Social entrepreneurship, the application of commercial strategies to address important social problems, has captured the imagination of business people and citizens seeking to identify financially sustainable ways of dealing with issues such as poverty, disease and violence. The success of social enterprises, especially in the critical early period, requires an effective digital communication strategy. However, this is the precise time when needed human and financial resources to develop such strategies are lacking.
I will conduct focus groups with social entrepreneurs based in Kansas and Missouri and an online survey with social entrepreneurs in the United States to understand their communication practices and needs. This research will cover characteristics of social entrepreneurs and their companies as well as their business models, marketing strategies, communication channels and social media strategies.
