The role of networking competencies in social enterprise performance
Abstract
Purpose – The goal of this research was to identify the need for networking competencies in social enterprises rated by the managerial personnel of social enterprises and academic staff of universities in Latvia.
Research methodology – A survey among representatives of Latvian social enterprises and academic staff of Latvian higher education institutions (HEIs) was conducted. The data was processed by means of average ranking, Kruskal-Wallis H test, and one-way-ANOVA test.
Findings – The analysis of the results of Latvian survey revealed that: 1) social enterprise per- sonnel and university academic staff rated the role of networking competencies in social enterprise performance differently; 2) social enterprises rated cooperation with local governments higher and with industry associations as less important than the group of university academic staff.
Research limitations – The research is limited to the analysis of only networking competencies.
Practical implications – The research results contribute to the institutional framework for the social entrepreneurship ecosystem through recommendations to universities in creating training programmes of social entrepreneurship competencies.
Originality/Value – The conducted empirical study is the first study of its kind in the Latvian social enterprise ecosystem, and it offers unique data that can be used for planning the development of networking competencies.
Keyword : social entrepreneur, social entrepreneurship, competencies, networking competence, Latvia
How to Cite
Sannikova, A., Titko, J., & Kudins, J. (2025). The role of networking competencies in social enterprise performance. Business, Management and Economics Engineering, 23(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.3846/bmee.2025.21468
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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Miller, T. L., Wesley, C. L., & Williams, D. E. (2012). Educating the minds of caring hearts: Comparing the views of practitioners and educators on the importance of social entrepreneurship competencies. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 11, 349–352. https://doi.org/10.5465/amle.2011.0017
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Sannikova, A., Vevere, V. & Titko, J. (2023). Competences necessary for a social entrepreneur: A case study of Latvia. Business: Theory and Practice, 24(2), 604–612. https://doi.org/10.3846/btp.2023.19703
Sherman, S. (2011). Teaching the key skills of successful social entrepreneurs. Stanford Social Innovation Review. https://ssir.org/articles/entry/teaching_the_key_skills_of_successful_social_entrepreneurs
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Vázquez-Parra, J. C., García-González, A., & Ramírez-Montoya, M. S. (2021). Social entrepreneurship competency: An approach by discipline and gender. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 13(5), 1357–1373. https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-09-2020-0317
Verina, N., Titko, J., & Shina, I. (2021). Digital transformation outcomes in higher education: Pilot study in Latvia. International Journal of Learning and Change, 13(4–5), 459–473. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJLC.2021.116661
Washington University. (2024). Competencies for success. https://hr.wustl.edu/develop-and-learn/career-development/competencies-for-success/
Winseck, D. (2002). Illusions of perfect information and fantasies of control in the information society. New Media & Society, 4(1), 93–122. https://doi.org/10.1177/14614440222226280
Worsham, E. L. (2012). Reflections and insights on teaching social entrepreneurship: An interview with Greg Dees. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 11(3), 442–452. https://doi.org/10.5465/amle.2011.0024
Audretsch, D. B., Eichler, G. M., & Schwarz, E. J. (2022). Emerging needs of social innovators and social innovation ecosystems. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 18, 217–254. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-021-00789-9
Austin, J., Stevenson, H., & Wei-Skillern, J. (2006). Social and commercial entrepreneurship: Same, different or both? Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 30, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6520.2006.00107.x
Bucholtz, J. (2015). Media use among social networking site users in Latvia. International Journal of Communication, 9(2015), 2653–2673. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/289253856_Media_use_among_social_networking_site_users_in_Latvia
Davidavičienė, V., & Raudeliūnienė, J. (2022). Corporate social entrepreneurship practice: Lithuanian case study in public and private organizations. Journal of System and Management Sciences, 12(2), 548–569. https://doi.org/10.33168/JSMS.2022.0230
Do Adro, F., & Fernandes, C. I. (2020). Social innovation: A systematic literature review and future agenda research. International Review on Public and Nonprofit Marketing, 17(1), 23–40. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12208-019-00241-3
European Commission. (2013). Social innovation research in the European Union: Approaches, findings and future directions. Policy review. European Union. https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/86b50f05-2b71-47d3-8db3-4110002b0ccb
European Commission. (2016). EntreComp: The entrepreneurship competence framework. https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/entrecomp-entrepreneurship-competence-framework_en
European Commission, Carini, C., Borzaga, C., Chiomento, S., Franchini, B., Galera, G., & Nogales, R. (2020). Social enterprises and their ecosystems in Europe: Comparative synthesis report. https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2767/567551
European Union & OECD. (2016). Policy brief on scaling the impact of social enterprises: Policies for social entrepreneurship. OECD Publishing. https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/53e3ccbd-9a83-11e6-9bca-01aa75ed71a1/language-en
Evans, S. (2023). Networking skills for master’s students. Keystone. https://www.masterstudies.com/articles/networking-skills-for-masters-students
Ferrari, A. (2013). DIGCOMP: A framework for Developing and understanding digital competence (Y. Punie & B. N. Brečko (Eds.), (JRC Science and Policy Reports). Publications Office of the European Union. https://doi.org/10.2788/52966
