RESPONSIBLE ENTREPRENEURSHIP VISION DEVELOPMENT AND ETHICS

Networked social enterprises 213
The structural dimension refers to the general model of the connections between the actors
(Burt, 1992). More specialty authors underlined the importance of networks for social
entrepreneurship. The ability to develop a network of relationships and contacts has been
described as a key capability and critical skill of social entrepreneurs (Prabhu, 1999; Thompson,
Alvy, & Less, 2000). Structural capital defines the potential or possibilities that the social
entrepreneur has to access information, resources and support.
The relational dimension of social capital is focused on the quality of relations, such as
trust, respect and friendship. There is increasingly more evidence that when trust is built
between the parties, they are more eager to engage in cooperation activities, by means of which
trust can continue to be generated (Fukuyama, 1997; Liao & Welsch, 2003 apud Mair & Martí,
2004, p. 11).
Given the above-mentioned, we can underline the characteristics of networks (Dictionary
of basic terms in entrepreneurship, 2013, p. 5):
1. Common strategy: The network members must have a common strategic objective.
2. Fundamental competences: Each enterprise that is part of a network adds value to the
final result, depending on what it knows to do best.
3. Clear agreement: The type of agreement concluded between enterprises may vary from
a contract in very clear terms, until a verbal agreement.
4. Trust: The basic condition of collaboration is trust. More specifically, there must be a
conviction that each business action is performed in the common interest and not only in personal
interest.
5. Technology: Technology development allows the immediate transfer of information from
one enterprise to another and reduces very much the time and cost of transactions, allowing
the enterprises in the network to behave as a single entity.
As benefits of the networks, we can identify the contribution to the dissemination of information
and to the development of knowledge, to the consolidation of the social enterprise
infrastructure (Mawson, 2010) and to the generation of their innovations (Boso, Story, Cadogan,
Micevski & Kadic-Maglajlic, 2013). Networks that bring together the institutions of civil
society at regional and national levels are important, not least because they facilitate the bridging
which is very important to small organizations at the local, community level. Networking,
if done well, can impact on levels of social capital in society (EU research on social
sciences and humanities, 2003).
Networking with resource competitors to share resources and maximize mission achievement,
networking with complementors to increase compatibility and share resources, networking
with customers to streamline service delivery and reduce resource requirements are all
viable ways to deal with resource scarcity and competition, and position the social venture
for future growth (Kickul & Lyons, 2016).
Methodology
The main objective of present study is to understand what collaboration forms are functional
in the case of Romanian social enterprises. The investigation also permits to spot the
most common forms of networks set up, as well as to comprehend how they function.