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Social and Environmental Enterprises in Africa: Context, Convergence and Characteristics

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The Business of Social and Environmental Innovation

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of the landscape of social and environmental entrepreneurship in Africa. Utilizing quantitative data on 270 social and environmental enterprises operating in Eastern and Southern Africa, some key characteristics of these kinds of enterprises are identified. These characteristics are reflected upon through a contextual lens contributing to wider debates about the nature of social and environmental entrepreneurship and enterprises in Africa. Drawing upon notions of hybridity, and sustainability oriented entrepreneurship, consideration is furthermore given to the convergence of social and environmental goals in these kinds of businesses, and in wider social and environmental innovation in Africa.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The Trickle Out Africa Research Project is funded by the UK’s Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and examines social and environmental enterprises in Eastern and Southern Africa. It focuses on their role in sustainable development and poverty alleviation, and how the benefits of their activities ‘trickle out’ into communities, amongst stakeholders and along the value chain. See www.trickleout.net

  2. 2.

    In 8 % of cases the major income source was unclear, in 3 % there seems to be a roughly equal mix of donations and sales. There were 2 instances where this question was not answered.

  3. 3.

    A programme has recently been initiated in South Africa to develop a national social business and impact investment framework. This programme is supported by the British High Commission, USAID and involves various local partner organizations including the Impact Trust.

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Acknowledgement

The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC grant reference RES-061-25-0473)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Henley Business School, University of Reading, Greenlands, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, RG9 3AU, UK

    David Littlewood

  2. Essex Business School, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK

    Diane Holt

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  1. David Littlewood
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  2. Diane Holt
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Correspondence to David Littlewood .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Business University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

    Verena Bitzer

  2. Graduate School of Business University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

    Ralph Hamann

  3. Graduate School of Business University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

    Martin Hall

  4. Graduate School of Business University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

    Eliada Wosu Griffin-EL

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Littlewood, D., Holt, D. (2015). Social and Environmental Enterprises in Africa: Context, Convergence and Characteristics. In: Bitzer, V., Hamann, R., Hall, M., Griffin-EL, E. (eds) The Business of Social and Environmental Innovation. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-04051-6_2

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