This paper describes a Master of Art and Design research project developing a social entrepreneurial design process in fashion. This is a multi method approach focussed upon a Participatory Action Research methodology, to develop creative practice and a relational business model for female refugee outworkers and myself a fashion designer resulting in long term rewarding employment. The project has two primary strands for discussion. Firstly, visual documentation and analysis of textile and garment development incorporating the refugees’ cultural references. Using drawing, embroidery, dyeing and construction skills of the participants in a collaborative design and production process with the researcher, has resulted in the development of a womenswear collection of T shirts. Secondly; the process findings and outcomes of the pilot study which often cross the boundaries of aesthetics, technology, craft, and ethics; drawing together western and developing world cultures in a creative dialogue will be presented. In conclusion, the aims, objectives, outcomes of and potential of this socially sustainable design model, which could be applicable to refugee agencies and New Zealand fashion designers, will be gauged and discussed.

Nonprofit organizations often work in partnership with government agencies to empower low income people in the housing market through government subsidized mortgage loans. In spite of this assistance, homelessness and substandard housing is pervasive among low income households because this population primarily relies on the rental housing market, leaving a gap in practice and knowledge related to how nonprofits provide assistance to the overwhelming majority of low income consumers in need of housing. The purpose of this case study was to use social justice theory to explore how the nonprofit sector, as an economic force, provides assistance to and empowers low income consumers in acquiring federally subsidized housing in the Louisville housing market. Data were collected from documents from nonprofit housing organizations and 5 interviews with directors of nonprofit organizations whose principal mission is to assist low income people acquire housing. Data were inductively coded and organized around key themes and ideas. Key findings of this study indicated that these 5 leaders perceived a certain degree of empowerment among low income individuals; they also perceived that rental subsidies and public housing were viewed by consumers as entitlements. However, the organizations' housing units were not being managed as landed capital asset that could be occupied on various negotiable lease terms, as in the housing market, for empowering low income people to ensure social justice. These findings suggest that positive social change may be encouraged if nonprofit housing organizations engage in social entrepreneurial leaseholds to complement the public policy and empower low-income households.

The process of internationalization may be more difficult for emerging markets' artificial intelligence startups (AI startups) due to several challenges. These challenges include weak institutions, limited financial support, political instability, lack of adequate local infrastructure. Significantly less research has being done on entrepreneurial ecosystems, especially in emerging markets. Therefore, this study aims to address the current state of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, in emerging markets and AI startups internationalization process. As a result, the study focuses on the challenges faced by AI startup within the Nigerian and South African entrepreneurial ecosystem, to address how the entrepreneurial ecosystem affects AI startups internationalisation process. To answer the research question, qualitative research was carried out using semi structure interviews with different case companies from South Africa and Nigeria. Although these countries are similar in nature, AI startups face various internal challenges in terms of government policies, institutions, and infrastructure. Based on the findings, it was noticed that there is a relationship between the entrepreneurial ecosystem and the growth and survival of AI startups. The elements of an Entrepreneurial ecosystem (social, cultural, and material elements) also influence the internationalisation of AI startups within an entrepreneurial ecosystem space. Entrepreneurial ecosystem challenges were identified which discourages or hinder the growth of AI startups within the Nigerian and South African markets. In conclusion, we noticed that African AI startups prefer to practice their business model in the home markets and flourish their confidence levels before seeking internationalization opportunities. Most of the case AI startups prefer to start internationalization from close psychic market before going distance international markets. However, these AI startups adopt network relationship approach through key business partners for international expansion.

Les études portant sur le capital social dans le champ de l’entrepreneuriat ont largement mis en exergue son rôle dans la réussite des projets entrepreneuriaux de création. Néanmoins, les préalables qui sont susceptibles d’agir sur sa formation et son développement afin d’en favoriser l’accès aux ressources externes ont été peu explorés. Dans cette perspective, les recherches réalisées en contexte TIC (des Technologies d’Information et de Communication), et plus spécifiquement durant la phase de survie-développement des entreprises nouvelles, sont encore moins nombreuses. Dans ce cadre, cette thèse tente de comprendre le processus par lequel les compétences sociales de l’entrepreneur TIC permettent d’enrichir son capital social, et par là même de faciliter son accès aux ressources externes clés. Pour atteindre cet objectif, un modèle conceptuel a été développé à partir d’une revue de la littérature. Pour tester ce modèle et les hypothèses qui s’y rattachent, nous avons procédé à une collecte des données en deux principaux temps. Dans un premier temps, nous avons mené une étude exploratoire auprès de dix entrepreneurs TIC, quatre banquiers et cinq capitalistes de risque. Cette étude nous a permis, au moyen d’une analyse de contenu, de mieux contextualiser la recherche, ainsi que de cerner les compétences et ressources essentielles pour le développement des nouveaux projets de création. Dans un deuxième temps, nous avons conduit des entretiens semi-directifs auprès de 120 entrepreneurs TIC tunisiens. Les donnés recueillies ont fait l’objet de traitements statistiques via les logiciels UCINET-VI, SPSS (version 18) et SMART-PLS (version 2.0). Les résultats ont démontré que trois types de compétences sociales, à savoir la persuasion sociale, les bonnes grâces et l’intelligence émotionnelle de soi, sont susceptibles d’agir en contexte de création TIC. Le capital social de l’entrepreneur joue un rôle médiateur entre ses compétences sociales et son accès aux ressources externes clés, alors que l’incertitude environnementale de marché exerce un effet modérateur. A partir des résultats obtenus, nous pouvons déduire les principales contributions et limites de cette recherche afin de proposer des perspectives de développement futures. / Research concerning social capital within the field of Entrepreneurship has largely put forward its role in the success of venture creation projects. Nevertheless, the prerequisites which are likely to act on its formation and its development in order to support their access to external resources were rarely explored. In this perspective, researches carried out in the ICT context (of Information and Communication Technologies), and more specifically during the survival-development stage of new companies, are even fewer. Within this framework, this thesis tries to understand the process by which the entrepreneur's social skills enable him to enrich his social capital and consequently, to facilitate his access to key external resources. To achieve this goal, a conceptual model was developed from a literature review. To test this model and the hypotheses which are related, we proceed to a data-gathering in two principal times. Initially, we undertook an exploratory study with ten ICT entrepreneurs, four bankers and five investors. This study allowed us, by a content analysis, to better contextualize this research, and by the way, to emphasize the skills and resources which are essential for the development of new projects' creation. In the second time, we conducted semi-directed interviews with 120 Tunisian ICT entrepreneurs. The collected data were subject to statistical treatments via UCINET-VI, SPSS (version 18) and SMART-PLS (version 2.0) softwares.The results demonstrated that three types of social skills, namely the social persuasion, the ingratiation and the self emotional intelligence, are likely to act in the context of ICT creation. The entrepreneur's social capital plays a mediator role between his social skills and his access to key external resources, whereas the market's environmental uncertainty exerts a moderating effect. Building from the obtained results, we can deduct the principal contributions and limits of this research in order to propose future perspectives of development.