It also has as a characteristic that it can be converted into symbolic, social, or cultural capital easier than vice versa (Postone, LiPuma, & Calhoun, 1993). The economic capital is interesting in terms of the research question, since it will help to discover if having it increases Latin American social entrepreneurs’ likelihood to succeed.
Social capital refers to resources that individuals have, based on their social class and connections. This capital is legitimized by being a member of a certain family or group, which possesses high status in society, and it works as an enhancer of the effects of cultural and economic capital. Identifying this capital in the study will help to understand if social entrepreneurs in Latin America have acquired their resources through some sort of social capital.
Cultural capital entails education and cultural personal-development. This capital can be divided into three categories: First, objectivized in the form of paintings, books or any other cultural material, second, incorporated within the moods of habitus, and third, institutionalized through academic degrees. This capital is also relevant for the analysis in terms of understanding to what degree social entrepreneurs in Latin America leverage on these categories to succeed as …show more content…
The first step was to conduct narrative face-to-face interviews of about one to one and a half hours with relevant individuals to the study (social entrepreneurs in Latin America). Ten social entrepreneurs, four women and six men, from five different countries (Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Paraguay, and Peru) shared their experiences and allowed to utilize the career history method to analyze data from their individual’s perspective, taking into consideration the subjective career and objective career (Harrow & Mole, 2005). Exploring not only the interviewees past experiences, but also their present situation and expectations for the future, provides the opportunity to better comprehend how their unique portfolio of capitals has been developed through