Abstract
Extant research on nascent ventures and on social entrepreneurship has investigated the role of passion and effectuation thus far in isolation. We propose and test a model in which entrepreneurial passion is an antecedent of both causation and effectuation, both of which, in turn, affect nascent social ventures’ development and social impact. Using a unique longitudinal dataset combining primary and secondary data from nascent social entrepreneurs involved in Enactus Brazil, we find support for our model and hypotheses. We discuss our findings in the light of the literatures on entrepreneurial passion, effectuation, and social entrepreneurship, highlighting potential implications for social entrepreneurs and pedagogical initiatives in the field.