The Corporate Social Entrepreneur: From Concept to Practice

Over the past two decades, enterprises of all stripes have come to view corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives as a source of competitive advantage rather as a drain on financial resources. Against this background, research attention has increasingly been paid to the role of corporate social entrepreneurs in accelerating CSR efforts. Acting as social entrepreneurs in for‐profit organizations, corporate social entrepreneurs are at the forefront of some of the most effective CSR efforts around the world. An evaluation of various ways of engaging in social undertakings leads to a precise definition of corporate social entrepreneurs and a model encompassing the dimensions of motive, opportunity realization, and resource cooptation. Further exploration reveals the environmental factors both within and outside corporations that can promote a new approach to achieving organizational goals: expanding the role of businesses in securing the well‐being of the communities in which they operate.