Without social fit - no technical fix: inclusive digital extension for smallholders in Kenya and Uganda

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that it is feasible to theoretically and empirically build an international typology of social enterprise (SE) models. The authors first rely on their previous work (Defourny and Nyssens, 2017), suggesting that the concept of “interest principles” can serve as a cornerstone in such perspective. This concept, when combined with that of SEs’ “resource mixes”, allows to design an analytical tool that shows from which “matrices” and through which “trajectories” several distinct SE models can emerge, namely, the “non-profit entrepreneurial model”, the “social cooperative model”, the “social business model” and the “public sector model”.Design/methodology/approachThis paper combines deductive and inductive approaches. In a deductive perspective, the authors build upon the analytical framework proposed by Gui (1991) to identify capital interest, mutual interest and general interest as key driving forces and fundamental motives in the overall economy. To confront their theoretical construction and their tentative typology of SE models with field realities, the authors also adopt an inductive approach, relying on bottom-up research strategies developed in the seven “ICSEM country contributions” forming this special issue.FindingsAt first view, mapping exercises of SE categories in the seven countries seem to highlight a high degree of heterogeneity. However, a closer analysis of these apparently diverging contributions clearly suggests that the four major SE models derived from the authors’ theoretical framework find significant empirical support in most—if not all—countries.Originality/valueAlthough major statistical work to test the authors’ typology of SE models remains to be carried out, mainly through the exploitation of the international ICSEM database (which covers over 700 SEs from more than 40 countries), this paper represents a first—although limited—attempt to collect empirical evidence for testing this typology.

We contribute to the growing literature examining how social enterprises might best accommodate their hybrid structure when pursuing dual goals of social improvement and economic sustainability. Drawing on extant literature, the case is made for why synergy between the social and commercial business models that hybrid social enterprises employ should positively impact effectiveness in delivering organization outcomes. We then develop a method for comparing the synergy between the social and commercial business models employed within and across organizations, and test the method using a sample of seven social enterprises operating in different social fields. Results demonstrate that our method can be applied consistently across a range of social enterprise types and that variation in degree of synergy is considerable with overlap rates ranging from 9% to 77%. Using learning from this exploratory study, we develop propositions describing how and why social entrepreneurs develop business model synergy, the relationship between business model synergy and organizational performance, and suggest future research to test these propositions. Implications for theory development and practice are discussed.

BackgroundAdolescents and Young Adults (AYA) face challenges in maintaining antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence, necessitating the need for targeted and innovative interventions. Digital tools have shown potential in improving ART adherence following its integration into HIV care. However, there is paucity of comprehensive evidence on its usage and effectiveness in this population who exhibit higher levels of non-adherence to ART. Hence, we conducted a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the effectiveness of digital tools in enhancing ART adherence among AYA.MethodWe searched multiple databases including Google Scholar, PubMed, Cochrane and Web of Science using appropriate keywords and Boolean operators. We screened articles for eligibility and ensured that only RCTs focusing on the role of digital tools in ART adherence among AYA with HIV were included.ResultsOf the 4,270 studies screened, 8 studies published between 2020 to 2024 met the eligibility criteria. The included studies involved study population between the ages of 10–24 years. The studies assessed the effectiveness of digital tools on ART adherence among AYA living with HIV with sample sizes ranging from 21 to 349 participants. The digital tools in the studies included SMS, gamified text messages, social media group, interactive voice response system, video conferencing, and a gamified mobile app. Only two studies showed statistically significant improvement in ART adherence. Adherence measures were found to be a key factor in influencing adherence outcomes as viral load-based measures were associated with the statistically significant studies.ConclusionDigital tools show potential in improving ART adherence among AYA living with HIV. Although only two studies reported statistically significant improvement in adherence, mHealth and SMS have shown promise as tools for improving ART adherence and achieving viral suppression. Future studies should employ viral load as a primary measure for the ART adherence as well as increase follow-up durations and sample size to ensure generalizability of results.

