Includes bibliographical references and index.

Defining social entrepreneurship : An overview -- Dimensions of social entrepreneurship -- Identifying social entrepreneurs in practice -- Social-change theories and dilemmas -- Equilibrium and complexity -- Theory of social emergence -- Social capital -- Social networks : Bedrock of social capital -- Personality traits that facilitate the building of social capital -- Social entrepreneurship : A dynamical account -- A new kind of leadership -- Addressing insurmountable problems and conflicts.

Social Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice is about the creative ways in which social entrepreneurs solve pressing and insurmountable social problems. Theories of social change are presented to help demystify the "magic" of making an immense, yet durable and irreversible social impact. Utilizing case studies drawn from various fields and all over the world, the authors document how social entrepreneurs foster bottom-up change that empowers people and societies. They also review the specific personality traits of social entrepreneurs and introduce the new kind of leadership they represent. This book will be valuable to undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate students while remaining accessible to nonacademic readers thanks to its clear language, illustrative cases studies, and guidelines on how to become a successful social entrepreneur.