so·cial en·ter·prise (n.)
An organization or venture that advances its social mission through entrepreneurial, earned income strategies.

Social Enterprise Lexicon
A standardized set of definitions that provide a common basis for communications among practitioners, funders, management assistance providers and scholars.

Articles, Reports & Speeches

Fourth Sector Network. A graphic representation of the evolving profit and non-profit sectors, forming a new class of "for benefit" organizations. Courtesy of the Fourth Sector Network: www.fourthsector.net

Toward a Better Understanding of Social Entrepreneurship

An essay written by Jerr Boschee and Jim McClurg.

Online Social Enterprise Typology

This typology breaks down the traditional boundaries between the nonprofit and private sectors and draws definition to this new institutional animal--part business-part social--the social enterprise. It classifies different models of social enterprise in order to navigate readers through the currently ill-defined, diverse and dynamic landscape of this emerging field. By Kim Alter, Founder & Principal of Virtue Ventures.

Books

Social Entrepreneurship: The Art of Mission-Based Venture Development by Peter Brinckerhoff. Published by Wiley Publications

The Social Enterprise Sourcebook by Jerr Boschee. The Sourcebook contains in-depth interviews with nonprofit executives who have successfully started business ventures (including candid descriptions of their failures along the way).
Published by The Northland Institute.