PurposeThis paper aims to analyse the advancement of social enterprises in Indonesia by providing comprehensive insights into crucial aspects of social enterprises such as stakeholder interests, business models, challenges and future objectives.Design/methodology/approachUsing a case study approach, the study investigates four social enterprises using a narrative methodology to gain a detailed understanding of their operations. By adopting a systems perspective, the research uncovers the dynamics among stakeholders, challenges and the evolution of business models, offering a nuanced view of the social enterprise ecosystem.FindingsThe findings demonstrate that social enterprises in Indonesia emerge with a noble mission to address unmet community needs. Notably, effective collaboration among diverse stakeholders, including both the private and public sectors, plays a crucial role in achieving the missions of these social enterprises. The study highlights the significance of social enterprises in bridging gaps left by the government and contributing to positive societal impact.Originality/valueBy deepening the understanding of social enterprise development in Indonesia, this research provides valuable insights for policymakers, practitioners and researchers in fostering their growth and effectiveness. Ultimately, it contributes to the broader knowledge on social entrepreneurship and sustainable development.

Even though not all the practices they designate are new, the - recent - concept of social enterprise (SE) is clearly fashionable and continues to diversify, be it in its organisational, sectoral, geographical or other expressions. Social enterprises combine an entrepreneurial dynamic to provide services or goods with the primacy of a social mission. Beyond this minimal consensus, various tentative definitions have been put forward according to different "schools of thought". In response to this conceptual diversity, various authors tried to identify SE categories and propose typologies. In the framework of the International Comparative Social Enterprise Models (ICSEM) project, four major social enterprise models have been theorized and tested across the world. Three of the four SE models have been confirmed based on empirical data: the social-cooperative model, the entrepreneurial non-profit model, and the social-business model. Far from aiming at any "unification", these results highlight very different major models and show in a structured way that social entrepreneurship can emerge from all parts of our economies, including those - different from one part of the world to the other - that were considered previously.

Given the marked heterogeneous conditions in smallholder agriculture in Sub‐Saharan Africa, there is a growing policy interest in site‐specific extension advice and the use of digital extension tools to provide site‐specific information. Empirical ex‐ante studies on the design of digital extension tools and their use are rare. Using data from a choice experiment in Nigeria, we elicit and analyze the preferences of extension agents for major design features of ICT‐enabled decision support tools (DSTs) aimed at site‐specific nutrient management extension advice. We estimate different models, including mixed logit, latent class and attribute non‐attendance models. We find that extension agents are generally willing to use such DSTs and prefer a DST with a more user‐friendly interface that requires less time to generate results. We also find that preferences are heterogeneous: some extension agents care more about the effectiveness‐related features of DSTs, such as information accuracy and level of detail, while others prioritise practical features, such as tool platform, language and interface ease‐of‐use. Recognising and accommodating such preference differences may facilitate the adoption of DSTs by extension agents and thus enhance the scope for such tools to impact the agricultural production decisions of farmers.

Wiki Storyline is a web-based Storyline project. The interdisciplinary approach to second language teaching provided by combining the Storyline method and ICT is dynamic, and ideal for practicing receptive and productive skills in English. Being a learner-centered approach, the Storyline creates motivation for written and oral communication and this is facilitated by digital tools. The Wiki Storyline project has been carried out with two in-service courses and this study presents a comparative analysis of the various technical solutions, as well as of the pedagogical potential explored in the two courses. In addition to the wiki, Etherpad and a blog were the key digital media tools included in the project. In the wiki a virtual world was created, while Etherpad served as a tool for real time collaborative text editing, and the blog as an arena for reflection for the participants, outside the virtual world.

The COVID-19 crisis affected the world’s economic and social system in many ways. Social enterprises (SEs) play a necessary role in delivering social value during such crises (Bacq, S., and G. T. Lumpkin. 2020. “Social Entrepreneurship and COVID‐19.” Journal of Management Studies 58 (1): 285–8; Sarma, S. K., K. K. Kumar, and S. K. Mishra. 2022. “Strategic Response to COVID-19: How Do Social Enterprises Navigate Crisis Situations?” Social Enterprise Journal 18 (4): 626–42; Weaver, R. L. 2020. “The Impact of COVID-19 on the Social Enterprise Sector.” Journal of Social Entrepreneurship 14 (2): 177–85). However, there is still a lack of empirical evidence that analyzes the impact of the pandemic on the performance of SEs and how that performance differs from traditional, non-social companies. Therefore, the purpose of this contribution is to fill this gap. This study compares two types of organizations in the same Italian context: social cooperatives and private limited companies. We present and compare their performance using ratio analysis in a three-dimensional perspective: economic, financial, and social, where the latter concerns the ability to create and distribute value-added to stakeholders (Riahi-Belkaoui, A. 1996. Performance Results in Value Added Reporting. Westport: Quorum Books), with particular emphasis on distributional fairness (Haller, A., C. J. van Staden, and C. Landis. 2018. “Value Added as part of Sustainability Reporting: Reporting on Distributional Fairness or Obfuscation?” Journal of Business Ethics 152: 763–81). In addition to policy recommendations, this study provides guidance on how to use existing accounting data to approximate social elements in business.

