Exit strategies for social venture entrepreneurs

Key Words:  Social Venture Entrepreneurs, Exit, Ownership

Social Venture Entrepreneurs invest in local and mostly bottom of pyramid (BoPs), and more so in developing economies. Different understanding  and meanings given to the term  exit and ownership, by social venture entrepreneurs and local communities with varied cultural business practices, are highlighted in this thesis. Results from this thesis show that it is important to factor in local and cultural practices into current social venture business models. This will help  to ensure the sustainability and scale up of social ventures.

The study explores exit options within business and development management literature. There were limited scientific related social entrepreneurship literatures on the subject matter at the inception of this study. The choice to conduct a qualitative case study was  made in order to  bring to out  the forms and meanings of exit, as well as perceived exit,  and ownership forms expected or anticipated by both the social venture entrepreneur and  related stakeholders, such as communities and local partners, covered in this study