From Incubation to Impact: Examining the Role of Technology in Social Enterprise Success

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the role that technology plays as a mediator among social entrepreneurs who are linked with incubation centres in Tamil Nadu. Additionally, the study investigates the influence that incubation centre support has on the development of social enterprises. A descriptive research design was utilised in conjunction with a quantitative research methodology for the investigation. The information was gathered through the use of a standardised questionnaire that was sent in both online and offline formats, as well as to individuals through personal interviews. Following the elimination of incomplete questionnaires, missing data, and disengaged responses, a total of 389 valid responses were taken into consideration for the final analysis. A total of 582 social entrepreneurs were reached, and 462 of them responded to the survey. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, and path modelling were utilised in order to conduct the analysis on the data that was gathered. In the results, mentoring help was found to be the most effective incubation service, and social impact was found to be the most important factor in judging the performance of social businesses. A correlation analysis found that mentoring support has the strongest positive relationship with all aspects of business success, especially when it comes to having a good social impact. The model's results also show that technology plays a big part in mediating the link between the help of incubation centers and the growth of social businesses. This is good for growth, survival, new ideas, and making a difference in the world. The study's results show that incubation ecosystems that are powered by technology make incubation services much more effective by improving businesses' abilities and organisations' performance.