Social Enterprise and Economic Growth: A Theoretical Approach and Policy Recommendations

Social Enterprise is a fast emerging discipline that generates social impact through an entrepreneurial approach. This study examined social enterprise and its contribution on economic growth. The theoretical analysis provides that social enterprises are essential for economic growth and play a significant contribution in local economies through job creation, improving quality of life for the local people and provision of valuable social services. The potential of social enterprises to contribute to economic growth depends on broader system of different layers in the society to influence and increase impact as change agent. Therefore, social enterprises should be included into economic processes such as in doing business, in economic policy making and in financial policy. However, a number of basic policy and legal measures are necessary to create an appropriate environment for social entserprise development that can improve the impact of social entrepreneurship in the society. The principle requirement is to create a favorable legal context which treats social enterprises similar to business organizations.