Tackling food poverty through social enterprise in South Wales: From ego-systems to ecosystems

Jones, Alexander

and Peattie, Kenneth

Tackling food poverty through social enterprise in South Wales: From ego-systems to ecosystems. Handbook On The Social And Solidarity Economy, Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd.,

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Abstract

This chapter examines the role of Social Enterprises (SEs) in tackling food poverty in South Wales, UK. While the SE literature emphasizes the 'heroics' of individual entrepreneurs, we argue for a shift beyond this 'ego-system' perspective to better appreciate the wider networks in which SEs are embedded. Drawing on a multi-site, network-based case study, insights were generated through a 33-month action research project involving multiple stakeholder organizations. Adopting a holistic perspective, we explore how SEs addressing food poverty operate within complex regional 'ecosystems', providing insight into both their potential for tackling food poverty, and how they are understood and studied. Our findings underscore the importance of moving beyond a narrow focus on individual organizations to appreciate the wider community context, diverse relationships and interdependencies that shape SE operations. Recognizing these network dynamics is essential to understanding how SEs operate and succeed.

Item Type:	Book Section
Status:	In Press
Schools:	Schools > Business (Including Economics)
Publisher:	Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd.
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	9 March 2026
Last Modified:	09 Mar 2026 15:24
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/185553

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