Research into social enterprise and innovation celebrated by Management Publication of the Year 2024

In November, the shortlist of eight publications in the running for Management Publication of the Year 2024 was announced.

This new national prize – a collaboration between CMI, the British Academy of Management and the Chartered Association of Business Schools – celebrates impactful works, cutting-edge research and innovative thinking. From books and blogs to podcasts, the awards highlight publications that address the critical business and economic challenges of our time.

The judges whittled down an impressively varied longlist of 19 publications to arrive at the shortlist of eight, split across three categories: SME Growth, Social Enterprise and Innovation, and Sustainable Futures.

We’ve already looked at the book, report and podcast that make up the shortlist for the SME Growth category, and this time we’re going to examine the shortlisted titles in the Social Enterprise and Innovation category.

What is a social enterprise?

Social enterprises are not solely driven by a desire to maximise profits. According to membership body Social Enterprise UK, they “combin[e] commercial success with real social and environmental impact – from larger UK-wide enterprises supplying goods and services to businesses, the public sector and the public to smaller enterprises that make a transformative difference to communities and to the lives of disadvantaged people”.

They are estimated to make up one in 42 of all UK businesses, turning over around £78bn and re-investing £1bn in profit into their missions. 

The Social Enterprise and Innovation category of Management Publication of the Year celebrates research into social enterprise and innovation, including research looking at community organisations, not-for-profits and charities. This includes insights into the problems social enterprises face and the possibilities for positive collective action.

The category will be judged by Karen Blackett OBE, former president of WPP, and James Reed CBE, chairman and CEO at Reed. Let’s have a closer look at the two books they’ll be choosing between.