The role of social capital in social entrepreneurship

Social capital is the most fundamental resource that feeds social entrepreneurship. The strengthening of social capital can only be made possible by the increase in the number of social entrepreneurs who do not hesitate to seek solutions to the social problems of society. A social entrepreneur is a person who is aware of the social problems that occur in the society in which he/she is located, and instead of being disturbed by them and silently accepting them, he/she does not hesitate to address the problems by taking a creative and courageous approach to eliminate the problems; a person who makes a difference with his/her combative, sensitive, realistic attitudes and gains the trust of the society. It is expected that this study will be instrumental in increasing the number of such people in society and provide an opportunity for entrepreneurial spirits to feel the same enthusiasm for social entrepreneurship as they do for commercial entrepreneurship. This thesis investigates the extent to which the social capital of social entrepreneurs operating in Turkey has an impact on social entrepreneurship. The research also provides important findings in terms of determining the current situation in Turkey in the light of the developments in the field of social entrepreneurship in recent years and for social entrepreneurship to be active and sustainable in Turkey. In this sense, the results of the study are very valuable in terms of providing insight into the extent to which social entrepreneurship activities, which are carried out intensively in the world, can be effective and valid in a country like Turkey where social capital is very strong among people. The findings of the study indicate the existence of a strong and significant relationship between social entrepreneurship and social capital. Keywords: Social Entrepreneurship, Social Capital, Social Capital in Social Entrepreneurship