# I. Introduction ow the economic system has changed over the years has brought with it many social and environmental problems, such as increasing social inequality and the degradation of natural resources. These themes have gained space in debates and actions of public and private entities, and even society itself has acted to change this framework (Rosolenet al., 2014). In the search for solutions that enhance the quality of life, entrepreneurship stands out as the process of creating something different and with value, having the entrepreneur as the main factor promoting the economic and social development of a country (Hisrich et al., 2009). Social entrepreneurship is one of the potential agents of social innovation in sectors that are not served by public services or by the lucrative private market in actions to eliminate or minimize social problems. Social business happen with the support of partnerships between different organizations, especially in the industry, such as donations, associations, and cooperatives. (Quintão, 2004). In this context, the present work aims to show the project office (EPEC) of the Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz (UESC), located in the municipality of Ilhéus, South Bahia, as a nucleus that develops the university extension sustained in entrepreneurship and social business with objective of promoting entrepreneurship and the dissemination of social affairs in communities in the Southern Region of Bahia, with the valorization of regional vocations and the empowerment of young people and women. To obtain the results presented, we used bibliographical research on the state of the art of the discussions on entrepreneurship, social affairs and documentary research based on the reports of research and extension activities carried out by EPEC in the period from 2010 to 2016. The information obtained was analyzed in the year 2017, with consideration of the perspectives of entrepreneurship and social business on the results of the activities carried out by EPEC. # II. Social Entrepreneurship and Social Business Entrepreneurship is saw as an essential piece in economic development, in which entrepreneurs are considered agents of social and economic change who can verify motivations in other respects beyond profit making and the formation of new goods and services for the community (Boszczowski & Teixeira, 2012). Entrepreneurship encompasses three essential concepts: value generation, innovation, and the ability to develop and take advantage of opportunities (Quintão, 2004). Social entrepreneurship is an innovative action focused on the social sphere, whose process is initiated from an adverse situation of the place and in the elaboration of a possibility to overcome this problem (Oliveira, 2004). Five characteristics of entrepreneurship are mention: being innovative; be viable; be selfsustaining; involve various individuals and segments of society; promote social impact, and enable results to be evaluate (Oliveira, 2004). Social entrepreneurship is a concept that does not have a unique meaning between academia, managers, entrepreneurs, and the general public. A social entrepreneur is not only a selfless person but also must show clear determination to contribute to society (Rodrígues& Ojeda, 2015). According to Borzagaet al., (2012), the combination of the notion of the company with the social adjective generated new definitions characterized by different meanings for the concept of social enterprise. Thus, due to the lack of empirical and theoretical researches developed in the area, as well as to the lack of adequate statistical information to carry out studies, it is a concept still under construction given a multiplicity of partial overlaps. The most commonly used terms are social entrepreneurship, social business, and social entrepreneurship. Also, other concepts that combine business activities with the pursuit of social goals have emerged. Many terms are used to consult these types of companies, sometimes interchangeable and often creating confusion. The social entrepreneur and social enterprises overlap to some extent; these terms tend to be replaced by the term "social enterprise." Although the literature is not yet consolidate in this field, in time, it will be ready for an attempt to clarify (Borzagaet al., 2012). Entrepreneur practice often requires creativity and experimentation, which can lead to new products, new services, or better processes. However, innovation is more than just a creative idea because only a few ideas survive and become an innovation. The ultimate goal is to lead to change, add value and improve processes, products, or experiences. Therefore, the term also implies execution. The social organization for innovation is an idea of transformation that works and generates social value. Due to the importance of demanding transformative innovation, the decision to innovate must be tackled in a decisive way, way towards a social need. Also, social organizations must provide value for the effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, and fairness of the process. Thus means that the generation, selection, and implementation of ideas that become realities must produce the maximum social value, as in the case of social entrepreneurship, the concept of "social innovation" has different meanings (Rodrígues & Ojeda, 2015). A social business seeks to merge the creation of social value and the of economic value in the same organizational structure. The generation of social value can also be understood not only by the final consumer but by all stakeholders in the process, i.e. customers, employees, suppliers, investorsm, and society itself. A social business, in addition to meeting social objectives, must be able to generate resources to obtain a margin of profitability over productive operations. These types of institutions do not depend on donations, Also, dividends should not be withdrawn by shareholders / owners, since profits must be reinvested in the business (Yunus et al., 2010). Social business has emerged from a North American perspective, where private organizations are dedicated to solving social problems and are usually new businesses of large companies already established in the market. In developing countries, another