Lived experience and well-being: implications for theory and practice in social enterprises

Purpose This paper aims to evaluate how entrepreneurial well-being contributes to business-related outcomes in social enterprises. Yet, social entrepreneurship literature has limited discussion on well-being beyond the creation of social value in targeted communities. Addressing this research gap, this study explores ways in which social entrepreneurs’ and their managers’ lived experiences shape well-being. Design/methodology/approach The study focused on social enterprises in New Zealand. The authors collected data using semi-structured in-depth interviews from 21 individuals who are either social enterprise founders or managers. Interview data were then triangulated with secondary data and analysed using thematic coding techniques. Findings Social enterprise founders’ and managers’ lived experiences shaped their own well-being, and how they identified community issues and implemented well-being management strategies. The broader context also influenced the well-being issues, the founders’ and managers’ well-being and how they perceived and addressed the community’s well-being. Originality/value This study contributes to social entrepreneurship literature by showing that perceptions of community well-being needs are linked with the lived experiences of founders and managers. Drawing on the study’s findings, a conceptual framework was developed to better explain the well-being interlinks among social entrepreneurs, their management and their perceptions of community well-being needs and delivery. The originality of this study comes from illustrating the well-being of different groups in the social enterprise context and their interconnections. The conceptual framework illustrates that a balance is needed in managing well-being.