SEntreComp: Entrepreneurial Competences for Social Entrepreneurs based on EntreComp

Abstract Entrepreneurship competences are considered crucial in the knowledge-based society and have garnered significant attention in Europe, particularly following the publication of the EntreComp framework in 2016 by the European Commission. The EntreComp framework serves as a widely used reference model for describing and assessing the competences necessary for performing entrepreneurial activities (Bacigalupo, et al., 2016). However, despite its widespread use (Yeratziotis, et al. 2022), the framework has been used in entrepreneurial research with some researchers suggesting the need for further verification and testing in different contexts (Joensuu-Salo, et al. 2022). The study aims to explore the applicability of the EntreComp framework in describing entrepreneurship competences within the context of social entrepreneurship (SE). SE involves individuals with specific personal characteristics and entrepreneurial traits as they pursue a dual mission of achieving both social value and financial sustainability (Stephan, & Drencheva, 2017; Sotiropoulou, et al. 2019). A mixed-method approach was applied in this research, which was conducted in four countries: Greece, Finland, Italy, and Spain. This included a survey of 120 social entrepreneurs, and multi-stakeholder consultation involving 60 SE practitioners as well as trainers in vocational training and higher education. As a result, the study identified and mapped 192 subdimensions and 80 competences into 20 categories, which were subsequently compared with the EntreComp framework. The findings revealed a new core competence, “social literacy,” which included two threads: “Knows the general principles of social challenges” and “Masters the general process of social and environmental intervention.” Additionally, seven new threads such as “Participatory and open governance”, “Communicate your social impact”, “Social responsibility”, “Solidarity”, “Managing the dual mission”, “Transparency”, “Using open resources” were identified. These competences and threads are proposed as additions to the existing EntreComp framework, along with some adaptations to the descriptive text of some of the current competences. The refined framework, named SEntreComp, adapts the EntreComp framework to the unique context of social entrepreneurship and can further support the identification and development of the competences required by social entrepreneurs and related actors. The SEntreComp framework was developed as part of the Erasmus + OBCD project. JEL classification numbers: L26, L31. Keywords: Entrepreneurship, competences, social entrepreneurship, EntreComp.