Relevant Fundamentals

Abstract

To analyze partnerships between social ventures and corporations all three terms need to be defined and clarified. The goal of this chapter is, first, to clarify the term social entrepreneurship and to highlight the specific characteristics that are implied when it is referred to this relatively new phenomenon (section 2.1). Secondly, the focus is on corporations – however, not in general terms; in this section corporations are viewed from the perspectives as, so to say, counterparts of social ventures, and a particular focus is on their social responsibility and engagements (section 2.2). In the last part, the term partnership is explained. The focus is on introducing relevant theoretical approaches to understand their formation, presenting different forms and stages of it, and investigating the participants’ motivation (section 2.3).