Title: An examination of community practice social workers as social intrapreneurs or social entrepreneurs

Authors: Monica Nandan; Gokul Mandayam; Carol S. Collard; Rebekah Tchouta

Addresses: Wellstar College of Health and Human Services, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA 30144, USA ' School of Social Work, University of Southern California, 1149 South Hill Street, Suite 375, Los Angeles, CA 90015-2212, USA ' Department of Social Work and Human Services, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA 30144, USA ' Department of Social Work and Human Services, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA 30144, USA

Abstract: Social entrepreneurs and social intrapreneurs are characterised as being socially innovative, proactive and willing to take calculated risks. Evidenced by their practices and behaviours, community practice social workers engage in social change in ways similar to those of social entrepreneurs and social intrapreneurs. This article describes the findings of an explorative study that used survey design methodology to understand the level of social entrepreneurship or social intrapreneurship behaviours of 27 communities practice social workers in a Midwestern state. These findings have implications for training and educating community practice social workers as social entrepreneurs and social intrapreneurs, as they attempt to address complex and dynamic social problems in a global context.

Keywords: community engagement; social innovation; risk taking; proactive behaviour; advocacy; community intervention; leadership; sustainable social change; community practice social workers; social intrapreneurs; social entrepreneurs; social entrepreneurship; social intrapreneurship; USA; United States; social work training; social work education.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSEI.2016.076686

International Journal of Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation, 2016 Vol.4 No.2, pp.114 - 133

Received: 25 Nov 2015
Accepted: 26 Dec 2015
Published online: 20 May 2016 *

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