Venture legitimacy and storytelling in social enterprises

ABSTRACT Gaining venture legitimacy is important for social enterprises to survive; yet, many of them face legitimacy deficit and fail sooner than their commercial counterpart. Entrepreneurship scholars have recently recognized that storytelling is linked to new venture legitimacy which may lead to a reduction in the chances of venture failure. However, existing knowledge regarding the relationship between storytelling and social venture legitimacy is limited. Using case studies from social enterprises in Indonesia and the United Kingdom, this article examines how storytelling can lead to venture legitimacy in a social entrepreneurship context. Utilizing a narrative transportation approach, the research details what actions can be taken to support social enterprises. The article contributes to the literature by providing a conceptual framework that links storytelling and venture legitimacy in the social entrepreneurship domain.