Explore the vast range of titles available.

Social businesses seek financial, social and even environmental results. Academic knowledge on how such organizations operate, however, has emerged more recently. This article sought to investigate qualitatively the main tensions and dilemmas occurring throughout the history of Rede Asta, a pioneer social business in direct catalog sales of artisanal products in Brazil. Results indicate the Rede Asta managers have experienced tensions and dilemmas in three of the four categories identified by Smith, Gonin, and Besharov (2013): social and financial performance, organizational aspects and learning. One of the dilemmas involves organizational aspects and learning, since Asta achieves feasibility with two organizations: a nonprofit association and a for-profit corporation. On perceptions of belonging, stakeholders declared they felt they were a part of the organization’s social and environmental goals; some even as activists.

ABSTRACTSocial businesses seek financial, social and even environmental results. Academic knowledge on how such organizations operate, however, has emerged more recently. This article sought to investigate qualitatively the main tensions and dilemmas occurring throughout the history of Rede Asta, a pioneer social business in direct catalog sales of artisanal products in Brazil. Results indicate the Rede Asta managers have experienced tensions and dilemmas in three of the four categories identified by Smith, Gonin, and Besharov (2013): social and financial performance, organizational aspects and learning. One of the dilemmas involves organizational aspects and learning, since Asta achieves feasibility with two organizations: a nonprofit association and a for-profit corporation. On perceptions of belonging, stakeholders declared they felt they were a part of the organization’s social and environmental goals; some even as activists. RESUMENLos negocios sociales buscan resultados sociales, financieros y hasta medioambientales. Sin embargo, el conocimiento académico en cómo tales organizaciones operan ha emergido recientemente. Ese artículo tiene como objetivo investigar cualitativamente las principales tensiones y dilemas que ocurrieron a lo largo de la historia de la red Asta, un negocio social pionero en ventas por catálogo directo de productos artesanales en Brasil. Los resultados indican que los gerentes de la red Asta han experimentado tensiones y dilemas en tres de las cuatro categorías identificadas por Smith, Gonin, y Besharov (2013): performance financiera y social, aspectos organizacionales y aprendizaje. Uno de los dilemas involucra aspectos organizacionales y aprendizaje, una vez que Asta alcanza viabilidad con dos organizaciones: una asociación sin ánimo de lucro y una corporación con fines lucrativos. En la percepción de pertenencia los accionistas declararon sentirse como una parte de los objetivos medioambientales y sociales de la organización; algunos hasta como activistas. RESUMONegócios sociais buscam, simultaneamente, resultados financeiros, sociais e até mesmo ambientais. Contudo, o conhecimento acadêmico sobre o funcionamento dessas organizações é incipiente. Este artigo buscou investigar as principais tensões e dilemas vividos na trajetória da Rede Asta – um negócio social pioneiro na venda direta por catálogo de produtos artesanais no Brasil – utilizando métodos qualitativos de pesquisa (entrevistas, observação direta e estudo de caso). Os resultados indicaram que as gestoras da Rede Asta têm convivido com tensões e dilemas em três dos quatro aspectos identificados por Smith, Gonin, e Besharov (2013): desempenho financeiro e social, aspectos organizacionais e de aprendizado. Um dos dilemas envolve aspectos organizacionais e aprendizagem, pois legalmente a Rede Asta viabiliza o negócio com duas organizações: uma associação nãolucrativa e uma empresa com fins lucrativos. Já no aspecto de pertencimento à organização, as pessoas declaram-se pertencentes aos objetivos sociais e ambientais da Rede; algumas inclusive como ativistas.

Social businesses seek financial, social and even environmental results. Academic knowledge on how such organizations operate, however, has emerged more recently. This article sought to investigate qualitatively the main tensions and dilemmas occurring throughout the history of Rede Asta, a pioneer social business in direct catalog sales of artisanal products in Brazil. Results indicate the Rede Asta managers have experienced tensions and dilemmas in three of the four categories identified by Smith, Gonin, and Besharov (2013): social and financial performance, organizational aspects and learning. One of the dilemmas involves organizational aspects and learning, since Asta achieves feasibility with two organizations: a nonprofit association and a for-profit corporation. On perceptions of belonging, stakeholders declared they felt they were a part of the organization's social and environmental goals; some even as activists.

