Evaluation of University-Based Platforms in Support of Social Entrepreneurship

Sosyal Giriflimlerin Geliflmesini Destekleyen Üniversite Platformlar›n›n De¤erlendirilmesi

Abstract

The study reports on the operationalization of social entrepreneurship pro- grams that are implemented by two university-based platforms in Turkey. Both initiatives have strategically come together with multiple partners (e.g., for-profit and nonprofit businesses and local governmental agencies) in order to achieve more than what they can accomplish on their own. Resource shar- ing with the partners, nature of social problems, and program outputs and outcomes were used for exploring the working principles of the two pro- grams. The data collection included secondary data, participant observations, semi-structured interviews with program partners and beneficiaries, and a site visit. The social entrepreneurship ecosystem in the given context was found to be growing yet with gaps in support systems for scale-up projects and impact investing. The findings suggest that the two programs varied in their partnership arrangements, funding, scope, and outputs consistent with their program goals. Identifying the unmet needs in the ecosystem, knowing the platforms’ strengths and capabilities, and matching with partners that have complementary resources are found to be effective strategies of the plat- forms. The study argues that universities are not fully utilizing their vital position to contribute to the improvements of the ecosystem, and more can be achieved by integrating the programs with teaching and research and increasing their specialization in various social issues (e.g., gender equality).

Özet

Araflt›rman›n amac› Türkiye’deki iki farkl› üniversitede uygulanan d›flar›- ya aç›k sosyal giriflimcilik programlar›n›n yürütme süreçlerini ve sonuçla- r›n› de¤erlendirmektir. Her iki giriflim de kendi bafllar›na baflard›klar›n- dan daha fazlas›n› elde etmek için birden fazla ortakla stratejik olarak bir araya gelmifltir. Bu araflt›rmada programlar›n çal›flma prensiplerini ince- lemek amac› ile “ortaklarla etkileflim, sosyal problemlerin niteli¤i ve program ç›kt›lar›” de¤iflken olarak kullan›lm›flt›r. Veri toplama süreçleri; web tabanl› verilerin toplanmas›, kat›l›mc› gözlemleme, program ortakla- r› ve yararlan›c›larla ile yar› yap›land›r›lm›fl görüflmeler ve saha ziyaretini içermifltir. Sosyal giriflimcilik ekosisteminin geniflledi¤i ancak ölçek bü- yütme projeleri için olan destek programlar›n›n azl›¤› ve sosyal yat›r›mc›- lar›n eksikli¤i belirlenmifltir. Bulgular, iki program›n ortakl›k gelifltirmek- te, fonlamada, içerikte ve ç›kt›larda farkl›l›klar sergiledi¤ini göstermekte- dir. Ekosistemdeki karfl›lanmam›fl ihtiyaçlar› belirlemek, platformlar›n güçlü yanlar›n› tan›mlayabilmek ve tamamlay›c› kaynaklara sahip ortak- larla eflleflmek, iki platformun gelifltirdikleri etkili stratejiler olarak bulun- mufltur. Çal›flma, üniversitelerin konumlar›n› tam olarak etkin kullanma- d›klar›n›; sosyal giriflimcilik programlar›n› ö¤retim ve araflt›rma ile bütün- lefltirerek ve belirleyecekleri sosyal sorunlara odaklanarak ekosistemin ge- liflmesine daha fazla katk›da bulunabileceklerini vurgulam›flt›r.