Social entrepreneurship drivers in Ecuador

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify the key factors that drive social entrepreneurship (SE) among Ecuadorian social entrepreneurs. Design/methodology/approach: The study was developed following a qualitative and exploratory research design based on the identification of social entrepreneurs through the nonprobabilistic sequential sampling technique, giving a total of fifteen social entrepreneurs who were given a structured interview that was later analyzed in the ATLAS.TI software for the identification, analysis and categorization of drivers. Findings: The results will identify eight drivers for SE, including social exclusion, public support, sources of employment, economic income, family support, environmental awareness and fair trade, as standards and values. Overall, the findings help to improve the understanding of the factors that determine the creation and development of social enterprises in the country. Research limitations/implications: Deepen and increase the literature on SE in Latin America. Contribute to reducing the knowledge gap on the topic. Originality/value: Taken together, the results provide empirical evidence and help to better understand the factors that determine the creation and development of social enterprises in the country.