Social Enterprise as Means to Solving Social and Environmental Problems: The Case of Four Indian Ecopreneurs

Using a phenomenological approach and case study methodology, this chapter sought to understand how the processes and outcomes of ecopreneurship are distinct from those of commercial entrepreneurship especially how ecopreneurs create, deliver and capture “blended value” in their enterprise. Ecopreneurship, (acronym for ecological entrepreneurship) refers to a special breed of social entrepreneurship that aims at ecological preservation, restoration and sustainable use of resources. Four Indian ecopreneurial ventures from the small and medium manufacturing sector were selected based on an a priori assessment of eco-friendliness from a larger pool of ecopreneurial ventures. The findings suggest that, a diverse range of disruptive strategies and business models are deployed by ecopreneurs in their pursuit of blended value creation, several of which distinguish these ecopreneurs from traditional entrepreneurs. A set of specific propositions have emerged as new contributions from this empirical research which will serve as pointers for future research.