García-González, A., Roméro-Rodríguez, L.-M., Romero-Rodríguez, J. M., & Ramírez-Montoya, M.-S. (2020, April 27–30). Validation of instruments to measure social entrepreneurship competence. The OpenSocialLab project. In Proceedings of 2020 IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference (EDUCON) (pp. 1338–1342). Porto, Portugal. IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/EDUCON45650.2020.9125382
Guritno, P. D., Suyono, H., & Sunarjo, S. (2019). Competency model of social entrepreneurs. International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science, 8(3), 94–110. https://doi.org/10.20525/ijrbs.v8i3.256
Halberstadt, J., Timm, J.-M., Kraus, S., & Gundolf, K. (2019). Skills and knowledge management in higher education: How service learning can contribute to social entrepreneurial competence development. Journal of Knowledge Management, 23(10), 1925–1948. https://doi.org/10.1108/JKM-12-2018-0744
Herrity, J. (2024). 6 Important workplace adaptability skills (With examples). https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/adaptability-skills
Jones, C., & English, J. (2004). A contemporary approach to entrepreneurship education. Education+ Training, 46(8/9), 416–423. https://doi.org/10.1108/00400910410569533
Latgale Business Centre. (2023). Visiting social enterprises – Summer networking events. https://lpr.gov.lv/lv/2023/ciemos-pie-socialajiem-uznemumiem-vasaras-tiklosanas-pasakumi/
Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. (2020). Ten “Networking” errors. https://www.ltrk.lv/lv/content/4666
Levine, E., & Patrick, S. (2019). What is competency-based education? An updated definition. Aurora Institute. https://aurora-institute.org/wp-content/uploads/what-is-competency-based-education-an-updated-definition-web.pdf
Mendell, M., & Nogales, R. (2009). Social enterprises in OECD member countries: What are the financial streams? In A. Noya (Ed.), The changing boundaries of social enterprises (pp. 89–138). OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264055513-4-en
Meutia, & Ismail, T. (2012). The development of entrepreneurial social competence and business network to improve competitive advantage and business performance of small medium sized enterprises: A case study of batik industry in Indonesia. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 65, 46–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.11.089
Miller, T. L., Wesley, C. L., & Williams, D. E. (2012). Educating the minds of caring hearts: Comparing the views of practitioners and educators on the importance of social entrepreneurship competencies. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 11, 349–352. https://doi.org/10.5465/amle.2011.0017
Ministry of Welfare of the Republic of Latvia. (2024). ESF project No. 9.1.1.3/15/I/001 “Support for social entrepreneurship”. Project implementation time: 04.01.2016 – 31.12.2023. https://www.lm.gov.lv/lv/esf-projekts-nr-911315i001-atbalsts-socialajai-uznemejdarbibai-projekta-istenosanas-laiks-04012016-31122023
Riga planning region. (2023). The region participates in an experience exchange and networking event for social enterprises. https://rpr-business.lv/regions-piedalas-socialo-uznemumu-pieredzes-apmainas-un-tiklosanas-pasakuma/
Rossano, S., Baaken, T., Orazbayeva, B., Baaken, M. C., Kiel, B., & Maas, G. J. (2019). Social entrepreneurship and its competences: Implications for higher education. In J. Saiz-Alvarez (Ed.), Handbook of research on digital marketing innovations in social entrepreneurship and solidarity economics (pp. 99–122). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-5225-8939-6.ch006
Rožman, M., Tominc, P. & Štrukelj, T. (2023). Competitiveness through development of strategic talent management and agile management ecosystems. Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management, 24, 373–393. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40171-023-00344-1
Rubio, E. (2016). 4 essential skills for social entrepreneurs (and how to build them!). LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/4-essential-skills-social-entrepreneurs-how-build-them-enrique-rubio/
Saeima of the Republic of Latvia. (2017). Social enterprise law (2017, October 12, No. 2017/212.1). https://likumi.lv/doc.php?id=294484
Sannikova, A., & Titko, J. (2021, May 11–14). Social entrepreneurship and social inequality: A case study of Latvia. In Proceedings of the 2021 International Conference “Economic Science for Rural Development” (pp. 188–195). Jelgava, Latvia. https://doi.org/10.22616/ESRD.2021.55.019
Sannikova, A., Vevere, V. & Titko, J. (2023). Competences necessary for a social entrepreneur: A case study of Latvia. Business: Theory and Practice, 24(2), 604–612. https://doi.org/10.3846/btp.2023.19703
Sherman, S. (2011). Teaching the key skills of successful social entrepreneurs. Stanford Social Innovation Review. https://ssir.org/articles/entry/teaching_the_key_skills_of_successful_social_entrepreneurs
Social Entrepreneurship Association of Latvia. (2023a). Regional think tanks for the development of social entrepreneurship. https://sua.lv/regionalas-domnicas-socialas-uznemejdarbibas-attistisanai-novados/
Social Entrepreneurship Association of Latvia. (2023b). Municipalities as creators of the social business environment. https://sua.lv/pasvaldibas-ka-socialas-uznemejdarbibas-vides-veidotaji/
Stephan, U., Patterson, M., & Kelly, C. (2013). Business-driven social change: A systematic review of the evidence. Network for Business Sustainability. https://publications.aston.ac.uk/id/eprint/24053/1/Business_driven_social_change.pdf
Vázquez-Parra, J. C., García-González, A., & Ramírez-Montoya, M. S. (2021). Social entrepreneurship competency: An approach by discipline and gender. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 13(5), 1357–1373. https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-09-2020-0317
Verina, N., Titko, J., & Shina, I. (2021). Digital transformation outcomes in higher education: Pilot study in Latvia. International Journal of Learning and Change, 13(4–5), 459–473. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJLC.2021.116661
Washington University. (2024). Competencies for success. https://hr.wustl.edu/develop-and-learn/career-development/competencies-for-success/
Winseck, D. (2002). Illusions of perfect information and fantasies of control in the information society. New Media & Society, 4(1), 93–122. https://doi.org/10.1177/14614440222226280
Worsham, E. L. (2012). Reflections and insights on teaching social entrepreneurship: An interview with Greg Dees. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 11(3), 442–452. https://doi.org/10.5465/amle.2011.0024