To be or Not to be: Social Entrepreneurship in Kashmir
Javaid Iqbal Sofi
Department of Marketing, The Business School, Kashmir University, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Junaid Nabi *
Dilshada Akhter Foundation, VA, USA
Fatema N. Authoy
Dilshada Akhter Foundation, VA, USA
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Lack of opportunities, and a limited availability of employment in the politically unstable valley of Jammu and Kashmir, in India, has permeated each section of the society, creating new problems for the ethnic minority of Kashmiris in all spheres of their lives from healthcare, to drug addiction. A novel approach is presented, where the control of economic destiny is shaped by promoting the entrepreneurial spirit of the people, so that their dependence on public sector jobs is decreased. Social entrepreneurship, in addition to creating economic benefits for the general populace of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), would be an ideal solution for a society which has been at constant war with itself, both metaphorically and literally. In this policy article, in addition to literature review, we discuss the potential of Social Business in J&K, and present examples of market opportunities which, if explored and invested in properly, can predict a stable and self-sufficient future for Kashmir.
Keywords: Social entrepreneurship, economics, Kashmir