Ting Han

Shanxi Academy of Fiscal Sciences,

DBA of Emilio Aguinaldo College, China

Ht100.good@163.com

ORCID 0009-0000-6867-5117

How business practices of social entrepreneurs shape brand resilience of retail company in Shanxi province, China

Lorenzo C. Lorenzo

Emilio Aguinaldo College, Philippines

Lorenzo.C.Lorenzo@eac.edu.ph

Marie Antoinette De Guzman Mallari

Emilio Aguinaldo College, Philippines

tonet.mallari@eac.edu.ph

Qing Zhang

Beijing Municipal Finance Bureau, China

zhangqing901013@163.com

Eszter Szabó-Szentgróti

Faculty of Economics, Széchenyi Istvàn University,

Hungary

szabo-szentgroti.eszter@sze.hu 

ORCID 0000-0002-8717-2715

Abstract. Social entrepreneurs play an increasingly important role in shaping brand vitality and have gradually become a focus of attention and discussion in the academic community. Entrepreneurs not only need to focus on economic benefits, but also attach importance to corporate social responsibility to enhance brand resilience. This study aims to explore the relationship between the business practices of social entrepreneurs in Shanxi, China and their brand resilience. The research design adopts a quantitative comparative correlation approach, focusing on variables such as strategic orientation, altruism, and pragmatism. A correlation design is used to understand the strength and direction of the relationship between quantitative variables, without implying a direct causal relationship. Correlation analysis shows that as an important aspect of organizational strategy, strategic orientation does not directly affect the ability of social entrepreneurs to utilize, reposition, or adjust brand resilience. Altruism is a positive correlation between social entrepreneurs and the use of brand resilience, indicating that social entrepreneurs who prioritize altruistic actions are more likely to effectively utilize brand resilience. Practicality is crucial for the operational efficiency of social enterprises, but it does not significantly affect the ability to leverage, reposition, or adjust resilience within the brand. Therefore, social entrepreneurs need to consider more factors or adopt specific strategies, rather than just practicality, in order to effectively strengthen brand resilience in the face of challenges and uncertainties. The results showed that the correlation between current overall business practices and overall brand resilience is weak, indicating that other unexplored factors or finer organizational dynamics may play a more important role in determining brand resilience in the context of social entrepreneurship. To uncover these factors and better understand their impact on the organizational resilience and success of the social enterprise sector, further research may be needed. The results of this study provide important insights for entrepreneurs to reshape their business practices and guide policy decisions.

Received: July, 2024

1st Revision: November, 2024

Accepted: March, 2025

DOI: 10.14254/2071-8330.2025/18-1/15

JEL Classification: M13

Keywords: social entrepreneur, brand resilience, strategic orientation, altruism, practicality