Special issue editorial: Social innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa

Abstract

noting how frugal innovations can emerge from these archetypes. Stein fi eld and Holt ’ s (2019) work illustrates the growing sophistication of research on social innovation in Africa, and the potential of such work to contribute to the wider fi eld. Some of the cases in Stein fi eld and Holt ’ s (2019) paper also relate to the work of African social entrepreneurs and enterprises. This again highlights the linkages between social innovation and entrepreneurship and supports consideration of both in this special issue. Social entrepreneurs devise and/or adopt and disseminate social innovations through their venturing. new forms venturing, and the actions transformative They beyond to examine enabling and intermedi-ary actors – incubators and makerspaces – and so engage with current work on social inno-vation/entrepreneurial networks and ecosystems. The papers deploy diverse theories, concepts and perspectives, including some hitherto less applied in social innovation and entrepreneurship literature, for instance ANT and spatial bricolage. Theory is built and extended through the adoption of grounded theory approaches, and particularly – although not exclusively – qualitative methods. Finally, the papers have signi fi cant implications for practice and those looking to support social innovators and entrepreneurs in Africa, and elsewhere, for the enrichment of society.