PROBLEMS OF SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP DURING A PANDEMIC

Abstract

The article highlights the main problems of development of social entrepreneurship in Ukraine during a pandemic. Social entrepreneurship is characterised as a relatively young business tool that responds to social challenges through innovative concepts, creates additional social value and generates income for its own further development. Examples of successful social enterprises in Ukraine are given, which in their activities are based on market mechanisms, play important social roles in the society and use various organisational and legal forms. The Ukrainian realities as well as the experience of foreign countries in the activity of social enterprises has been characterised. The positive and negative sides of promoting its development are given. It is determined that in Ukraine the activity of social enterprises is not recognised in the legal field, which does not allow them to receive preferential treatment from the state for their social activities. Foreign models of social entrepreneurship are highlighted, which vary in the degree and forms of support they receive from the state. The impact of COVID-19 on social business in the world and in Ukraine is determined, in particular, it is determined that in the crisis period the existing social problems are exacerbated and there is a need for non-standard solutions. The activity of the Ukrainian Social Academy, which teaches entrepreneurs to start a social business, as well as free educational courses help to solve challenges that arise. In the conclusion it’s determined, that the development of social entrepreneurship in Ukraine is a complex, large-scale, unpredictable process, especially during a pandemic. Therefore, state assistance in the form of giving preference to social entrepreneurs and active socio-economic policy in the form of socio-economic reforms will help to employ socially vulnerable groups, adapt them to modern living conditions and bring benefits to the state as a whole.