Learning outcomes After completion of the case study, students will be able to critically assess complex challenges in social entrepreneurship and develop strategies that balance scalability with social impact; explore and innovate business models to enhance sustainability and competitive advantage; analyze both internal and external business environments to identify opportunities and threats; and formulate, implement and evaluate strategic solutions to address key business challenges effectively. Case overview/synopsis Globalization involved the integration of regions across economic, social, cultural and technological dimensions, influenced the lives of people worldwide. As economies globalized, there was growing awareness of social issues like poverty, promoted entrepreneurs to address these challenges through social ventures. These ventures were increasingly seen as key drivers of social change, aimed to improve quality of life. Social entrepreneurship, in particular, sought out sustainable solutions to overlook social benefits, emphasized empowerment rather than control-driven motives typical of corporations and commercial businesses (Maguirre et al., 2016). Aqsa Shoro’s journey with Indus Artisans Market (IAM) reflected the complexities of social entrepreneurship in rural Pakistan. The case study explored how Aqsa, a young social entrepreneur, founded IAM to support women artisans, provided a platform for them to reach global markets and gain fair economic opportunities. The case study is focused on understanding the challenges Aqsa faced as she attempted to scale her business without compromising her commitment to the social mission at its core. The purpose of this case study was to examine how Aqsa navigated the balance between profitability and social impact, especially as IAM grows. Rural areas often struggled with limited economic development due to low profitability, the withdrawal of public services deemed unfeasible and weakened community cohesion influenced by demographic and geographical conditions. These regions were commonly characterized by limited access to essential goods and services (Steiner on the other, she could maintain a more community-driven model to preserve IAM’s core social values. This dilemma centered around whether to implement growth strategies that may compromise the social mission or to safeguard stability by adhering to the current, highly personal approach. Niendorf and Kreutzer argued that social enterprises often face social-business tensions when scaling. They described four phases in scaling and three strategic responses, prioritizing social mission, balancing strategies and accepting growth limitations, to avoid mission drift. This mirrored Aqsa’s dilemma of whether to scale operations at the risk of compromising IAM’s community-driven values. The outcome of this decision was crucial, as it shaped IAM’s future direction and Aqsa’s ability to uphold her commitment to empowering rural artisans sustainably. This case was designed to illustrate the importance of environmental scanning and strategic decision-making to balance social impact with business growth. Complexity academic level This case study was designed for: Supplementary material Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.
Ayaz et al. (Thu,) studied this question.