Factors promoting the emergence of social ventures for the post Covid-19: a case study in Turkey

Abstract

Purpose- The premise of the study is that the social and economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic encourage the emergence of social innovations in Turkey providing a window of opportunity and the promoting factors of these emergences are mostly pro-social factors and personal values. Based on this proposition, the primary purpose of the study is to investigate and reveal the factors that lead to the emergence of social ventures. The secondary aims are to increase the awareness of the stakeholders and academia on social entrepreneurship in which a limited number of studies have been conducted in Turkey, and thus to emphasize the topicality and the importance of the subject. Methodology- The research method was designed as a qualitative research method which includes in-depth interviews with 6 social ventures in Turkey. As primary data, information obtained from in-depth interviews with the social ventures and from interviews with Ashoka Turkey were used. The literature review constitutes the secondary data. Findings- Despite the personal characteristics are effective in being a social entrepreneur, it is seen that they are not sufficient in the emergence of a social enterprise. Extraversion, open to experience and conscientious are the three prominent personal characteristics related to personality in the research. The results of the research confirm the researcher's proposition that the prominent factors in the establishment of social enterprises are pro-social factors and personal motivations. While passionate and need for achievement from personal motivations drew attention, desire to help others and social vision from pro-social factors were determined as leading factors. Conclusion- Although the findings of the study confirm some expectations about the factors that encourage the emergence of social entrepreneurship, there has not been enough evidence to support the researcher's main proposition that the COVID-19 pandemic period has accelerated and stimulated the emergence of social enterprises by creating an opportunity.