kind of business with a social impact emerges called the inclusive business. This type of business involves the low-income population in the process of economic development in the scope of demand, such as customers and consumers, and the sense of supply, as employees. They establish links between business and the population, generating a relationship of mutual benefit to the local community (Petrini et al., 2016). Barki (2015) observes some nomenclatures that can be apply to social business terminology: (i) businesses with social impact; (ii) inclusive business; and (iii) impact the business. Moraes Neto and Valentin (2013) emphasize that this new modality of entrepreneurship can contribute to the economic progress of the nations, through innovations that aim to boost human development, for example, initiatives that generate products and services directed to people living in situations socioeconomic vulnerability. Based on Petrini et al., (2016), it was possible to verify that Social Impact Business has some peculiarities that differentiate them in relation to the other types of companies: (i) the types of products or services offered; (ii) customers; (iii) the level of the profit structure, (Table 1) presents a systematic proposal of some types of business with social impact. # Products or Services Any product or service for direct sale to the low income population. To solve problems related to poverty (education, health, housing or financial services), the environment and people with special needs. Any product or service, as long as it includes the low income population in the process of production, supply or distribution. # Customers Exclusively for low income people. Preferably low-income people. Any customer: final consumers of any social class, or even companies that purchase the products / services. Profit structure Visa profits. There is dividend distribution. It does not aim at profits. Visa profits. There is dividend distribution. # Example Large company that develops a new product for sale, destined to people of low income. One example is Coca-Cola sold at R $ 1.00. Gramen Danone Joint Venture -Big companies invest money and knowledge in the yogurt manufacturing process. The product has a high nutrient content (benefit to malnourished children) and is sold to the low income population at an affordable price. Company that buys the raw material of low income people (lettuce). The employees who clean, pack and distribute the product are people from the poor community, so the social benefits generated are employment and income to producers and distributors. The models proposed in Table 1 have some differences. The pyramid-based businesses are business models that target the commercialization of products for the lower-income classes. On the other hand, social and inclusive businesses have in activities that contribute to the improvement of social welfare, especially in populations in situations of socioeconomic vulnerability. The authors Janchanet al., (2016) evaluated the interest of the students of the Administration course of the University of São Paulo -USP and it was possible to highlight that the social more that are believed to be the solution of social inequality and even to market problems lack a focus of research and dissemination of knowledge. The main contribution of this study was the perception that there is a gap in management education in the training of managers through extension actions for work in social enterprises. It was also possible to conclude that there is a great demand to be met, with professionalism and an increase in the likelihood of consolidation of social business. Currently, the teaching of entrepreneurship in social business is low due to the lack of knowledge of the teaching staff of higher education institutions in the country on these types of enterprises. There is also a lack of more research on the trends and perspectives of this type of enterprise (Janchan et al., 2016). Given the context presented, it can be say that social businesses promote the inclusion of low-profit minorities in the formal market, aiming to improve the living conditions of this population or biodiversity in the long term (Comini, 2016). It is in this context that EPEC is insert with the focus of enhancing the entrepreneurial spirit of communities with a reduced level of opportunities, seeking to strengthen local social businesses with the appreciation of regional vocations. # III. The Office of Projects as a Social and Economic Change Agent The scenario of Brazilian higher education innovates by offering students the opportunity to develop and apply their knowledge before they even complete their studies. The university extension is a example of the changes that have occurred in this academic field, corresponding to an educational and scientific process, with a differentiated knowledge, which transforms society and university, relating academic and experiences, using theory and putting it into practice (Serrano, 2010). As a two-way street, the extension provides the relationship between university and society, articulating teaching and research (Renex, 1999). The extension has three main characteristics (Rocha, 2006): polysemic, for having more than one sense; controversial because it can be put the discussion and debate; and structuring, because, from the social knowledge, the university and the society are relate. Also, the National Extension Plan (2000) indicates four orientations about university extension (Corrêa, 2007), namely: dialogical interaction; irreducibility between teaching, research and extension; impact and transformation; interdisciplinarity between models and concepts. Through the university extension, EPEC carries out its activities with a team of students, both scholars and volunteers, teachers, and collaborators. In this interaction, the students first undergo a training process to understand the dynamics of the communities and also how they should proceed (Figure 1). # , 2016). There follows a cycle in which there is a systematic oscillation between acting in practice and investigating it (Figure 2). "A change ... is planned, implemented, described, and evaluated, ... learning more in the process, both in practice and in research" (Tripp, 2005 p. 446). (Baldissera, 