Social Enterprises in Indonesia

Abstract: Very little research and formality surrounds the concepts and application of Social Entrepreneurship and the use and operation of Social Enterprises within Indonesia. Therefore, this report can merely outline what is in play and what our research has found. It will provide a short synopsis of the history of both Social Entrepreneurs and Social Enterprises. It will also cover political and economic environment, discourse on social enterprise, and current trends and perspectives. Based on the Indonesian context we identify a Social Entrepreneur as an individual or organisation that makes a change for the betterment of a marginalised group or an ecosystem, and whose main objective is to fill the “Social Gap” and where its operation is sustained by means of business activities. A Social Enterprise is the entity that is established by the Social Entrepreneur. The characteristics of a Social Enterprise in Indonesia are: 1. It is established by one or more social entrepreneurs who have high social concern 2. Its main objective is filling a social gap 3. The change may be delivered through business activities 4. To ensure the sustainability of the change, the organisation creates income-generating activities.