Social entrepreneurs in challenging places: A Delphi study of experiences and perspectives

Social Enterprises have grown in number and scope in response to reductions in state-providedwelfare and increasing ambition to improve social conditions. While a range of issues have beenidentified in the literature as affecting the ability of Social Enterprises to successfully conduct theiractivities, there is currently a dearth of research into the relative influence of these factors. Thisstudy explores and ranks the challenges faced by social entrepreneurs in South Wales. Based on aDelphi study with 21 social entrepreneurs, government policy-developers and scholars, itpresents a hierarchy of 14 factors, useful instruments for informing social entrepreneurs andpolicy-makers about the way social enterprises are managed, and how national and local policyshould be developed. As part of this, the study also identifies four novel factors that affect thesustainability of social enterprises: ‘Professionalisation of Marketing’, ‘Perception of Validity’,‘Leadership’ and ‘Situatedness’