Purpose This study aims to explore the opportunities and challenges Self-directed Support policy has presented to Scottish social enterprises, thereby increasing understanding of emerging social care markets arising from international policy-shifts towards empowering social care users to self-direct their care. Design/methodology/approach This study used guided conversations with a purposive sample of 19 stakeholders sampled from frontline social care social enterprises; social work; third sector; health; and government. Findings An inconsistent social care market has emerged across Scotland as a result of policy change, providing both opportunities and challenges for social enterprises. Social innovation emerged from a supportive partnership between the local authority and social enterprise in one area, but elsewhere local authorities remained change-resistant, evidencing path dependence. Challenges included the private sector “creaming” clients and geographic areas and social enterprises being scapegoated where the local market was failing. Research limitations/implications This study involved a small purposively sampled group of stakeholders specifically interested in social enterprise, and hence the findings are suggestive rather than conclusive. Originality/value This paper contributes to currently limited academic understanding of the contribution of social enterprise to emerging social care markets arising from the international policy-shifts. Through an historical institutionalism lens, this study also offers new insight into interactions between public institutions and social enterprise care providers. The insights from this paper will support policymakers and researchers to develop a more equitable, sustainable future for social care provision.

中文翻译：

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社会企业，社会创新和自我照顾：苏格兰的经验教训

目的这项研究旨在探讨自我导向支持政策已向苏格兰社会企业提出的机遇和挑战，从而加深了对国际政策转变而产生的新兴社会护理市场的认识，这些政策转向是赋予社会护理使用者自我指导自己的护理的能力。设计/方法/方法这项研究使用了引导性对话，与有目的的19名利益相关者进行了抽样，这些利益相关者来自前线社会关怀社会企业。社会工作; 第三部门 健康; 和政府。调查结果由于政策变化，整个苏格兰出现了不一致的社会护理市场，这给社会企业带来了机遇和挑战。社会创新源于一个地区的地方政府与社会企业之间的支持性伙伴关系，但是在其他地方，地方当局仍然抗拒变化，证明依赖路径。挑战包括私营部门“吸引”客户和地理区域，以及社会企业被当地市场失败的人所替代。研究的局限性/含意本研究涉及一小组专门针对社会企业感兴趣的有目的的利益相关者，因此研究结果具有启发性，而不是结论性的。独创性/价值本文有助于就国际政策转变引起的社会企业对新兴社会护理市场的贡献的当前有限的学术理解。通过历史的制度主义视角，本研究还提供了对公共机构与社会企业护理提供者之间相互作用的新见解。