Purpose

Doing business in depleted contexts requires the adoption of an unconventional strategic orientation based on the involvement of the local community and driven by the attainment of economic, environmental and social goals. Previous studies have explored the specific nature of community enterprises (CEs); notwithstanding, little attention has been paid to the understanding of the strategic posture adopted by community entrepreneurs to overcome difficulties and make the business up. In this vein, the study aims to investigate how CEs operating in depleted contexts manage to survive, by successfully achieving multiple – conflicting – goals.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors adopted the Humane Entrepreneurship (HumEnt) framework as a form of institutional entrepreneurship where resources are leveraged to evolve the institutional context. This research adopts the case study strategy, focusing on Italian rural CEs.

Findings

The HumEnt approach, which takes into account both economic and non-economic and altruistic values of entrepreneurs, turned as better suited – compared to other approaches – to explain why people try to make business in such high-risk contexts. Second, the holistic approach of the HumEnt framework allowed catching up the particular mechanism that has enabled the CEs to obtain positive achievement.

Originality/value

The adoption of the HumEnt perspective enabled us to understand better the way CEs may survive and even grow where other initiatives have failed.

中文翻译：

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通过人道创业视角解读社区企业在枯竭环境中生存的能力：来自意大利农村地区的证据

目的

在枯竭的环境中开展业务需要采用基于当地社区参与并以实现经济、环境和社会目标为驱动的非传统战略方向。以前的研究探讨了社区企业（CEs）的具体性质；尽管如此，对于社区企业家为克服困难和创业所采取的战略姿态的理解却很少有人注意。在这方面，该研究旨在调查在耗尽的环境中运营的 CE 如何通过成功实现多个相互冲突的目标来生存。

设计/方法/方法

作者采用了人文创业 (HumEnt) 框架作为一种制度创业形式，其中利用资源来发展制度环境。本研究采用案例研究策略，重点关注意大利农村 CE。

发现

HumEnt 方法同时考虑了企业家的经济和非经济以及利他主义价值观，与其他方法相比，它变得更适合解释人们为何试图在如此高风险的环境中开展业务。其次，HumEnt 框架的整体方法允许追赶使 CE 获得积极成果的特定机制。

原创性/价值

HumEnt 观点的采用使我们能够更好地了解 CE 可以在其他举措失败的情况下生存甚至成长的方式。