Social entrepreneurship and corporate social responsibility in Tunisia

Social entrepreneurship (SE) has attracted increasing interest among researchers and policy makers, particularly in Tunisia, where it is seen as a strategic lever to promote inclusive growth. Unlike corporate social responsibility (CSR), SE places the social mission at the heart of economic activity, transforming commercial revenues into tools to achieve this goal (Zahra & Wright, 2016). Although research on SE has progressed, questions remain about its social and economic impact, and definitions of SE often lack consensus, making it difficult to identify social entrepreneurs (Stevens et al., 2015). This research context is enriched by a partnership with the National Agency for Employment and Independent Work (NAEIW), which supports entrepreneurs by offering training and mentoring services. The study aims to explore the dynamics of SE in Tunisia, taking into account the perceptions of entrepreneurs and the role of NAEIW. Through a mixed methodological approach, combining in situ observations, semi-structured interviews and questionnaires, the study collects data from 45 social entrepreneurs. The results of the qualitative and quantitative analyses will allow us to better understand the expectations and challenges encountered by this community, as well as the legitimacy of the different logics underlying social entrepreneurship in the changing Tunisian context.