Development of Social Enterprises in Rural Island Tourism in China

ABSTRACT

This paper discusses the major development stages of social enterprises (SEs) in rural island tourism in China. The authors establish a conceptual framework with which to analyze the key factors affecting development in the context of Chinese social and economic institutions. Informed by the SE life cycle model, the study adopted a case study approach, with the Boxue Eco Village on Hainan Island as the case. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, focus group interviews, and observations. Institutional characteristics at every stage, including entrepreneurial, collectivity, standardization, and refinement, were analyzed. Based on the specificity of the SE of rural tourism in this case, the authors summarize the influencing factors that shaped the development process of the enterprises. First-hand data were collected through interviews with entrepreneurs, management staff, villagers, and other stakeholders. The model was modified according to the research results, and provides a more integrated model suitable for SEs in the Chinese islands. This study establishes a conceptual framework with which to analyze the development process of SEs in rural tourism within the institutional context of China. This framework could be applied to understand the substantial development of emerging SEs in China.

摘要

本文讨论了中国海岛的乡村旅游中，社会企业发展的主要阶段。作者构建了一个概念模型，分析在中国社会经济制度条件下，影响社会企业的发展因素。结合社会企业生命周期模型，本研究以海南岛博学生态村为案例，通过深度访谈，焦点小组访和实地观察采集数据，展开分析。分析了包括创业、集体、标准化、精细化每个阶段的制度性特征。根据案例中的乡村旅游社会企业的特殊性，作者归纳了影响社会企业发展进程的影响因素。本研究通过对企业家、管理者、村民和其他利益相关者的访谈采集了一手数据。根据研究结果调整了理论模型并且提出了更加适合中国海岛乡村旅游社会企业的整合模型。本项研究为中国制度环境下的乡村旅游中，社会企业的发展建立了一个概念框架。该框架可以帮助人们理解新兴的中国社会企业的发展本质。

KEYWORDS:

• Social enterprise
• rural tourism
• island destination
• influencing factors
• Tourism in China

关键词:

• 社会企业
• 乡村旅游
• 海岛目的地
• 影响因素
• 中国旅游

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by The National Social Sciences Foundation of China (No. 14BGL202); and the Fudan University Outstanding Talent Plan (to Han Shen).

Notes on contributors

Han Shen

Han Shen, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in Tourism Department at Fudan University, Shanghai, China (E-mail: [email protected]).

Xiao Liu

Xiao Liu, is a Postgraduate Student in Tourism Department at Fudan University, Shanghai, China (E-mail: [email protected]).

Mimi Li

Mimi Li, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China (E-mail: [email protected].

Mingjie Ji

Mingjie Ji, Ph D., is a Lecturer in Oxford School of Hospitality Management at Oxford Brookes University, Headington, UK (E-mail: [email protected]).