Purpose This paper aims to extend the understanding of how impact measurement capability can be fostered among social enterprises. It presents empirical insights from a novel experience of developing a cloud-based outcomes and impact measurement and reporting platform for and with small to medium social enterprises in Australia. Design/methodology/approach The paper is guided by a situated learning theory lens and draws on thematic analysis of data collected from co-design and action research that underpinned the technology development. Findings Learning and practice benefits were observed in the co-design process of the platform development, as participants brought diverse expertise to the process, interacted, shared knowledge and practice and diffused learning from the process to other communities of practice within their organisational and operating settings. At the same time, the technology-led solution acted as a boundary object around which its co-developers interacted and navigated different practices and perspectives among researchers, social entrepreneurs and technologists. Additionally, the development of the platform reinforced the limitations of seeking universalised responses to highly diverse organisational and ecosystem needs. Originality/value The paper contributes to understanding the relational domain of social impact measurement for social enterprises in a learning process and brings empirical insights from co-designing and co-creating technology solutions for social impact measurement with social enterprises.

This paper presents a descriptive analysis of how social value creation and business models are interconnected in the context of Bottom of Pyramid. Globally there are various cases of real business set up for people in the BOP in emerging economies for understanding the role of innovative strategies for social value creation. Social entrepreneurs through their social enterprises using disruptive innovation & catalytic innovation have played critical role in inclusive development by first catering to the masses and then to the classes. Literature on social value creation and BOP was extensively reviewed and dimensions of innovation and social value creation was identified resulting in bringing benefits to people at BOP. The present paper seeks to make a contribution to this literature by enriching our understanding of how BOP business models and social value creation through social innovations by social entrepreneurs are actually related.

A systemic logic for circular business models

This study explores the determinants of solar trolley adoption and its impact on farm and non-farm earnings using a cross-sectional dataset of 617 farm households from Punjab, Pakistan. We develop two models – a logit model and a Heckman two-stage model – to overcome potential endogeneity and selection bias. Interestingly, we find significant variations in solar energy utilization among farmers across the given scenarios – layman, efficient, and entrepreneurial – with those in the latter scenario achieving the shortest pay-off time of 1.72 years. Moreover, solar trolleys substantially enhance the productivity of intensively irrigated cereals, resulting in economic benefits of USD 193.80 and USD 134.90 per acre for rice and hybrid maize, respectively. Our analysis reveals that factors such as access to solar subsidy, solar information, smartphone ownership, livestock and tractor ownership, and groundwater table depth positively influence solar trolley adoption. The Heckman model demonstrates that access to solar trolley increases the likelihood of engaging in non-farm activities, with solar trolley ownership and access to solar subsidies contributing to non-farm income by 37.8% and 17.2%, respectively. After controlling for various characteristics at the farm, individual, and village levels, participation in self-help groups, access to skill development programs, proximity to towns, and paved roads were found to be factors that promote non-farm entrepreneurship in rural areas. These findings offer valuable insights for policymakers aiming to promote agricultural solarization and enhance rural household livelihood options, food security, income, and resilience in wake of climate change. Agricultural policies focusing on agricultural solarization should provide the necessary amenities to facilitate entrepreneurship to achieve multiple sustainable development goals in rural and remote areas.

