When the Individual Counts: Social Entrepreneurship

This study is an attempt to close a gap in the international social entrepreneurship (SE) literature by shedding light on four initiatives from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. It also discusses the concept of social entrepreneurship as a promising third way in the field of addressing social problems in the region. Data was collected through interviews with social entrepreneurs that have launched initiatives in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. The results reveal that the GCC region is in significant need of SE initiatives and has abundant financial and human resources, but due to the high level of official bureaucracy, SE initiatives have had limited usage. Nonetheless, the social entrepreneurs have shown high efficiency in overcoming obstacles and utilizing available resources.