Social business performance: is it possible to measure? Review and research agenda
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24857/rgsa.v16.2858Keywords:
Social business, Performance, Social and economic performance, Systematic reviewAbstract
Objective: This article proposes a systematic review of the literature on social business performance (SBP) measures to analyze its current panorama of studies and propose a research agenda.
Methodology: A mixed approach, quantitative regarding the use of descriptive statistical analysis, and qualitative regarding the content analysis. The research considered 241 peer-reviewed journal articles extracted from the Scopus database in English from 2010 to 2021, of which 34 comprised the qualitative analysis.
Results and Conclusion: The results reveal a growing interest in this field of research in recent years, especially from 2017 to 2020. Most studies on SBP are concentrated in North America, specifically in the United States (52 articles). Subjective scales are the most frequent as SBP measures, and the scale developed by Miles et al. (2014), which addresses economic and social performance, was the one that stood out the most in the studies. Of the 34 articles that constituted the qualitative analysis, a research agenda composed of four categories can be established.
Research implications: The study contributes to research in social business, primarily social and economic performance, evidencing a perception of the evolution of SBP studies in the last ten years.
Originality/value: It presents the objective and subjective SBP measures adopted in scientific production. It also presents an agenda for future research that covers the application of studies in other contexts and sectors. The research focused on longitudinal studies, quantifiable and objective measures, and comparisons between social and traditional businesses.
Downloads
Metrics
References
Aguinis, H., Villamor, I., Lazzarini, S. G., Vassolo, R. S., Amorós, J. E., & Allen, D. G. (2020). Conducting management research in Latin America: why and what’s in it for you? Journal of Management, 46(5), 615-636. doi:10.1177/0149206320901581 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206320901581
Alarifi, G., Robson, P., & Kromidha, E. (2019). The Manifestation of Entrepreneurial Orientation in the Social Entrepreneurship Context. Journal of Social Entrepreneurship, 10(3), 307-327. DOI: 10.1080/19420676.2018.1541015 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/19420676.2018.1541015
Arena, M., Azzone, G., & Bengo, I. (2015). Performance measurement for social enterprises. VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations, 26(2), 649-672. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11266-013-9436-8
Arogyaswamy, B. (2017). Social entrepreneurship performance measurement: A time-based organizing framework. Business Horizons, 60(5), 603-611. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2017.05.004
Asmalovskij, A., Sadílek, T., Hinčica, V., & Mizerová, M. (2019). Performance of social enterprises in the Czech Republic. Journal of Social Entrepreneurship, 10(1),19-29. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/19420676.2018.1521865
Aupperle, K.E., Carroll, A.B., & Hatfield, J.D. (1985). An empirical-examination of the relationship between corporate social-responsibility and profitability. Academy of Management Journal, 28(2), 446–463. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5465/256210
Bagnoli, L., & Megali, C. (2011). Measuring performance in social enterprises. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 40(1), 149-165. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0899764009351111
Baker, C., Courtney, P., Kubinakova, K., Crone, D., & Billingham, D. (2020). Assessing the broader social outcomes of a community health programme through a social-ecological framework. International Journal of Health Promotion and Education, 58(3), 137-151. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14635240.2020.1719861
Bardin, L. (2016). Análise de Conteúdo (1a ed.). São Paulo: Edições 70.
Bellucci, M., Bagnoli, L., Biggeri, M., & Rinaldi, V. (2012). Performance measurement in solidarity economy organizations: The case of fair trade shops in Italy. Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, 83(1), 25-59. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8292.2011.00453.x
Bhattarai, C. R., Kwong, C. C., & Tasavori, M. (2019). Market orientation, market disruptiveness capability and social enterprise performance: An empirical study from the United Kingdom. Journal of Business Research, 96, 47-60. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2018.10.042
Brandle, L., Golla, S., & Kuckertz, A. (2019). How entrepreneurial orientation translates social identities into performance. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 25(7), 1433-1451. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEBR-12-2018-0804
Castellas, E. I., Ormiston, J., & Findlay, S. (2018). Financing social entrepreneurship: The role of impact investment in shaping social enterprise in Australia. Social Enterprise Journal, 14(2), 130-155. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/SEJ-02-2017-0006
Creswell, J. W. Projeto de pesquisa: métodos qualitativo, quantitativo e misto. Porto Alegre: Artmed, 2007.
