Social Purpose Enterprises

"Social Purpose Enterprises illustrates the great variety of fields in which we now find social purpose enterprises and presents a number of effective approaches that can be used to assess their impact. The case studies will resonate with a wide audience: university students, researchers, leaders of social economy organizations and social purpose enterprises, and funders of these initiatives." -- Luc Theriault, Department of Sociology, University of New Brunswick

Social Purpose Enterprises: Case Studies for Social Change presents case studies of twelve organizations which operate in a growing niche within the Canadian social economy.

Social Purpose Enterprises: Case Studies for Social Change presents case studies of twelve organizations that operate in a growing niche within the Canadian social economy: market-based entities supported by a nonprofit organization and operated for the benefit of a workforce who lives on the margins of society.

Using a variety of research methods, the contributors examine the work of social purpose enterprises in a range of businesses including food services, child care, furniture, courier services, and microfinance. Combining the experience of academics and practitioners, each chapter analyses the economic, social, and policy implications of the case.

Building on research published in Researching the Social Economy (2010) and Businesses with a Difference (2013), Social Purpose Enterprises provides a valuable resource for those involved in the growing push to encourage market-based solutions for those on the social margins.