towards women empowerment: a social ...

TOWARDS WOMEN EMPOWERMENT: A SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP APPROACH IN THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA Presented by FLORABEL O. NIEVA

September 17 -18, 2015

10TH EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP - FLORABEL NIEVA

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Outline  Introduction  Research Objectives  Methodology  Results  Conclusion



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Introduction Social Entrepreneurship (SE) • An approach to social and environmental problems that combines innovation and opportunity. • Its primary purpose is to use revenues generated to drive transformational social change (Adetu, 2014) • SE is gaining attraction across the Arab world (Magraby, 2012) • In KSA SE is new concept that people are still grasping (AlShaaban, 2013).



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Research Objectives This research study explored the current state of social entrepreneurship in Saudi Arabia

• Prioritized issues by women social entrepreneurs • Characteristics of implementers’ practices and activities • Challenges faced by women social entrepreneurs • Strategic management measures September 17 -18, 2015


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Research Methods Descriptive-qualitative • online survey, interview • 30 women social entrepreneurs • 30 academes • Case Study • 11 social enterprise-implementers • Document analysis



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Prioritized issues by women social entrepreneurs Community Workshops 7% engagement 9%

Skills development & training 20%

Business management consultancy 11% Employment services 17%

Mentorship program 11%

Professional services 11%


Community awareness campaigns 14%


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Characteristics of implementers’ practices and activities Social service providers • Impact, confinement and resources application • Profit as essential to their sustainability


Social activists • Creating ventures to advance the changes other seek • Creating change through indirect action influencing others to take action

Social entrepreneurs • Aims of value towards large-scale programs • Targets an underserved, neglected, or highly disadvantage population that lacks the financial means or political clout to achieve the transformative benefit on it is own


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Challenges faced by women social entrepreneurs • Reluctance of agencies to fund women social entrepreneurial venture

Financing

Regulatory framework • Gender-specific obstacle and restriction Technical support


• Measuring the social impact and effectiveness of SE


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Strategic management measures Access to funding

• Government to boost access to funding

Entrepreneurship culture

Taxation and Regulations

Education and training

Support coordination

• Government and private agencies to create more networking opportunities for SE in the country

• SE to use tax simplification methods to improve cash flow and decrease compliance costs associated with paying taxes

• Government to embed entrepreneurial learning & social entrepreneurship into the school curriculum. • Government to support young people who chose SE career.

• Social enterprises to cluster the right kind of support to social entrepreneurs for them to thrive effectively.



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Conclusion Social entrepreneurship in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia • is gaining momentum from job and aid matching to sustainability, combating poverty to women's empowerment, making a social change and empowering people throughout the region. • playing a strong role in generating social inclusion benefits, community strengthening and positive impact in Saudi Arabia. • competent, knowledgeable and skillful on how to prioritize their needs according to the ventures implemented; hybrid of character; and capable of recommending strategic measures to foster social entrepreneurship ventures sustainably. September 17 -18, 2015


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