%0 Journal Article %J Technology Innovation Management Review %D 2012 %T Social Entrepreneurship: Definition and Boundaries %A Samer Abu-Saifan %K social enterprise %K social entrepreneur %K social entrepreneurship %X While individuals may be publicly recognized as social entrepreneurs for their contributions to improve the welfare of communities, the field of social entrepreneurship continues to struggle to gain academic legitimacy. Social entrepreneurship is a term in search of a good definition. The current use of the term seems vague and limitless; it needs boundaries to demarcate its function. The lack of a common definition hinders research and raises questions about which social or profit-making activities fall within the spectrum of social entrepreneurship. To become an important stream in the entrepreneurship literature, social entrepreneurship needs to be properly defined and it requires a theoretical framework that links it to the theory of entrepreneurship. This article builds on the literature to define social entrepreneurship, discusses the boundaries of socially-oriented entrepreneurial activities, and positions the social entrepreneur in the spectrum of entrepreneurship. %B Technology Innovation Management Review %I Talent First Network %C Ottawa %V 2 %P 22-27 %8 02/2012 %U http://timreview.ca/article/523 %N 2 %1 Carleton University Samer (Sam) Abu-Saifan is the Head of Information Technology for Street Haven at the Crossroads, a not-for-profit organization in Toronto. With over 15 years of experience managing complex technology environments, Sam has held positions in business development, change management, and innovation management. He received a BS in Computer Information Systems from Amman University, Jordan, and a Business Management Certificate from Ryerson University, Toronto. Currently, he is pursuing a Master’s degree in Technology Innovation Management at Carleton University, Ottawa. In 2011, Sam founded Autism Ottawa (Ottism), a social purpose business that will use innovative technologies to deliver educational services to children and families living with autism. %R http://doi.org/10.22215/timreview/523