Towards A Meaningful Social Enterprise: Key Elements and A New Perspective

  • Authors

    • Agustina Widi Palupiningrum School of Business, IPB University Indonesia
    • Joyo Winoto School of Business, IPB University Indonesia
    • Noer Azam Achsani School of Business, IPB University Indonesia
    • Satyawan Sunito Faculty of Human Ecology, IPB University Indonesia
    https://doi.org/10.14419/46hhvn82

    Received date: July 28, 2025

    Accepted date: September 22, 2025

    Published date: October 7, 2025

  • Social Innovation; Institutional Innovation; Market and Non-Market Mechanism; Social ‎Enterprise; Strategic Transformation

  • Abstract

    Social enterprises (SE) represent a distinct approach within the economic framework by ‎prioritizing social values such as social welfare, justice, sustainability, and economic ‎well-being dimensions often marginalized by state policies or market mechanisms. ‎However, variations in the diverse interpretations and implementations of SE have ‎created a fragmented landscape, potentially limiting their strategic impact. This study ‎aims to clarify the conceptual foundations and practical orientations of meaningful SEs ‎to enhance their role in social innovation. Using a qualitative research design, this study ‎integrates extensive literature review with an analysis of Indonesia’s legal framework on ‎SEs and in-depth interviews with 20 SE practitioners operating in environmental ‎sustainability, community empowerment, indigenous economic development, and ‎women's economic participation. The findings reveal four foundational principles of a ‎meaningful SE: lifelong learning, innovation, adaptive capacity, and social action. ‎Furthermore, five critical dimensions are emphasized to reframe SE paradigms: the ‎interaction between market and non-market mechanisms, integration within state-‎business-society relations, disengagement from dominant paradigms, and the ‎significance of immaterial value creation. This study contributes to advancing SE theory ‎and practice by proposing a more inclusive and transformative framework that ‎reinforces the role of SEs in its societal impact‎.

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    Palupiningrum, A. W. ., Winoto , J. ., Achsani , N. A. ., & Sunito , S. . (2025). Towards A Meaningful Social Enterprise: Key Elements and A New Perspective. International Journal of Accounting and Economics Studies, 12(6), 251-261. https://doi.org/10.14419/46hhvn82