Social Entrepreneurship and Broader Theories: A Critical Reassessment and Future Agenda

In 2013, following an AOM workshop on “Social Entrepreneurship and Broader Theories,” we published essays challenging dominant economic, business, and entrepreneurship concepts. We revisit them to reflect on the field’s evolution and remaining gaps. Two essays take a macro perspective, exploring adaptive societies and the tragedy of the commons. Two examine the managerial level, discussing limited practical impact and the need for stronger blended performance metrics. Two focus on entrepreneurship, examining a shift toward community-venture paradigms and critiquing traditional business model tools. Together, they invite a rethinking of the when, why, what, and how of social entrepreneurship research and practice.