Defining and Conceptualizing Social Work Entrepreneurship

Abstract

This article presents the results of a study investigating social work students’ and professionals’ perceptions of social work entrepreneurship (SWE). A purposive sample of 52 social work professionals and 82 social work students was selected to participate in a survey that used a two-item closed-ended and five-item open-ended questionnaire. Despite the study limitation imposed by self-selection of the sample, the findings help to define and conceptualize social work entrepreneurship. The author makes a case for including entrepreneurial training in the social work curriculum.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Tricia B. Bent-Goodley

The author would like to thank Gladys Walton Hall, J. Toni Oliver, and Barbara Thomas for their assistance and support with this manuscript. In addition, the author gratefully acknowledges the Howard University Fund for Academic Excellence for making the study possible.