Social businesses seek financial, social and even environmental results. Academic knowledge on how such organizations operate, however, has emerged more recently. This article sought to investigate qualitatively the main tensions and dilemmas occurring throughout the history of the Rede Asta, a pioneer social business in direct catalog sales of artisanal products in Brazil. Results indicate the Rede Asta managers have experienced tensions and dilemmas in three of the four categories identified by Smith, Gonin, and Besharov (2013): social and financial performance, organizational aspects and learning. One of the dilemmas involves organizational aspects and learning, since Asta achieves feasibility with two organizations: a nonprofit association and a for-profit corporation. On perceptions of belonging, stakeholders declared they felt they were a part of the organization’s social and environmental goals; some even as activists.

Social businesses seek financial, social and even environmental results. Academic knowledge on how such organizations operate, however, has emerged more recently. This article sought to investigate qualitatively the main tensions and dilemmas occurring throughout the history of Rede Asta, a pioneer social business in direct catalog sales of artisanal products in Brazil. Results indicate the Rede Asta managers have experienced tensions and dilemmas in three of the four categories identified by Smith, Gonin, and Besharov (2013): social and financial performance, organizational aspects and learning. One of the dilemmas involves organizational aspects and learning, since Asta achieves feasibility with two organizations: a nonprofit association and a for-profit corporation. On perceptions of belonging, stakeholders declared they felt they were a part of the organization's social and environmental goals; some even as activists. KEYWORDS | Social entrepreneurship, social businesses, tensions, dilemmas, Rede Asta. Negocios sociais buscam, simultaneamente, resultados financeiros, sociais e ate mesmo ambientais. Contudo, o conhecimento academico sobre o funcionamento dessas organizacoes e incipiente. Este artigo buscou investigar as principais tensoes e dilemas vividos na trajetoria da Rede Asta--um negocio social pioneiro na venda direta por catalogo de produtos artesanais no Brasil--utilizando metodos qualitativos de pesquisa (entrevistas, observacao direta e estudo de caso). Os resultados indicaram que as gestoras da Rede Asta tem convivido com tensoes e dilemas em tres dos quatro aspectos identificados por Smith, Gonin, e Besharov (2013): desempenho financeiro e social, aspectos organizacionais e de aprendizado. Um dos dilemas envolve aspectos organizacionais e aprendizagem, pois legalmente a Rede Asta viabiliza o negocio com duas organizacoes: uma associacao naolucrativa e uma empresa com fins lucrativos. Ja no aspecto de pertencimento a organizacao, as pessoas declaram-se pertencentes aos objetivos sociais e ambientais da Rede; algumas inclusive como ativistas. PALAVRAS-CHAVE | Empreendedorismo social, negocios sociais, tensoes, dilemas, Rede Asta. Los negocios sociales buscan resultados sociales, financieros y hasta medioambientales. Sin embargo, el conocimiento academico en como tales organizaciones operan ha emergido recientemente. Ese articulo tiene como objetivo investigar cualitativamente las principales tensiones y dilemas que ocurrieron a lo largo de la historia de la red Asta, un negocio social pionero en ventas por catalogo directo de productos artesanales en Brasil. Los resultados indican que los gerentes de la red Asta han experimentado tensiones y dilemas en tres de las cuatro categorias identificadas por Smith, Gonin, y Besharov (2013): performance financiera y social, aspectos organizacionales y aprendizaje. Uno de los dilemas involucra aspectos organizacionales y aprendizaje, una vez que Asta alcanza viabilidad con dos organizaciones: una asociacion sin animo de lucro y una corporacion con fines lucrativos. En la percepcion de pertenencia los accionistas declararon sentirse como una parte de los objetivos medioambientales y sociales de la organizacion; algunos hasta como activistas. PALABRAS-CLAVE | Empresariados sociales, negocios sociales, tensiones, dilemas, Rede Asta.