more commercial versus more social orientation to address societal problems.