Paper Seminar: Societal Entrepreneurship

The Paper Seminar series is a perfect opportunity to get up to speed with the entrepreneurship research scene and meet and greet your fellow researchers.

We follow the traditional approach with 30-45 minutes of presentation, followed by comments and discussion.

Paper Abstract

This article takes its point of departure in the introduction of the prefix story ‘societal entrepreneurship’ and how it is being shaped in relation to the grand narrative of entrepreneurship. Using Burke’s pentad we have argued that the grand narrative of entrepreneurship consists of the heroic entrepreneur (agent) who creates a kingdom (act) by way of establishing a company (agency) on the market in order to make a profit and contribute to growth (purpose). This narrative stands quite in contrast to the story of societal entrepreneurship as interpreted from the projects in the Smithy, which emphasizes how untitled entrepreneurs and organizations in cooperation (agent) initiate changes (act) in public arenas (scene) by way of projects (agency), aiming to contribute to a better society (purpose).

In this article we have invoked the buried concept of that it exist a “grand” narrative in a postmodern society (Lyotard, 1994). Our hope has been to introduce a conversation on the past, making sense of the presence to make the space larger for future enactment. And our wish has been to contribute to and understanding considering in what ways that stories of entrepreneurship can be told differently in contemporary society. Our thesis has been that the dominating grand narrative can be re-narrated in a more multi voiced text, one that includes the tragic as well as the heroic, romantic and comic, and that societal entrepreneurship is an expression of such a story. By listening to both the grand narrative and to the antenarrative of societal entrepreneurship, we hope to give a new “text” to those who lack one, and also give voice to those who previously have been neglected in entrepreneurship research.

Biography

Karin Berglund is an Assistant Professor at the Stockholm University School of Business. Her overarching research interest lies in visualizing the suppressed forms, groups and values of entrepreneurship. Her current research focuses on the importance entrepreneurship might achieve in society with a somewhat broader interpretation - that is to say comprising other values than purely economic ones, highlighting other characters than the western male hero stereotype, and drawing attention to other processes than only those leading to starting new enterprises.

Karin previously held a position at Mälardalen University where she defended her thesis “The hunt for entrepreneurs” in 2007. During her post-doc period she has developed and managed several research projects on entrepreneurship, among which ”Organizing societal entrepreneurship in Sweden” is one.