Understanding enablers of entrepreneurial resourcefulness and social innovations in the informal economic Space

Entrepreneurial resourcefulness, an entrepreneur's capacity to engage with her/his limited resource base, is central to adapting to various contextual constraints. Social innovations focus on initiatives that meet societal needs to promote social change. There are thus commonalities between resourcefulness and social innovation practices as both aim to empower and build resilience against contextual constraints. With this understanding, it is important to understand better the link between entrepreneurship, resourcefulness, and social innovations. This chapter aims to understand the economic foundations of resourcefulness and social innovations, with a focus on how resourceful informal economic activities can change the lives of marginalized and disempowered citizens. The study explores the triggers and activities of entrepreneurial resourcefulness in facilitating social innovations in informal economic markets in Pakistan through in-depth interviews. Comparing 15 cases, it identifies the main enablers for altering social empowerment issues, including resource specifications, collaborations, and entrepreneurial readiness. The study also highlights two important characteristics of resourcefulness, that is local mobilization of resources and the collective nature of resourcefulness practices.