In the UK, social enterprise models are increasingly seen as a preferred approach to creating and managing socially responsible organisations in a wide range of contexts[1]. The mechanisms by which social enterprises are founded and managed can, potentially, provide a new paradigm for entrepreneurial activity for the next generation.
According to figures from the UK Government's Annual Small Business Survey 2005 and existing data for the social enterprise sector, there are at least 55,000 social enterprises in the UK with a combined turnover of £27billion per year. Social enterprises account for 5% of all businesses with employees and contribute £8.4billion per year to the UK economy - almost 1% of annual GDP.
"A social enterprise is a business with primarily social objectives whose surpluses are principally reinvested for that purpose in the business or in the community, rather than being driven by the need to maximise profit for shareholders and owners.
Social enterprises tackle a wide range of social and environmental issues and operate in all parts of the economy. By using business solutions to achieve public good, the Government believes that social enterprises have a distinct and valuable role to play in a helping create a strong, sustainable and socially inclusive economy
Social enterprises are diverse. They include local community enterprises, social firms, mutual organizations such as co-operatives and large scale organizations operating nationally or internationally. There is no single legal model for social enterprise. They include companies limited by guarantee, industrial and provident societies and companies limited by shares; some organisations are unincorporated and others are registered charities.” Social Enterprise - a strategy for success DTI, 2004
The University of Northampton has a decade-long track record of innovation in entrepreneurial education, being one of the first, if not the first, to offer an entire UK undergraduate degree in the subject. More recently, we developed the first Foundation Degree in Enterprise in the UK, featuring a focus on experiential learning as students gain credit for starting and managing their businesses whilst completing the programme. This was developed with a grant from the East Midlands Development Agency with advice from Foundation Degree Forward. Northampton Business School has enjoyed strong links with the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship, being one of the founder members of the UK Entrepreneurship Educators Forum, the forerunner of NCGE.
More widely, the university’s Enterprise Club (HEIF-funded) has a full-time manager delivering a remit of ‘enterprise up-skilling’ across the university’s student population. A range of University Faculties have a strong involvement in social enterprise. In particular, the School of Health is exploring social enterprise approaches as a response to policy changes in the primary health care sector of the NHS, and in social welfare provision, with Peter Ratcliffe delivering a PgCert in Health Enterprise for regional GPs, Practice Managers and PCT managers. Elsewhere, the School of the Arts is developing new enterprise development models for the creative industries, within their Portfolio Centre ‘incubator’ facility for arts graduates. |