Effectuated Spirituality: How Spiritual Beliefs Influence Social Entrepreneurship in a Low-income Country Context

Purpose This study explores how social entrepreneurs in Nigeria integrate spiritual beliefs with pragmatic business strategies through the lens of effectuation theory. It aims to extend the knowledge of social entrepreneurial business management practices and models in a low-income context. Design/methodology/approach The research adopted a hybrid of phenomenological and case study qualitative research approaches. Through thematic analysis of interviews with 30 social entrepreneurs across Nigeria, the study identified 15 constructs. Seven of these constructs characterize notions of spirituality, while eight reveal social entrepreneurial actions across four phases of business development: ideation, formation, operation, and scaling. Findings Spirituality for social entrepreneurs is exhibited in practices such as meditating, praying, believing, faithing, discerning, sensing, and trusting, which act as critical drivers in the journey of social entrepreneurship. The findings suggest that Nigerian social entrepreneurs are guided not only by market dynamics but also by spiritual insights. This indicates a paradigm where business strategies are informed by a blend of market considerations and spiritual beliefs, often with a pronounced emphasis on the latter. Originality The integration of spirituality within the entrepreneurial domain challenges and expands the conventional understanding of effectuation theory, which traditionally lacks explicit spiritual dimensions. This study makes a unique contribution by identifying new constructs for the contextual interpretation of spirituality, effectuation, and social entrepreneurship in Nigeria. It enhances understanding of their interplay in a low-income context and introduces a new conceptual framework of effectuated spirituality. Research limitations/implications As the study focuses on social entrepreneurs in Nigeria, the findings may not be generalizable to other cultural or economic contexts. Future research could explore the intersection of spirituality and effectuation in different settings to validate and expand upon the proposed conceptual framework. Practical implications The study argues for the significance of spirituality and effectuation in social entrepreneurship. It posits that spirituality should be a major consideration in framing policies and stakeholder engagements that promote social entrepreneurship in low-income countries like Nigeria. Social implications By highlighting the role of spirituality in guiding social entrepreneurial actions, the study underscores the potential of integrating spiritual beliefs into business practices. This integration can foster more effective social entrepreneurship initiatives that address societal challenges in low-income contexts.