Why should Social Enterprises internationalise?
Why should Social Enterprises internationalise?
Why should Social Enterprises spend time and resources in the internationalisation of its activities? The products and services social enterprises offer as well as the objectives they pursue are not only interesting for the national markets in which they operate, but also for other local, regional, national and especially international markets.
It can be helpful to spend time and resources to investigate/analyse whether internationalising their activities will lead to an increased social impact and economic advantages.
Opening up to international markets and contexts often represents the opportunity to grow and broaden horizons, to acquire new ideas and new personnel, to compare oneself with other realities in which economic and social dynamics work in a different way.
The internationalisation of a social enterprise also opens up to the meeting and possible alliances with other partners with whom it becomes possible to develop new strategies and new development plans.
The main reasons why a social enterprise decides to invest abroad are basically linked to the following elements:
- Opportunities, demand, markets
- Existing contacts and networks
- Neighbouring countries
- Cultural connections
- Language
- Targeted aid/need
- Social aware/fit with social mission
- Previous volunteering experience
In many cases a combination of the above listed reasons and aspects leads a social enterprise to decide to operate internationally.