Changbin Woo

South Korea has experienced a rapid increase in the emergence of social enterprises that aim to address various social problems. However, little is known about the conditions that can affect the emergence of social enterprises at the regional level. This study examined the regional factors that influence the establishment of social enterprises using a panel dataset of observations on 17 metropolitan cities and provinces in South Korea from 2012 to 2019. The appearance of social enterprises in regional entrepreneurial ecosystems was found to be associated with the market, government, networks, financial resources, and human capital. We also found that the determinants of their emergence within South Korea’s social enterprise ecosystem vary based on their level of development and purpose. Based on the results, we suggested several policy implications and suggestions.

본 연구는 코로나19 팬데믹 상황에서 국제개발협력의 지속가능발전목표(SDGs: Sustainable Development Goals)의 실현을 위한 거버넌스에 대해 탐색하고자 하였다. 코로나19 팬데믹은 SDGs와 같은 지구적 문제에 대해 공동 대응해야 할 필요성을 잘 보여준다. 또한 인류세(Anthropocene)와 탈인간질서로의 전환을 의미하여, SDGs는 복잡성(complexity)이 증가한 상황에서 해결하기 까다로운 문제가 되었다. 이렇게 복잡하고 해결하기 까다로운 문제인 SDGs를 달성하기 위해서는 거버넌스적 접근이 필요하지만, 또한 코로나19 팬데믹은 정부실패, 시장실패와 마찬가지로 거버넌스도 실패할 수 있다는 교훈을 준다 .따라서 코로나19 팬데믹 상황에서 분야와 이슈별로 적절한 거버넌스를 선택하고 혼합하여 구사하는 메타거버넌스적 접근이 적실성을 지닌다고 하겠다. 연구는 이러한 논의를 바탕으로 현실적인 함의를 이끌어 내고자 하였다.

Previous studies have shown that social enterprises can improve the health conditions of socially disadvantaged people through qualitative approaches. As income-related health inequality has grown, the role of social enterprises in addressing this issue has become more significant. This study examined whether social enterprises could positively affect the self-rated health of South Korean low-income residents using multilevel models. The results showed that government-certified social enterprises were associated with positive self-rated health among low-income residents. On the other hand, preliminary social enterprises with insufficient profitability and weak corporate governance showed mixed results. Based on the empirical results, this study suggests relevant policy implications.

Various studies have proposed social enterprise as a potential policy intervention and a policy alternative to deal with the complex problem of wellbeing enhancement. However, the relationship between social enterprise and wellbeing has not been fully expounded, particularly its impact on the local community. This study aims to empirically examine the relationship between social enterprise and the wellbeing of individuals in the local community, utilizing a multilevel framework. It further explores whether social capital, measured as trust, network, and participation, plays a moderating role in the relationship between local social enterprise and the wellbeing of individuals in the community. The results indicate that social enterprise has a positive effect on the wellbeing of individuals in the community, and that social capital, particularly network and participation rather than trust, plays a moderating role in the relationship between local social enterprise and individual wellbeing. The results help explain how social enterprise improves the wellbeing of community residents as a whole, suggesting practical implications for policymakers and practitioners from governments and social enterprises.