Social enterprises in tourism: an exploratory study of operational models and success factors

Abstract

Organisations using market-based approaches to achieve social and/or environmental aims are increasingly appearing in tourism. These “social enterprises” express responsible tourism through contributing to poverty alleviation and environmental protection while being financially self-sustaining. This study uncovers the approach of such enterprises in balancing commercial and social/environmental objectives, and investigates the determinants of success. The paper applies Alter's 2006 seven-model framework of social enterprise models to a sample of successful enterprises, “success” being aligned with the broader aims of social enterprises. Overall, it was found that touristic social enterprises operate similarly to those in other sectors, although with a clear preference for three “Alter” models, depending on the type of activity, namely Service Subsidisation, Employment and the Market Intermediary Model. Success factors appear to be valid across all social enterprises in tourism, irrespective of primary business activity or operational model, and cannot be attributed to a single factor but to combinations of factors in the multiple dimensions of leadership, strategy and organisational culture. These guide the implementing mechanisms of processes and structure, human resources, financing, governance, performance measurement and marketing. The most likely success factors are strong leadership, clear market orientation and organisational culture, which balances financial with social/environmental aims.

旅游中的社会企业：运营模式和成功因素的解析型研究

在旅游业中组织利用以市场为基准的方法来达到社会和/或环境的目的是不断地涌现。这些“社会企业”通过贡献于贫困减低和环境保护，同时又能财政自负这样的情况下来体现责任性旅游。该研究揭示了这些企业在平衡商业和社会/环境目标时的手段，并调查了决定成功的因素。文章运用Alter在2006年发展的社会企业模型中的七大模式框架在一些挑选的成功企业上，“成功”的定义是和社会企业的更广的目标来决定的。

总体来说，文章发现旅游性质的社会企业和在其他领域的企业运行相似，尽管旅游社会企业对三个“Alter”模式有明显的偏爱。这三大模式根据活动的类型名为服务补助，雇佣和市场调节模式。成功因素在旅游业中所有的社会企业里都有效，不管是主要的商务活动还是运营模式。并且成功因素不能归因到单一因素，而是要结合多方面的因素例如领导能力，战略和组织文化。这些引导实施过程和结构，人力资源，财政，政策管理，结果衡量和市场营销等的机制。最有可能成功的因素包括强有力的领导能力，清晰的市场方向和能平衡社会/环境和财政目标的组织文化。

Keywords:

• social enterprise
• responsible tourism
• market-based approach
• organisational culture
• leadership; dynamics of change

关键词:

• 社会企业
• 责任性旅游
• 市场为基准的方法
• 组织文化
• 领导能力

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Janina von der Weppen

Janina von der Weppen completed her MSc in Responsible Tourism Management at the School of Events, Tourism and Hospitality at Leeds Metropolitan University in 2010. She volunteered with a social enterprise in Indonesia, assisting with the development of its sustainable tourism operations, and wrote her MSc dissertation on social enterprises in tourism.

Janet Cochrane

Janet Cochrane is Senior Research Fellow in the International Centre for Research in Events, Tourism and Hospitality at Leeds Metropolitan University. She specialises in research into the interface between tourism, conservation and development, with particular interests in South East Asia, Yorkshire, rural tourism and SMEs.