Social entrepreneurship as an employment pathway for people with disabilities: exploring political–economic and socio-cultural factors

Abstract

The current economic climate demands more innovative approaches to increasing labor market participation for people with disabilities. Social entrepreneurship (SE) offers one alternative employment pathway. However, little is known about the broader factors influencing SE for people with disabilities. Using empirical data from focus groups comprised of social entrepreneurs with disabilities and interviews with key stakeholders working in the fields of policy, disability, and business, this research frames its analysis in the intersection of disability studies and entrepreneurship to explore which factors influence the potential for SE to provide equal participation opportunities for people with disabilities in the labor market. Findings suggest that further consideration of political–economic and socio-cultural factors is needed if we are to better understand the potential of SE for people with disabilities.

Keywords:

• social entrepreneurship
• disability
• employment
• participation
• qualitative

Notes

1. Dyadic interviews are being conducted with social entrepreneurs with intellectual disabilities as a separate component of the larger project.