2001), corresponding to an instrument to understand the practice, to evaluate it Abraham & Purkayastha (2012), and to question it, thus requiring forms of action and decision-making (Abdalla, 2005). Its characteristics are situational since it seeks to diagnose a specific problem in a characteristic situation, with a view to achieve some practical result (Nichter, 1984;Novaes Gil, 2009). Focused on the presuppositions of action research, teacher-oriented students perform (Figure 3): (i) participatory diagnoses to understand the reality of each community to be attended; (ii) systematization of results and discussion with communities; (iii) elaboration of projects aiming at fundraising; (iv) when projects are approved, execution of activities; (v) investigations into the activities carried out (difficulties and successes); (vi) presentation at technical and scientific events with the focus of dissemination of the actions carried out. Specifically, EPEC, through resources derived from the projects developed, has promoted the creation of cutting and sewing units; centers of fish processing; multipurpose kitchens so that family farmers can prepare various foods and, consequently, add value to the products; boats and ice factory for fishermen; business plans with the aim of strengthening productive dynamics; construction of houses for fishermen; and actions to support economic and solidarity enterprises. The project of houses culminated in the construction of 70 properties (Figure 4d), aiming to replace the wooden dwellings (Figure 4c). With the participation of several actors, the EPEC was the protagonist that allowed the union of private initiative, public sector and fishermen's interest in the execution of the project, demonstrating that social entrepreneurship enables the interaction of several agents in favor of a common good. In recognition of the work carried out, EPEC was award the following awards: Santander University Solidarity Award 2014 and the III Brazilian Forest Service Award in Economics and Forestry Market Studies (Figure 5), both resulting from the research and extension of the EPEC. # V. Conclusions The results of the EPEC allow us to affirm that the promotion of entrepreneurship and social affairs constitute crucial strategies in the emancipation of actors. In seeking to incorporate entrepreneurial dynamics, EPEC generates returns to communities through income generation and elevate self-esteem. Another relevant aspect of EPEC's performance is the improvement of the training of students, since it provides, through participation in projects and direct contact with local enterprises and communities, the relation of the theories to the reality of the local dynamics. The training of participating teachers is also improve by working directly with local demands. It is possible to observe greater use of regional cases in the disciplines taught in the undergraduate and postgraduate courses, as well as the increase of scientific publications and research projects that encompass the theoretical and empirical problems and discussions concerning the context of the target communities and the environment from where the EPEC acts. The work with communities emphasizes university extension as a means of bringing the accumulated knowledge in the teaching centers to the local actors. These centers have capillarities in the collection of resources and in the capacity to propose socioeconomic improvements. Thus, the focus on fostering entrepreneurship and social affairs in the context of participating communities tends to provide knowledge for the greater autonomy of people, especially young people and women. It is sought not to limit the practice of university extension as a welfare activity, but rather as an activity that drives change, especially to the improvement of income and quality of life of the populations. 1![Figure 1: EPEC students being trained to work in the design and execution of socioeconomic projects IV. Methodology The methodology of action of the EPEC has a base on action research, a form of approach that starts from the principle that socioeconomic and environmental challenges demand new research methods, capable of understanding socioenvironmental complexity Thiollent and Silva, (2007) making possible to perceive of the real characteristics of the analyzed communities (Mutimukuru-Maravanyikaet al., 2016).There follows a cycle in which there is a systematic oscillation between acting in practice and investigating it (Figure2). "A change ... is planned, implemented, described, and evaluated, ... learning more in the process, both in practice and in research"(Tripp, 2005 p. 446).](image-2.png "Figure 1 :") 2![Figure 2: Demonstration of the cycles of action research used by EPEC Action research emerged as a new methodological proposal within a context characterized by various theoretical and practical concerns that seek new forms of intervention and investigation(Baldissera, 2001), corresponding to an instrument to understand the practice, to evaluate it Abraham & Purkayastha (2012), and to question it, thus requiring forms of action and decision-making(Abdalla, 2005).Its characteristics are situational since it seeks to diagnose a specific problem in a characteristic situation, with a view to achieve some practical result(Nichter, 1984;Novaes Gil, 2009).](image-3.png "Figure 2 :") 3![Figure 3: Diagnoses performed by the EPEC team in local communities (a and b), cutting and sewing structure (c) and fish processing center (d) assembled with funds raised through elaborated projects.](image-4.png "Figure 3 :") 4![Figure 4: Participants in actions to train fisherfolk (a), evaluation of environmental characteristics for the development of community-based tourism projects (b) and follow-up of the project to build houses for people fishing (d).](image-5.png "Figure 4 :") 5![Figure 5: Receipt of the Santander University Solidarity Award in October 2014 in São Paulo (a) and the Brazilian Forest Service Award in Brasília, March 2016 (b).](image-6.png "Figure 5 :") 1ComponentsBusiness to the bottom of the pyramidSocial businessInclusive business © 2019 Global Journals * A pesquisa-ação como instrumento de análise e avaliação da prática docente. 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