"The fourth sector" is a relatively new sector that consists of for-benefit organizations that combine market-based approaches of the private sector with the social and environmental aims of the public and non-profit sectors. This book examines trends of entrepreneurship in the fourth sector, describes specific ecosystems fostering new ventures around the world, and characterizes the most common and innovative business models. It covers as well the main effects, among others, of technological change, innovation, and institutional behavior on the sector in the last years.

Entrepreneurial ecosystems involve a complex synergy of factors, including social and structural changes that are frequently cumulative within territories, promoting the improvement of citizens' quality of life and higher development levels. Further, dynamic territories are characterized by constant change, activity and progress. Each chapter in this volume examines a specific entrepreneurial ecosystem in an effort to describe why and how certain companies and organizations manage to overcome adversities and achieve strong performance, while others fail. Unlike the conventional focus, the volume examines microenterprises and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), while also discussing selected experiences and case studies from developed and developing countries alike.

Structural change is an evolutionary process that is often cumulative within territories, improving the quality of life and achieving higher development levels. At the same time, smart cities, education and social innovation are essential to promoting sustainable development. This book examines regional and entrepreneurial development as a creative and dynamic concept by considering the role of these dimensions in promoting a virtuous cycle for long-term sustainable development.

"The fourth sector" consists of for-benefit organizations that combine market-based approaches of the private sector with the social and environmental aims of the public and non-profit sectors. This book examines successful experiences around the world in entrepreneurship in the fourth sector in recent times. The chapters also reveal the pivotal role of the public sector collaboration with private entities in solving the problems of humanity.

There have been several attempts in recent years to create conceptual frameworks and models to help universities and policy makers understand the role and contribution of higher education to local and regional development. However, these models have failed to fully reflect or give insufficient attention to the impact of the regional context (economic, social, political), the policy environment for higher education and territorial development and the diversity of management and leadership structures of universities themselves. This has led to the development of static models that rarely work outside of the immediate context in which they were developed and therefore risk leading to design of policies that are not fit for purpose. This Policy Expo is the result of work with partners in Europe, South America, Africa, Asia and Australia to develop a new approach, the ORPHIC Framework, to think about how the university can be adapted to the specificity of institutional and local contexts. The book examines: * What are the different roles that universities play in local and regional development and how do these manifest themselves? * How can we learn from comparing practice and experience internationally, and to what extent are policies aimed at promoting university-region relationships transferrable? * What are the internal university factors, such as management and leadership, history, mission, structures, and the external factors, such as territorial development policy context, governance system, nature of the 'place', that might help us explain the nature of the relationship?

"The fourth sector" consists of for-benefit organizations that combine market-based approaches of the private sector with the social and environmental aims of the public and non-profit sectors. This book examines successful experiences around the world in entrepreneurship in the fourth sector in recent times. The chapters also reveal the pivotal role of the public sector collaboration with private entities in solving the problems of humanity.

"The fourth sector" is a relatively new sector that consists of for-benefit organizations that combine market-based approaches of the private sector with the social and environmental aims of the public and non-profit sectors. This book examines trends of entrepreneurship in the fourth sector, describes specific ecosystems fostering new ventures around the world, and characterizes the most common and innovative business models. It covers as well the main effects, among others, of technological change, innovation, and institutional behavior on the sector in the last years.

Entrepreneurial ecosystems involve a complex synergy of factors, including social and structural changes that are frequently cumulative within territories, promoting the improvement of citizens' quality of life and higher development levels. Further, dynamic territories are characterized by constant change, activity and progress. Each chapter in this volume examines a specific entrepreneurial ecosystem in an effort to describe why and how certain companies and organizations manage to overcome adversities and achieve strong performance, while others fail. Unlike the conventional focus, the volume examines microenterprises and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), while also discussing selected experiences and case studies from developed and developing countries alike.