How do social entrepreneurs respond to HIV/AIDS epidemic: a qualitative discourse analysis

Abstract

HIV and AIDS have long been recognized as a global catastrophe, which threatens social and economic stability in many developing countries. Referring to individuals who adopt business models to achieve social goals, social entrepreneurs emerged as one of the most influential actors in providing solutions to the healthcare sector. This study adopts a qualitative discourse analysis of the organization profiles of 15 social entrepreneurs to identify existing challenges and strategies in HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment. This study contributes to the literature by revealing that there is a "vicious cycle" in HIV/AIDS problems, and to tackle these problems, social entrepreneurs have implemented interventions at micro-, meso-, and macro-levels. Finally, this paper discusses the implications of this study for the policy making and practices of social enterprises.