All-comprehensive social enterprises
A research study by INAPP highlights the nature and functional ability of a particular kind of production
Social enterprises – a special kind of businesses, yet enterprises nonetheless. Almost forgotten, and now rediscovered, and to be studied and understood. These are the premises that inspired “Le imprese sociali: organizzazioni dell’economia sociale nello sviluppo dei territori e delle comunità” (“Social enterprises: social economy organisations as part of the development of territories and communities”), a research study by Sabina Polidori and Massimo Lori, recently published as an INAPP Working Paper.
Polidori and Lori (from the Italian National Institute for the analysis of public policy and ISTAT respectively) explain that the study’s contextual frame lies in noticing the renewed interest of public political and institutional debate, both at an Italian and a European level, in social economy enterprises. An interest that is also due to the implementation of the Italian Third-Sector Code, as well as of the European Social Economy Action Plan, and, further, by the objective effectiveness of these particular way of doing business.
The study aims to highlight the nature of social enterprises from several viewpoints, starting – as the two authors explain – by examining them within a social economy context as well as from a conceptual perspective. The paper then offers a quantitative analysis that illustrates the relevancy and the economic weights of this organisation category, based on the scrutiny of their main structural features (geographical location, dimensions, etc.). Finally, particular attention is paid to the shared administration of social enterprises, which also represents an innovative tool for the public policies related to this segment.
Thus, Polidori and Lori’s work outlines a particular kind of production organisation that is also significant in terms of production culture. As the conclusions state, “Indeed, social enterprises tend to maximise social impact within economic sustainability constraints, reversing the factors that ‘traditional’ corporate models utilise to achieve their goals.”
Le imprese sociali: organizzazioni dell’economia sociale nello sviluppo dei territori e delle comunità (“Social enterprises: social economy organisations as part of the development of territories and communities”)
Sabina Polidori, Massimo Lori
INAPP Working Paper, no. 102
A research study by INAPP highlights the nature and functional ability of a particular kind of production
Social enterprises – a special kind of businesses, yet enterprises nonetheless. Almost forgotten, and now rediscovered, and to be studied and understood. These are the premises that inspired “Le imprese sociali: organizzazioni dell’economia sociale nello sviluppo dei territori e delle comunità” (“Social enterprises: social economy organisations as part of the development of territories and communities”), a research study by Sabina Polidori and Massimo Lori, recently published as an INAPP Working Paper.
Polidori and Lori (from the Italian National Institute for the analysis of public policy and ISTAT respectively) explain that the study’s contextual frame lies in noticing the renewed interest of public political and institutional debate, both at an Italian and a European level, in social economy enterprises. An interest that is also due to the implementation of the Italian Third-Sector Code, as well as of the European Social Economy Action Plan, and, further, by the objective effectiveness of these particular way of doing business.
The study aims to highlight the nature of social enterprises from several viewpoints, starting – as the two authors explain – by examining them within a social economy context as well as from a conceptual perspective. The paper then offers a quantitative analysis that illustrates the relevancy and the economic weights of this organisation category, based on the scrutiny of their main structural features (geographical location, dimensions, etc.). Finally, particular attention is paid to the shared administration of social enterprises, which also represents an innovative tool for the public policies related to this segment.
Thus, Polidori and Lori’s work outlines a particular kind of production organisation that is also significant in terms of production culture. As the conclusions state, “Indeed, social enterprises tend to maximise social impact within economic sustainability constraints, reversing the factors that ‘traditional’ corporate models utilise to achieve their goals.”
Le imprese sociali: organizzazioni dell’economia sociale nello sviluppo dei territori e delle comunità (“Social enterprises: social economy organisations as part of the development of territories and communities”)
Sabina Polidori, Massimo Lori
INAPP Working Paper, no. 102