Communities and social enterprises in the age of globalization

Purpose The goal of this paper is to develop a conceptual framework to understand the processes by which rural communities are using commons‐based social enterprises to engage global actors and forge local places. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses a four‐step conceptualization of commons‐based social enterprises within a complex world: deal with communities as complex systems embedded in larger complex systems, understand cross‐scale linkages between communities and other levels of organization, identify drivers of change, and build adaptive capacity to increase the resilience of communities in the face of globalization. The paper draws upon an international set of cases undertaken by the Centre for Community‐based Resource Management to illustrate each step. Findings Social enterprises are one means by which rural communities are negotiating with global actors through recent processes of globalization. The social enterprise provides a mechanism for rural people to secure tenure for common‐pool resources and allows them to make direct decisions regarding their management. Research limitations/implications To further develop the understanding of commons‐based social enterprises will require further integration of theory regarding commons and social enterprises. Practical implications States and development agencies lack enabling policies for commons‐based social enterprises that support the multiple goal strategies of rural communities for natural resources. Originality/value Commons and social enterprise literature have tended to exist in separate domains and this paper makes a first step toward their integration.