Fostering Youth Entrepreneurship Development through Social Business—Evidence from Bangladesh

Abstract

A social business fund is a novel financial instrument that can assist micro-entrepreneurs. Extensive research has been conducted on the effects of microcredit on the income, expenses, health, and living standards of entrepreneurs. In this study, we expand on previous research by analyzing a novel financial instrument called social business funds. Specifically, this study investigated the impact of social business funds on micro-entrepreneurs’ income. Primary data were collected from the young micro-entrepreneurs. The Propensity Score Matching (PSM) technique was used to assess the impact of social business funds on the livelihood of entrepreneurs in terms of income and expenditure. Binary Logistic Regression (BLR) was also used to assess the opinion of the micro-entrepreneurs on the increase in their entrepreneurial income. The results showed that the social business fund significantly impacted entrepreneurs’ incomes. Along with funds, some entrepreneurial training and support services were recommended. Government and non-government organizations are advised to take appropriate policy initiatives.