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Chapter
Narratives, Hagiographies, and Future Perspectives
DOI link for Narratives, Hagiographies, and Future Perspectives
Narratives, Hagiographies, and Future Perspectives book
Narratives, Hagiographies, and Future Perspectives
DOI link for Narratives, Hagiographies, and Future Perspectives
Narratives, Hagiographies, and Future Perspectives book
ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on a critical discussion about the dominant narrative within the field of social entrepreneurship. Social entrepreneurs are described as ‘hero entrepreneurs’ or even as the “real-life superheroes of our society” who have an extraordinary character. Heroes are people that need to be worshiped and raised above everyone else. This hero-like narrative paints a picture of social entrepreneurship as having “univocally positive effects”. Many stories about social entrepreneurs and their venturing journey avoid detailed descriptions of their failures along the way. Heroization can impede learning due to groupthink and impeded double-loop learning. The assumption of universal goodness may misallocate resources. Social entrepreneurship is one tool of many to solve societal problems. An overemphasis or even sole emphasis on individual social entrepreneurial agency can create certain pressure on the individual. A focus on the individual can lead to a misallocation of entrepreneurial resources.