Complementary or Contradictory?

A paradoxical perspective on the relationship between social entrepreneurship and the welfare state

by Arie Michiel van Rijn

While both the welfare state and social entrepreneurship have a similar overarching goal, the central research question of this PhD thesis asks to what extent state commitment towards alleviating societal problems shapes social entrepreneurship. Therefore, the main question revolves around whether social entrepreneurship is complementary to or is contradictory to the welfare state. These theoretical mechanisms are tested in their applicability to different aspects of social entrepreneurship throughout four empirical and multi-authored chapters. Throughout all empirical chapters, it was found that state commitment and governmental interventions are related to the different aspects of social entrepreneurship under study. Given the research findings, the author argues that the relationship between the welfare state and social entrepreneurship is paradoxical instead of straightforward complementary or contradictory. From both a sociological and organization studies perspective, this dissertation shows how state commitment and social entrepreneurship are complementary and sometimes contradictory to each other.

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Table of Contents

1. Introduction

Setting the scene: Social entrepreneurship and the welfare state

Concept clarification

Context matters: Institutional perspectives on social entrepreneurship

The scientific relevance of this dissertation

Data and methods

Outline of this dissertation

2. For Self-interest or Helping Others? Exploring how occupational class and welfare state strength influence entrepreneurship preferences

Introduction

Theoretical framework

Data and methods

Results

Robustness checks

Discussion

Conclusion

3. Crowding-in or Crowding-out? A welfare state perspective on the social orientation of commercial and social entrepreneurs. 67

Introduction

Theoretical background and hypotheses

Data and methods

Results

Discussion and conclusion

4. Symbiosis or Discord? Exploring how government interventions and societal problems influence the prevalence of organizational forms of social entrepreneurship

Introduction

Theoretical framework

Data and Methods

Results

Conclusion

5. To Prove and Improve: An empirical study on why social entrepreneurs

measure their social impact

Introduction

Theoretical framework

Data and methods

Results

Conclusion and implications

6. Conclusion: The paradox of the welfare state and social entrepreneurship

Summary of the main findings

Implications: The welfare state and social entrepreneurship paradox

Limitations and suggestions for further research

Final thoughts

A. Appendices

B. References

C. Summary

D. Dankwoord (Acknowledgements)

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