Digital Social Enterprise for Sustainable Development: Insights from the Case Study in Nepal

Abstract

It is generally agreed that digital social enterprises (DSE) through the digitalization process can contribute to sustainable development. However, there are a few theoretical and empirical studies in this research stream. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a qualitative interpretive case study in Nepal. Applying the theory of affordances as an analytical tool, we identified five digital affordances: transactability, communicability, accessibility, manageability, and digitizability. By actualizing these affordances, DSEs can contribute to access to market and finance, social engagement, waste management, and digitized information. We also identified various challenges such as lack of awareness about digital affordances and capabilities to actualize those affordances, lack of digital culture, and poor mapping system that can inhibit the actualization of the affordances and showed the facilitating conditions that can address these challenges. Finally, we suggest future research avenues.