Crucke, S., & Decramer, A. (2016). The development of a measurement instrument for the organizational performance of social enterprises. Sustainability, 8(2), 161. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su8020161
Dees, J. G. (1998). The meaning of social entrepreneurship.
Dia, M., & Bozec, R. (2019). Social enterprises and the performance measurement challenge: Could the data envelopment analysis be the solution? Journal of Multi‐Criteria Decision Analysis, 26(5-6), 265-271. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/mcda.1666
Ebrahim, A., & Rangan, V. K. (2014). What Impact? A Framework for Measuring the Scale and Scope of Social Performance. California Management Review, 56(3), 118–141. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1525/cmr.2014.56.3.118
Figueiró, P. S., & Bessi, V. G. (2020). Sentido do Trabalho: A Percepção de Empreendedores Sociais de Cooperativas de Reciclagem. Gestão & Conexões, 9(1), 50-72. DOI: https://doi.org/10.13071/regec.2317-5087.2020.9.1.27379.50-72
Grimes, M. (2010). Strategic sensemaking within funding relationships: The effects of performance measurement on organizational identity in the social sector. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 34(4), 763-783. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6520.2010.00398.x
Gupta, P., Chauhan, S., Paul, J., & Jaiswal, M. P. (2020). Social entrepreneurship research: A review and future research agenda. Journal of Business Research, 113, 209-229. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.03.032
Halberstadt, J., Niemand, T., Kraus, S., Rexhepi, G., Jones, P., & Kailer, N. (2020). Social entrepreneurship orientation: Drivers of success for start-ups and established industrial firms. Industrial Marketing Management. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2020.06.012
Haugh, H. M., & Talwar, A. (2016). Linking social entrepreneurship and social change: The mediating role of empowerment. Journal of Business Ethics, 133(4), 643-658. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-014-2449-4
Kassim, E. S., Tajmi, T. A. M., Hairuddin, H., Malik, A. M. A., & Tobi, S. U. M. (2020). Mapping social enterprise to sustainable development goals. International Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development, 19(2), 209-237. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1504/IJESD.2020.106674
Kroeger, A., & Weber, C. (2014). Developing a conceptual framework for comparing social value creation. Academy of Management Review, 39(4), 513-540. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2012.0344
Lee, E. K. M., & Chandra, Y. (2020). Dynamic and Marketing Capabilities as Predictors of Social Enterprises’ Performance. VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations, 1-14. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11266-019-00155-y
Liu, G., Eng, T. Y., & Takeda, S. (2015). An investigation of marketing capabilities and social enterprise performance in the UK and Japan. Entrepreneurship theory and practice, 39(2), 267-298. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/etap.12041
López-Penabad, M. C., Maside-Sanfiz, J. M., Torrelles Manent, J., & Iglesias-Casal, A. (2020). Application of the DEA Double Bootstrap to Analyze Efficiency in Galician Sheltered Workshops. Sustainability, 12(16), 6625. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su12166625
Lückenbach, F., Baumgarth, C., Schmidt, H. J., & Henseler, J. (2019). To perform or not to perform? How strategic orientations influence the performance of Social Entrepreneurship Organizations. Cogent Business & Management, 6(1), 1-25. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2019.1647820
Luke, B., Barraket, J., & Eversole, R. (2013). Measurement as legitimacy versus legitimacy of measures: Performance evaluation of social enterprise. Qualitative Research in Accounting & Management, 10(3-4), 234-258. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/QRAM-08-2012-0034
Lumpkin, G. T., Moss, T. W., Gras, D. M., Kato, S., & Amezcua, A. S. (2013). Entrepreneurial processes in social contexts: how are they different, if at all?. Small Business Economics, 40(3), 761-783. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-011-9399-3
Mamabolo, A., & Myres, K. (2020). Performance Measurement in Emerging Market Social Enterprises using a Balanced Scorecard. Journal of Social Entrepreneurship, 11(1), 65-87. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/19420676.2018.1561499
Mersland, R., Nyarko, S. A., & Szafarz, A. (2019). Do social enterprises walk the talk? Assessing microfinance performances with mission statements. Journal of Business Venturing Insights, 11, e00117. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbvi.2019.e00117
Miles, M. P., Verreynne, M. L., & Luke, B. (2014). Social enterprises and the performance advantages of a Vincentian marketing orientation. Journal of business ethics, 123(4), 549-556. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-013-2009-3
Miles, M., Verreynne, M. L., Luke, B., Eversole, R., & Barracket, J. (2013). The relationship of entrepreneurial orientation, Vincentian values and economic and social performance in social enterprise. Review of Business, 33(2), 91-102.
