Universität zu Köln

Luong, Han Thi ORCID: 0009-0006-5509-4886 (2026). The Dynamics of Social Entrepreneurship in Vietnam: A Multi-Level Empirical Perspective. PhD thesis, Universität zu Köln.

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Abstract

Social entrepreneurship has increasingly emerged as a prominent phenomenon and has attracted growing attention from scholars worldwide. Understanding the dynamics of social entrepreneurship has therefore become a fundamental research challenge that requires examination from multiple levels of analysis. Despite substantial work on its definition and on the exploration of social entrepreneurs’ identity and motivation, there remains a need for more robust empirical research that explains why social entrepreneurial activities emerge and why individuals form the intention and decide to establish social enterprises. Moreover, although social entrepreneurship addresses social challenges across both developed and developing economies, its emergence may unfold differently in each. In developed countries, it is likely to be market-driven, leveraging competitive mechanisms to enhance social impact through innovation and efficiency. In developing countries, by contrast, social entrepreneurs arise primarily in response to resource scarcity and institutional voids, where governments and even non-governmental organisations (NGOs), are ineffective in responding to pressing social needs. In addition, while much of the literature on social entrepreneurship has focused on developed economies, little is known about how social entrepreneurship emerges in emerging economies. Furthermore, although social entrepreneurship is widely recognised as a multilevel phenomenon, much of the existing literature remains fragmented and level-specific, with limited attention to cross-level linkages. In particular, little is known about how macro-level contextual conditions influence potential social entrepreneurs, or how social entrepreneurial activities at the micro level subsequently contribute to the formation of social entrepreneurial ecosystems. Additionally, at the macro level, empirical evidence on how contextual factors influence the prevalence of social entrepreneurial activity remains limited. Meanwhile, at the micro level, there is still insufficient understanding of how personality traits and external influences jointly explain social entrepreneurial intentions, and examining diverse motivational patterns within integrated theoretical frameworks remains scarce. This dissertation addresses these gaps by examining distinct aspects of the dynamics of social entrepreneurship at both the contextual and individual levels, drawing on the entrepreneurial ecosystem framework, the theory of reasoned action, and motivation theories. Initially, each level is analysed independently to deepen understanding of the mechanisms operating at that level. Subsequently, these perspectives are integrated to explain how social entrepreneurship emerges from the dynamic interaction between macro-level entrepreneurial ecosystem conditions and micro-level intention-formation processes and motivations. In particular, the dissertation first investigates the geographical distribution of social entrepreneurial activity and identifies key macro-level contextual drivers through the entrepreneurial ecosystem framework, assessing their influence on the spatial concentration of such activities. Second, at the micro level, it examines social entrepreneurial intention by extending the theory of reasoned action, incorporating personality traits and external factors to explain their direct and indirect effects, and highlighting the central role of attitudes in intention formation. Third, it empirically explores the motivational patterns of social entrepreneurs, providing individual-level direct explanations for their emergence. Finally, the dissertation integrates macro- and micro-level findings to offer a comprehensive account of how social entrepreneurship emerges through cross-level interactions. Methodologically, the study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative analyses based on secondary data, online surveys, and semi-structured in-depth interviews. As a result, the findings provide a comprehensive account of the dynamics of social entrepreneurship in a transitioning economy such as Vietnam. At the macro level, the results highlight the critical role of contextual drivers, particularly social market demand and human capital, in shaping the emergence of social entrepreneurship. At the micro level, social entrepreneurial intention is jointly influenced by personality traits and external environmental factors. In contrast, motivation is multidimensional, reflecting the interplay of prosocial motives, pull factors, and intrinsic motivation. By integrating macro- and micro-level processes, this dissertation advances understanding of social entrepreneurship as an outcome of dynamics at the specific levels and of interaction between contextual conditions and individual agency. Beyond its theoretical contributions, this dissertation informs policy and practice by highlighting how targeted interventions, such as strengthening human capital, adapting institutional frameworks, addressing gaps between social needs and state capacity, and supporting early-stage social entrepreneurial development, can foster the emergence of social enterprises that complement state efforts to address persistent social challenges.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD thesis)
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Luong, Han Thi han.luongthi.vn@gmail.com https://orcid.org/0009-0006-5509-4886 UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-802028
Date:	2026
Language:	English
Faculty:	Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences
Divisions:	Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences > Department of Geosciences > Geographisches Institut
Subjects:	Economics Geography and travel
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language Social Entrepreneurship English Entrepreneurial Ecosystem English Social Entrepreneurial Intention English Social Entrepreneurial Motivation English Vietnam English
Date of oral exam:	11 March 2026
Referee:	Name Academic Title Revilla Diez, Javier Prof.Dr.
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/80202