This study explores the philosophical and theoretical connections between Bildung, a core concept in German educational philosophy, and social entrepreneurship, a key theme in contemporary socio-economic discourse. Bildung encompasses a process of holistic human growth, autonomy, critical thinking, and social responsibility, transcending the mere acquisition of knowledge or skills. Social entrepreneurship is a practical endeavor aimed at solving social problems and creating social value through innovative methods. Through a literature review, this research analyzes the historical development and core characteristics of Bildung, alongside the main components of social entrepreneurship. The findings reveal multidimensional points of convergence between the two concepts in terms of human formation (holistic growth, subjective self-formation, and the will to realize ideals), social relations and world understanding (interaction with the world, critical perception of reality, and ethical practice), and practical orientation and process (integration of theory and practice, and growth as a process). In particular, the values of holistic human development, autonomy, and social responsibility, as presented by Bildung thinkers such as Herder, Kant, Schiller, and Humboldt, are deeply intertwined with the social mission, innovativeness, and ethical leadership pursued by social entrepreneurs. Based on this analysis, the study posits the necessity of a paradigm shift in current Korean entrepreneurship education, which tends to focus on economic outcomes, towards fostering holistic social entrepreneurs who simultaneously pursue social value and individual growth. Specifically, it suggests re-establishing educational goals based on Bildung philosophy, introducing integrated educational content and participatory teaching methods to cultivate critical thinking, self-reflection, and collaborative competencies, and building a process-oriented evaluation system, supported by a conducive policy and institutional ecosystem. This research aims to provide a theoretical foundation for enhancing Korean social enterprise start-up education and contributing to societal development by fostering an integrated understanding of Bildung and social entrepreneurship.
Kyunghyun Na (Thu,) studied this question.