Millar, R., & Hall, K. (2013). Social return on investment (SROI) and performance measurement: The opportunities and barriers for social enterprises in health and social care. Public Management Review, 15(6), 923-941. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2012.698857
Miller, T. L., Grimes, M. G., McMullen, J. S., & Vogus, T. J. (2012a). Venturing for others with heart and head: How compassion encourages social entrepreneurship. Academy of management review, 37(4), 616-640. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2010.0456
Miller, T. L., Wesley, C. L., & Williams, D. E. (2012b). Educating the minds of caring hearts: Comparing the views of practitioners and educators on the importance of social entrepreneurship competencies. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 11(3), 349-370. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5465/amle.2011.0017
Mongeon, P., & Paul-Hus, A. (2016). The journal coverage of Web of Science and Scopus: A comparative analysis. Scientometrics, 106, 213–228. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-015-1765-5
Mouchamps, H. (2014). Weighing elephants with kitchen scales: The relevance of traditional performance measurement tools for social enterprises. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 63(6), 727-745. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPPM-09-2013-0158
Nicholls, A. (2010). The legitimacy of social entrepreneurship: Reflexive isomorphism in a pre–paradigmatic field. Entrepreneurship theory and practice, 34(4), 611-633. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6520.2010.00397.x
Okano, M. T. (2020). A contribuição das Tecnologias da Informação e Comunicação (TICs) para a criação de valor nas empresas sociais (Doctoral dissertation).
Pinheiro, P., Daniel, A., & Moreira, A. (2020). Social Enterprise Performance: The Role of Market and Social Entrepreneurship Orientations. VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations, 1-16. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11266-020-00266-x
Prochazkova, P. T., & Noskova, M. (2020). An application of input-output analysis to social enterprises: a case of the Czech Republic. Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, 12(4), 495-522. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JEEE-08-2019-0114
Ramus, T., & Vaccaro, A. (2017). Stakeholders matter: How social enterprises address mission drift. Journal of Business Ethics, 143(2), 307-322. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-014-2353-y
Rawhouser, H., Cummings, M., & Newbert, S. L. (2019). Social impact measurement: Current approaches and future directions for social entrepreneurship research. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 43(1), 82-115. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1042258717727718
Richardson, S. M., Kettinger, W. J., Banks, M. S., & Quintana, Y. (2014). IT and agility in the social enterprise: A case study of st jude children’s research hospital’s “Cure4Kids” IT-platform for international outreach. Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 15(1), 1-32. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17705/1jais.00351
Romani-Dias, M., Iizuka, E. S., Walchhutter, S., & Barbosa, A. S. (2017). Agenda de Pesquisa em Empreendedorismo Social e Negócios Sociais. Revista de Administração, Contabilidade e Economia da Fundace, 8(3), 1-15. DOI: https://doi.org/10.13059/racef.v8i3.156
Saebi, T., Foss, N. J., & Linder, S. (2019). Social entrepreneurship research: Past achievements and future promises. Journal of Management, 45(1), 70-95. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206318793196
Salavou, H., & Cohen, S. (2020). Towards a Typology of Social Enterprises Based on Performance: Some New Evidence. Journal of Social Entrepreneurship, 1-19. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/19420676.2020.1718743
Scarlata, M., Zacharakis, A., & Walske, J. (2016). The effect of founder experience on the performance of philanthropic venture capital firms. International Small Business Journal, 34(5), 618-636. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0266242615574588
Shin, C., & Park, J. (2019). How social entrepreneurs’ value orientation affects the performance of social enterprises in Korea: The mediating effect of social entrepreneurship. Sustainability, 11(19), 5341. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su11195341
Silva, A. P. A., & Gonçalves-dias, S. L. F. (2015). Mensuração de desempenho socioambiental: estudo de casos em negócios sociais brasileiros. Pensamento & Realidade, 30(2), 117-151.
