Exit strategies for social venture entrepreneurs in sub-Sahara Africa: A literature review

Abstract

This paper reviews exit strategies for social venturing entrepreneurs. Exit is important for social venture entrepreneurs because they do not intend to stay in perpetuity in businesses they establish in the countries and communities where such businesses are set up. The paper, factoring in the two motives of social impact and financial returns, argues that social venture entrepreneurs who follow traditional business and entrepreneurship exit strategies may miss the very mission under which they establish such a business. A conclusion drawn from a literature and practitioners’ model is that a “hybrid” of business entrepreneurship and project-based exit criteria could be a best fit exit approach for such entrepreneurs, especially those who invest in sub-Sahara Africa. Data for this paper were collected by means of a normative case study approach.