Innovation and social entrepreneurship: a case study of the blind and visually impaired in Kashan

Abstract

The lack of access to a suitable job for disabled people more than other members of the society can have negative consequences in different levels of their personal, family and social life, and this is the fact that their efforts to find employment are faced with many obstacles. This article is based on the results of in-depth interviews with 15 blind and partially sighted job seekers, relevant officials in welfare and members of the blind community's employment working group and a number of employers to identify the most important obstacles in this field by applying the action research method. And based on social innovation, provide effective solutions to overcome them and change the existing situation.

For this purpose, after a general description of the problem, an empirical and conceptual framework was provided for disability, visual impairment, entrepreneurship, social innovation and social entrepreneurship. Based on the findings of this study, the most important obstacles to the employment of blind and partially sighted people are: society's negative attitude towards their ability, the low level of social, economic and professional support, some negative and unsuitable personality traits for career success, and the inadequacy of appropriate knowledge and skills, lack of Access to required technologies and lack of access to economic and social capital. In order to overcome these obstacles and desired changes, education aimed at employment was the most important solution, and finally its positive and effective results were confirmed at all levels.