Silva, C. S., & Iizuka, E. S. (2018). Mapeamento de negócios sociais e organizações congêneres no Brasil. Revista de Ciências da Administração, 20(52), 123-137. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5007/2175-8077.2018V20n52p123
Smith, W. K., Gonin, M., & Besharov, M. L. (2013). Managing social-business tensions: A review and research agenda for social enterprise. Business Ethics Quarterly, 23(3), 407-442. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5840/beq201323327
Son, H., Lee, J., & Chung, Y. (2018). Value creation mechanism of social enterprises in manufacturing industry: Empirical evidence from Korea. Sustainability, 10(1), 46. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su10010046
Spell (2021). Características. Recuperado em 28 agosto de 2021, de http://www.spell.org.br/sobre/caracteristicas
Spencer, R., Brueckner, M., Wise, G., & Marika, B. (2016). Australian indigenous social enterprise: measuring performance. Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy, 10(4), 397-424. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JEC-10-2015-0050
Staessens, M., Kerstens, P. J., Bruneel, J., & Cherchye, L. (2019). Data envelopment analysis and social enterprises: analysing performance, strategic orientation and mission drift. Journal of Business Ethics, 159(2), 325-341. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-018-4046-4
Stevens, R., Moray, N., & Bruneel, J. (2015). The social and economic mission of social enterprises: Dimensions, measurement, validation, and relation. Entrepreneurship theory and practice, 39(5), 1051-1082. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/etap.12091
Straub, A., Koopman, M., & Mossel, H. J. V. (2010). Systems approach and performance measurement by social enterprises. Facilities, 28(5-6), 321-331. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/02632771011031547
Tate, W. L., & Bals, L. (2018). Achieving shared triple bottom line (TBL) value creation: toward a social resource-based view (SRBV) of the firm. Journal of Business Ethics, 152(3), 803-826. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-016-3344-y
Tirumalsety, R., & Gurtoo, A. (2019). Financial sources, capital structure and performance of social enterprises: empirical evidence from India. Journal of Sustainable Finance & Investment, 1-20. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/20430795.2019.1619337
Van der Have, R. P., & Rubalcaba, L. (2016). Social innovation research: An emerging area of innovation studies? Research Policy, 45(9), 1923-1935. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2016.06.010
Yunus, M., Moingeon, B., & Lehmann-Ortega, L. (2010). Building social business models: Lessons from the Grameen experience. Long range planning, 43(2-3), 308-325. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lrp.2009.12.005
Zheng, C., & Kouwenberg, R. (2019). A bibliometric review of global research on corporate governance and board attributes. Sustainability, 11(12), 3428. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su11123428
Zupic, I., & Cater, T. (2015). Bibliometric methods in management and organization. Organizational Research Methods, 18(3), 429-472. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1094428114562629
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2022 Ma. Tatiani Schmitt, Dra. Anete Alberton
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
•The author(s) authorize(s) the publication of the article in the journal; • The author(s) guarantee the contribution is original and novel, and is not under evaluation in any other publication(s); • The editorial team is not responsible for the opinions, ideas and concepts emitted in the published texts, these being the full responsibility of the author(s); • It is reserved to the editors the right to proceed with adjustments related to the text and compliance with publication standards.