3.1.2.1 A case study approach

The research that has been employed is partly theoretical and partly empirical. We did desk research regarding the application, interpretation and implementation of the Belgian legal requirements to the governance structure of VSOs. This research was complemented by the conduct of three case studies concerning Belgian social enterprises that have adopted the VSO legal requirements in their AoA. According to the report published by the Belgian King Baudouin Foundation, the majority of social enterprises in Belgium have activities that belong to more than one industrial sector.1 We selected VSO social enterprises from three random sectors, i.e. the energy sector, the financial sector, and the social housing sector.

Based on the results of the three case studies and the subsequent comparison, we aim to formulate cross-sectoral theoretical statements regarding the practical application of the legal factor of governance in social enterprises.2 In addition, we aim to develop a comprehensive baseline theory – generated inductively – regarding the involvement of various stakeholders in the organisational structure of social enterprises in different sectors.3 Finally, the three case studies aim to highlight the various ways in which Belgian VSO provisions can be implemented in practice and how this affects the activity of the social enterprise to enable the involvement of stakeholders in the decision-making processes. The development of the case studies and their comparison will also contribute to the discussion regarding the legal forms of social enterprises in Belgium. Moreover, the comparison of the case studies will generate cross-sectoral suggestions for improving the organisational functioning of social enterprises in different sectors in Belgium.