Accountability and non-profit sector is not a strange issue. As it has wider stakeholders as compared to other sectors, abuse, misappropriate and fraud cases frequently remark the ‘dark side’ of non-profit sector. Plus, with the introduction of Social Enterprise (SE) concept that combine for both social and economic objectives in an entity, accountability issue become more tension as the complexity of the organization itself. Therefore, this study aims to examine accountability from stakeholders’ perspective, focusing on Islamic Social Enterprises (ISEs) in Malaysia. A questionnaire survey was utilized in this study and 50 ISEs’ stakeholders from various stakeholders groups are contributed in this study. Based on findings, it can be said that all three accountability dimensions, which are accountability for input, accountability for output and accountability for procedural have significantly contribute toward accountability in ISEs in Malaysia. Ironically, most ISEs’ stakeholders are still believed that current accountability practices in ISEs in Malaysia is still in moderate level.

This study compares stakeholder and management perspectives on accountability practices in Malaysian Islamic Social Enterprises (ISEs). Two sets of questionnaires were used in the survey for this study. The first set was answered randomly by 100 ISE stakeholders, and the second set was answered by the management from 102 Malaysian ISEs. The findings showed that both ISE stakeholders and ISE management have mixed agreement for all six proposed accountability dimensions. Based on this result, Malaysian ISEs need to improve their accountability practices, particularly with regard to input, output and procedures. The accountability measurement proposed in this study could also be used by other ISEs as indicators to evaluate their accountability practices.

Based on Islamic social enterprise (ISE) concept which is a combination of both social and economic objectives embedded with Islamic principles and values, this study aims to classify ISE based on economic sectors namely public, private and non-profit sectors. In addition, eight organisations that represent ISEs in Malaysia are also being discussed in order to support the classification of ISE based on economic sectors. In order to examine these eight ISEs, this study reviews professional documents, online information and comprehensive literature to analyse selected ISEs in Malaysia. Based on findings, this study concludes that ISEs in Malaysia can be classified based on all three economic sectors identified. Therefore, this study contributes to the body of knowledge as the first study made in examining and exploring classification of ISEs based on economic sectors specifically within Malaysia context. Besides, this study also among the pioneer studies on ISE itself.

The developments of social enterprise (SE) concept around the world have significantly impacted Islamic organizations’ behavior and operation. Due to SE concept where both social and economic objectives are combined in a single entity, it has increased the complexity of Islamic organizations’ operation. This is vital in maintaining sustainability and offering more contribution toward people especially Muslims society around the world. Islamic organizations that adopted SE concept are known as Islamic Social Enterprise (ISE). With the various types of ISE economics activities and different approaches in legal formation, there are issues arising in relation to its refined and definite concept. The same issues also can be found in the studies related to social enterprise (SE). Therefore, this study attempts to conceptualize the definition of ISE by discussing its objectives specifically from Islamic perspective. This study will enrich the literature on ISE by providing its alternative concept from the Islamic perspective.

This study examined the role of financial management practices consisting of financial disclosure, internal control, financial planning and budgeting and financial performance management in Islamic Social Enterprises (ISEs) in Malaysia. A survey method was used and 102 financial officers in Malaysian ISEs had responded. T-test analysis was used to examine the significant differences based on Malaysian ISEs attributes including years of operation, organisational size and income generation level. This study found that Malaysian ISEs had moderate financial management practices led by internal control (77.46%), followed by financial disclosure (75.93%), financial planning and budgeting (68.87%) and the least was financial performance management (62.06%). Specifically, this study found that Malaysian ISEs with more years of operation, bigger in size and self-sustained in income generation had high financial management practices. Empirical findings from this study will benefit ISEs management, authority and regulator for monitoring and governing purposes. The study contributes by becoming among the early attempts studying financial management practice aspects of Malaysian ISEs.

This study aims to present an integrated Islamic financial accountability model, which is different from previous accountability models and frameworks. In this case, all three accountability aspects which are: (i) accountability to whom (accountability groups); (ii) accountability for what (accountability dimensions); and (iii) accountability on how (accountability tools and processes) were integrated into a single model. By using these three accountability aspects, this model is specifically focused on financial accountability area with additional Islamic elements that suits Islamic Social Enterprise (ISE). In order to develop this model, this study applies the comparison method on previous accountability and Islamic accountability models with additional literature inputs from financial accountability aspects and Islamic accountability perspectives. Based on the findings, this study introduces an integrated Islamic financial accountability model specifically for ISE, one of the emerging institution types under the non-profit sector. It is hoped that the integrated Islamic financial accountability model developed in this study will be implemented by the management of ISE in order to discharge their accountability especially to donors, beneficiaries and other stakeholders.