Exploring the Ecosystems of Social Enterprises in the Global South: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Social enterprises are increasingly promoted as instruments for addressing persistent socio-economic challenges in the Global South, particularly in contexts marked by constrained public capacity and uneven market development. Despite growing policy interest, there remains limited systematic understanding of how the broader ecosystems surrounding social enterprises shape their sustainability and developmental impact. This study examines the structural and institutional dynamics of social enterprise ecosystems in developing contexts, with particular reference to Sub-Saharan Africa. The research aims to identify the key factors influencing ecosystem coherence and to develop an analytical model explaining how institutional conditions interact to enable or constrain organisational performance.
The study adopts a structured mixed analytical approach based on a systematic review of academic and policy literature published between 2020 and 2025. Quantitative indicators drawn from secondary sources provide descriptive insights into ecosystem scale, funding patterns, and spatial distribution, while qualitative evidence from case studies and policy analyses informs interpretation of governance arrangements and coordination mechanisms. The findings indicate that social enterprise ecosystems in the Global South are frequently characterised by regulatory ambiguity, heavy dependence on short-term donor funding, limited human capital capacity, and uneven network coordination. These conditions contribute to fragmented support environments and constrain organisational sustainability and scaling.
The study concludes that ecosystem effectiveness depends less on individual entrepreneurial capacity and more on institutional alignment across policy, finance, skills development, and intermediary structures. Strengthening social enterprise ecosystems therefore requires coherent regulatory frameworks, diversified financing mechanisms, sustained investment in capacity development, and improved institutional coordination. The analytical model developed in this study provides a basis for guiding future empirical research and informing policy design aimed at fostering inclusive and sustainable ecosystem development.