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Abstract: We study nine Social Enterprise cases in Poland based on a case study research approach conducted in 2006. Our research particularly focuses on the dimension of “failure and success” of those enterprises and organisations. Different theories of the organisation would lead us to different core questions, first, and secondly to different answers to those questions, e.g. regarding to the role of the context of the organisation on the one hand, or of the entrepreneurs and managers, at the other. So, for instance, a very common attribution of factors relevant to “success” is developed along the “internal-external” line. One would strongly argue for the role of the individual, based on the people´s attitudes, skills, experience, knowledge, leadership and so on. Another may argue success and failure by referring to the requirements of work process design, labour relations, coordination mechanisms, political and informal processes in the organisation. Another one explains success and failure as result how the organisation adapted to its context, built interorganisational and external relationships, managed to address different stakeholders and interest etc. The list of “success models” in academics, policy and management practice is long. In our understanding, and very generally spoken, individual, intra- and interorganisational as well external dimensions constitute the “success” or the “existence” of an organisation.

Studying social enterprises can draw on different organisation theories, and we attempt to apply an open methodological design for deriving theoretical standpoints; or to find theoretical explanations for empirical results we find. For identifying “successful” social enterprises we bring some questions to practice, for instance: What evidence do we have for a success? Which criteria are in use to define “success”? How do various stakeholders define success and failure? What makes the organisation distinctive to others? What requirements and implications does success bring with it? What and who is creating the success of an organisation where and when to which parts? Which internal and external forces drive success and failure? How does the organisation manage success over time? How do the people involved set themselves into the context?

In our case study research we collect material from questionnaires, focused in-depths interviews with managers and clients, organisation descriptions and reports, and through observation from our (1-, 2- or 3-day) site-visits to the social enterprises across Poland. In our interviews we raise general questions concerned with entrepreneurship – e.g. risk, ownership, capital, innovation etc. -; with management – e.g. strategy, marketing, human resource management, finance, decision making, evaluation etc.; and with leadership – e.g. power, interests, roles, political processes. Social entrepreneurship then covers topics like: mobilizing different resources; clarification of social purpose and mission; “triple-bottom-line”; relation to target group; multi-stakeholder structure; “shaping the environment” (impact, e.g. on legislative); “cooperative leadership styles” (“lateral cooperation”) and guidance structure; networking and co-operations; management and applying “business tools”; governance structures; embeddedness in local community. Our paper aims to make an empirical and theoretical contribution to the field of “Social Enterprises” making a case for middle-eastern European countries in transition.

Keywords: Social Enterprises; Poland; cases study; Civil Society Organisations

2 pages, July 4, 2007

Note: Abstract submitted to EGOS-Colloquium 2007, Vienna, Austria, July 4-7, 2007

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