Description:
<jats:sec><jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Purpose</jats:title><jats:p>Using case studies of business process outsourcing enterprises in India, this study aims to discuss how impact sourcing is used to provide employment opportunities to persons with disabilities (PWDs) and summarizes the business factors associated with successful impact sourcing for PWDs.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Design/methodology/approach</jats:title><jats:p>The effect of impact sourcing on the employment of PWDs is a newly emerging phenomenon, and this study focuses on the impact-sourcing mechanism and investigates whether such sourcing contributes to promoting PWD employment in India. It does so by examining the business model characteristics of organizations through case studies.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Findings</jats:title><jats:p>The results show that effective training systems and operational styles enable continuous market competitiveness for social enterprises. The case studies also demonstrate that it is possible to expand businesses by transferring and replicating management know-how through an organization’s operating model. It also highlights the catalytic role of impact sourcing service providers in promoting formal PWD employment in a labor market where the informal economy is dominant. Central and local governments’ support for social enterprises may promote formal employment of PWDs, an internationally-recognized goal.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Originality/value</jats:title><jats:p>Impact sourcing for PWDs is an emerging field. This study offers a new contribution to existing work integration social enterprises literature by providing new insight into effective ways of achieving employment for PWDs through outsourcing business. This study highlights the important role of social enterprises in achieving formal employment of PWDs.</jats:p></jats:sec>