Social Enterprise in Mexico. An Experience From the Triple Helix Approach (Producers-University-Government)

Abstract

Social Enterprise is a form of commercial enterprise where ownership, control and wealth distribution are more evenly spread, leading to a more inclusive and fair society (Kerlin, 2009). Social enterprise is based on the values of equity in ownership and wealth distribution, involvement equality, and solidarity with people from all over the world, honesty in the pursuit of objectives, openness in operations and a balance between commercial trading, social responsibility and environmental care.

A social venture is an initiative launched by a group of citizens who have decision-making power not based on capital ownership. Social enterprises are hybrid organisations that serve multiple groups (Battilana et al., 2015), formed in an era and philosophy of foundation (Marquis, 2003), in a certain social context (Pfeffer and Salancik, 2002). They face social infrastructure requirements, but also human resistance, lack of availability of tangible and intangible resources and absence of best business management practices (Yunus, 2011).

As of 2012, the Mexican economic and legal framework has confirmed social enterprise as an alternative to address poverty, unemployment and migration problems. Social economy is a national strategy to generate equal opportunity conditions, productivity in an economically stable environment, favourable conditions for economic development by means of regulations that enable healthy competition between enterprises and the designing of a modern economic development policy, which focuses on the generation of innovation and growth in strategic sectors. To do so, Mexican economy is built on, partly, by the strengthening of the technical, administrative, financial and managerial capacities of those engaged in social enterprises.