Roles Of Social Enterprise

Social enterprises have been around ever since the 1840s. Since then, social enterprises has spread throughout the whole world, spreading the idea of doing business with a social cause to others. Within these 200 years, what exactly is the role played by social enterprises? Is it to be a business that helps others or to be a change maker? In this essay, we will focus on the roles that social enterprises play in society. Drawing examples from both past and present social enterprises, and showing how throughout the years, the roles of social enterprises has remained consistent to its cause.

This essay will cover 3 different roles played by social enterprises in society. They are to be a problem solver, to be a change maker, and lastly, to provide opportunities and support the disadvantaged.

Problem Solver

Social enterprises are put in line of directly helping people. Social entrepreneurs see a problem in society, and they aim to fix that problem through the businesses they create. Often, social entrepreneurs seem to be so in line with their ideas, they commit and put their lives to solving the problems which people face. They are visionaries, but also realists, and are ultimately concerned with the practical implementation of their vision above all else.

While social enterprises help to solve problems, they also make a positive impact on society. One such example is The Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers. It was founded in 1844 and is known to be the very first social enterprise and paved the way for Co-op companies. During that year, as the Industrial Revolution was forcing more and more skilled workers into poverty, retailers very commonly gave unfair charges for weights of goods bought and conducted misappropriate handling...

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...f failing. But it is also the most rewarding. To see a positive change taking place in the world, one change at a time with each social enterprise that is being set up. Social enterprises are an important part in society. Without them, many people would have fallen through even more cracks in the systems we live in.

This essay also covers 2 different examples for each role, social enterprises set up in the past(before 21st century), and social enterprises set up in the 21st century. With a history dating back to 140 years ago when the first social enterprise was set up, the roles of social enterprises still remain the same, and I believe that in the future, these roles will never change. Social enterprises may adapt and modify themselves to different changes in the future; however, the causes and roles of social enterprises in society will still remain the same.