PRIN 2022 - The contribution of Humane Entrepreneurship and Purpose-Driven Companies to reimagine Capitalism

It is widely acknowledged that modern capitalism has responsibilities in a number of serious challenges – such as climate change, social inequalities and poverty – that humanity is currently facing. However, many claim that some of the possible solutions to such challenges may be embodied in the capitalistic model itself, which needs to be “reimagined” (Henderson, 2020; Lazzarini, 2021). In particular, a pivotal role may be played by companies which address societal problems in an economic viable way (Mayer, 2020; Mazzuccato, 2018). As a matter of fact, the number of businesses with a strong social orientation has grown consistently (Asselle and Piccaluga, 2019; Rey et al., 2019). We can observe firms that are changing the way they do business by implementing “socially” oriented strategies, attributing strategic importance to the creation of value for a wide range of societal stakeholders (Harrison, et al., 2020). Debate and research among academics and practitioners about this topic is increasing (George et al., 2021; Lazzarini, 2020). Such companies are different from non-profit companies and socially oriented organizations. In fact, they are both profit-oriented and  “purpose-driven”, and they clearly and explicitly aspire to play a game-changing role in the current capitalist system (Gartenberg, Prat & Serafeim, 2019; Henderson, 2021; Hollensbe et al., 2014). Abundant - but still mainly anecdotal - evidence exists about the inspiring values, the organizational mechanisms, and the strategic actions that purpose-driven companies undertake. Among the possible theoretical lenses, the present project adopts the Humane

Entrepreneurship theory (Kim et al., 2018; Parente et al.; 2018), and aims at providing a better theoretical understanding and robust empirical evidence of this phenomenon. The Humane Entrepreneurship theory enlarges the Entrepreneurial Orientation framework (Covin and Slevin, 1989; Lumpkin and Dess, 1996) by integrating environmental, social, and human resources concerns into firms’ decision-making process, and by introducing the concept of Humane Entrepreneurial Orientation (HEO) as a strategic posture. HEO is expressed by a unitary construct in which adding to Entrepreneurial Orientation, also Sustainable Orientation (SO), and Human Resource Orientation (HRO) are present (Parente et al., 2018; 2020). Drawing on this emerging theoretical framework, this research project will: (i) provide the criteria to define and to empirically identify purpose-driven companies; (ii) develop and test a measurement scale of firms’ Humane Entrepreneurial Orientation; (iii) collect evidence about the microfoundations of such orientation from managers, entrepreneurs, and individual workers in Italy; (iv)

analyze the dynamics through which companies’ social culture is created, consolidated, transmitted and eventually documented from a legal/administrative point of view; (v) analyze whether their nature impacts their internationalization strategies.

NOME PROGETTO: PRIN 2022 The contribution of Humane Entrepreneurship and Purpose-Driven Companies to reimagine Capitalism; COD. MUR: 20229M9MM8

PERIODO E DURATA: 14/10/2023 – 13/10/2025

FINANZIAMENTO: Missione 4 “Istruzione e Ricerca” del Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e Resilienza ed in particolare la componente C2 – investimento 1.1, Fondo per il Programma Nazionale di Ricerca e Progetti di Rilevante Interesse Nazionale (PRIN) – del Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e Resilienza, dedicata ai Progetti di ricerca di Rilevante Interesse Nazionale - CUP: J53D23004230006

COORDINATORE: Scuola Superiore di Studi Universitari e Perfezionamento Sant'Anna 

REFERENTI SSSA: Prof. Andrea Mario Cuore Piccaluga