Abstract:

Social enterprises are commonly understood to face an inherent tension between social impact and economic sustainability. Yet this framing treats the relationship between impact and sustainability as structurally fixed, overlooking how organisational practices actively construct this relationship. This study departs from the tension narrative by investigating how evaluation practices shape the relationship between social impact and economic sustainability. Drawing on performativity theory and boundary objects, we propose that evaluation practices can function as performative boundary objects: infrastructures that simultaneously construct impact as a recognisable phenomenon and translate it across institutional boundaries. Through qualitative research on refugee integration services in the UK involving beneficiaries, social enterprise staff, and commercial partners, we identify three preliminary mechanisms (epistemic alignment, value translation, and relational embedding) through which evaluation practices may construct mutual reinforcement rather than trade-off. This developmental paper outlines the theoretical framing, methodological design, and anticipated findings, inviting feedback on the analytical framework prior to completion of systematic analysis.

Please choose your submission type: Developmental Paper

Primary Track: Sustainable and Responsible Business

Keywords: responsible business;entrepreneurship/enterprise;interviews

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Dr. Shuai Qin