Entrepreneurial orientation in South African social enterprises

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate to what extent an Entrepreneurial Orientation (EO) exists within social enterprises in South Africa. Research Design & Methods: The study was quantitative in nature and used a descriptive research design, utilising an adapted measuring instrument to measure five dimensions of EO. A simple random sampling approach was followed, with resulting data analysed in SPSS by means of descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and ANOVA. Findings: We found that four dimensions of EO exist within social enterprises to a moderate extent, namely risk-taking, innovation, proactiveness, and autonomy. Findings indicated low levels of competitive aggressiveness. Implications & Recommendations: The article intends to fill the gap in literature that exists regarding EO within social enterprises in South Africa. The study provides insights into the existence of EO in South African social enterprises, allowing for policy and managerial interventions to be made to improve EO levels. Contribution & Value Added: The main contribution of the study provides an indication of the existence of an EO in South African social enterprises, thereby establishing the basis for further research in this under-researched area.