Dr Susan Steinman

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Dr Susan Steinman
Centre for Social Entrepreneurship UNIVERSITY OF
JOHANNESBURG SOUTH AFRICA 6 October 2009
Melbourne Research Roundtable
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AN EXPLORATORY STUDY INTO FACTORS INFLUENCING AN
ENABLING ENVIRONMENT FOR SOCIAL ENTERPRISES IN
SOUTH AFRICA
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University of Johannesburg (UJ) commissioned by
the International Labour Organisation (ILO)
Terms of Reference

• What is the existing enabling environment with
  relation to the development of social enterprises
  in South Africa?
• Policy, legal and institutional factors
• Financial and non-financial business development
  services
• Best practices in social enterprise development
  in South Africa
• Preliminary recommendations for policy,
  regulatory and institutional development

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Challenges

• The emerging ILO approach sustainable market
  solutions to social problems is divisive. It was
  met with suspicion and therefore broad debate and
  consensus about the characteristics of the
  phenomenon or a definition became very important.
  
• The low level of public awareness about the word
  (not concept)
• The historic development of the social sector in
  South Africa.
• The societal inequalities still reflected in this
  social sector (social enterprises are mainly
  embraced by the white section of the population).

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Challenges continued

• Political and cultural issues.
• New legislation envisaged for non-profit and
  for-profit entities to be introduced, according
  to government officials, in 2010

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Findings / Recommendations

• Definitions is very important when looking at the
  regulatory environment
• Regulatory registering for various purposes.
  Investigating CICs and deciding on approach
• Amend existing legislation
• New legislation
• Fiscal solution and generic definition
• Financial environment
• Non-financial business development service

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More research needed

• Impact Assessment on appropriateness of business
  development services
• Incubation projects do they work
• Building up a data base of SEs,
  National/Provincial/Local government working with
  SEs, CSI/CSR, International Networks, University
  and academics working on SE, Business Development
  Service Providers (financial and non-financial),
  semi-government agencies etc
• Best Practices in creating enabling environment
• Social Value Metrics

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Any questions?