Low-Cost Private Schools – An Under-researched Social Entrepreneurship Phenomenon

Low-cost private schools (LCPSs) provide basic education to children growing up in families often at risk of poverty. LCPSs are ubiquitous around the world. Most of these schools were initiated by local individuals or community organizations with primarily social objectives. They are therefore a large-scale social entrepreneurial phenomenon. Despite the scale and importance of LCPSs for the provision of basic education, the topic is underrepresented in academic entrepreneurship research. We believe this is an unfortunate omission, as LCPSs offer a wide range of interesting research opportunities that can advance both entrepreneurship research and practice. In our research we are focusing on the analysis of management practices and business models through comparative analysis of LCPSs in Embakasi, Nairobi, Kenya.