Social entrepreneurship, defined in this study as the development of new enterprises with a focus on social and community outcomes as well as financial objectives, is increasingly becoming a focus of empirical research. Social entrepreneurs, individuals whose distinct and specific motivations have yet to be extensively studied, represent an essential component of such new business development.
This research focuses on one aspect of the motivational base, personal fulfillment motivation, of nascent social entrepreneurs, those that are first-time social entrepreneurs.
Using data from the Panel Study of Entrepreneurial Dynamics II (PSED II), the results of this study suggest that there is a significant and positive association between being a nascent social entrepreneur and being motivated to start a new enterprise due to a motivation to fulfill a personal vision. These findings build upon prior qualitative work regarding social entrepreneurship motivational profiles and contribute to an emerging foundation for empirical research in this area.