Climate change and environmental degradation pose growing threats to health. Despite increasing recognition of these risks, climate-related education and counseling are rarely incorporated into adult inpatient care. A survey-based study was conducted with 250 adult inpatients on the medicine services at Cooper University Health Care (New Jersey) and Maine Medical Center (Maine). Patients received a standardized 30-s educational statement from their physician on the health impacts of air pollution and extreme heat, with introduction to two smartphone applications on air quality and heat conditions. Survey items evaluated patients' prior awareness of environmental health risks, willingness to use digital monitoring tools, and perceived barriers to use. Descriptive statistics and content analysis were used for data interpretation. Overall, 84% of participants reported awareness of environmental threats to health, indicating high baseline recognition. However, only 50% expressed willingness to adopt smartphone apps as protective tools with barriers including lack of smartphone access, unfamiliarity with technology, and concerns about utility during hospitalization. Twenty-three percent of participants in Maine did not own a smartphone, as compared with 7% in NJ. Despite less smartphone ownership in Maine compared to NJ, participants showed similar willingness to use the suggested apps for monitoring environmental conditions (53% vs. 49.3%). Responses suggested that while patients generally acknowledge climate-related health risks, enthusiasm for technological solutions varies considerably, especially among older and underserved populations. This study highlights a critical gap between awareness of climate health risks and the adoption of digital health tools for self-protection. While brief inpatient education may increase recognition, technology-based interventions alone may not reach all patient groups. Future strategies should focus on accessible, low-barrier methods of environmental health education in clinical care, including integration into inpatient counseling and discharge planning. Addressing technology access gaps and tailoring resources to diverse populations will be essential for advancing climate-related patient education in healthcare settings.

The rapid growth of short video platforms has raised concerns about their impact on users' mental health, particularly sleep quality. The aim of this research is to investigate the relationship between short video addiction and sleep quality among college students, examine the differential impacts of algorithm types (personalized vs. community-based) and content types on sleep parameters, and evaluate the effectiveness of a multi-component intervention. Sixty college students (aged 18-25) meeting criteria for short video addiction (PSQI ≥5, daily usage ≥2 h) were randomly assigned to personalized algorithm (n = 30) or community-based algorithm (n = 30) groups. Sleep quality was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), actigraphy, and the Short Video Addiction Scale (SVA-S). The intervention combined cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), digital technology tools (time-window control, brightness adjustment), and a social support system ("Sleep Guardian"). Personalized algorithms significantly worsened sleep quality compared to community-based algorithms (PSQI: 10.4 ± 2.3 vs. 8.7 ± 2.1, p = 0.003, Cohen's d = 0.77). Entertainment content had the most detrimental effects on sleep parameters compared to knowledge and information content (p < 0.001, η2 = 0.23). The multi-component intervention significantly improved sleep quality in both groups, with PSQI scores decreasing by 3.6 points in the personalized algorithm group and 2.8 points in the community-based group (p < 0.001, Cohen's d = 1.71 and 1.46, respectively). Daily short video usage decreased by 47.1% and 54.3%, respectively. Short video addiction significantly impacts sleep quality. The combination of personalized algorithms and entertainment content creates particularly detrimental conditions for sleep. A comprehensive intervention incorporating CBT, digital tools, and social support effectively improves sleep quality and reduces addiction symptoms.

Introduction: This study focuses on the development, validation, and implementation of the LE-Probale learning model, which integrates technology-based scaffolding to foster mathematical literacy among junior high school students. The model is designed to enhance students' ability to understand and apply mathematical concepts by utilizing "Nila’s Edumath Interactive Mobile Learning," a digital tool that supports interactive learning. The research follows a modified version of the Plomp model (1997) for educational development, involving five key phases: initial investigation, design, realization, testing and evaluation, and implementation. The initial investigation phase identified a gap in students' mathematical literacy and the need for innovative teaching models. Objectives: The design phase focused on formulating the syntax, social systems, reaction principles, and support systems of the LE-Probale model. Methods: The realization phase involved developing the teaching materials, digital tools, and assessment instruments. The model was validated by expert reviewers and tested through field trials in a junior high school, with teachers and students actively participating. Results: The results of the field trials demonstrated that the LE-Probale learning model is both practical and effective. Students showed significant improvement in mathematical literacy, with the interactive scaffolding approach helping them construct and integrate mathematical concepts more efficiently. Teachers also reported positive feedback regarding the usability of the model in their classrooms. Conclusions: The study concludes that the LE-Probale learning model, with its integration of technology-based scaffolding, offers a valuable approach to enhancing mathematical literacy. The model can be adapted across various mathematical topics and is ready for broader implementation in junior high schools.