Klon/Jawor Association UNDP25th June 2008

Mike Aiken & Roger SpearVisiting Research FellowCo-operatives Research Unit, Open University United Kingdomm.aiken@open.ac.ukr.g.spear@open.ac.uk

‘The European Perspectives in Social Economy Research’

The Polish SE from a distance: a commentary to the presented findings

Overview

• 1. Learning across contexts• 2. Paradox!• 3. Some issues• 4. Examples• 5. Links to Papers from Poland

1. Learning across contexts• Discussing across contexts – ‘Mind the Gap!’• Looking at the wrong things or getting it wrong

(misunderstanding)• Jumping on things that appear similar but have a different

meaning, history• Convergence and divergences but maybe for very different reasons• ‘Do it this way – that’s how we do it!’• Assumming you know your own context and setting thoroughly• Overestimating differences• Knowledge transfer can miss out on the tacit and the cultural

2. Paradox!• UK (an Anglo saxon model)BUT....W. European influences strong and US unrecognisable (in 2 ways)• UK: anglo-saxon model between USA and mainland Europe BUT...influenced by partnership ‘mit bestimmung’ & corpartism• UK ‘sector’: long tradition 1601 Charities; 1760s early co-ops BUT...sector still undiscovered in many places, not homogenous and apparent continuties

hide big shifts in welfare regime contexts• UK ‘sector’: big (assets £86 billion – investments, buildings etc NCVO 2008BUT... most of it is small• Lots of policy recognition and attentionBUT Sector and organisations in transition towards...?• An ‘Independent’ sector or a residual/tension field (Evers) between other sectors? BUT Highly dependent on state in work with disadvantaged people

3. Issues• Conceptual confusions/ contesting continues • (voluntary sector, community sector, social enterprise sector, social

economy, Third Sector, non-govermental sector, not-for-profit sector.• ...and thus concepts/ contests behind measuring and collection of data• Third Sector as a ‘chaotic concept’ (Sayer)? – Tries to hold too many

things• (volunteers/ civic engagement/ numbers of organisations.• Shifting field • (Policy, programmes, professionalism)• - Importance of theory/research AND engagement with practitioners

4. Examples from research

• Advocacy role of community organisations (IVAR research) • terms not agreed – did not affect the practice• Community organisations that own assets (buildings, land...)

(IVAR)• Practitioners led policy led research• Compacts/ co-operation agreements (IVAR research)• Some LA did not know that ‘voluntary organisations’ had paid

staff!• Work integration organisations (OU research)• Policy neglect and conceptual argument may be very necessary for

policy attention (or neglect)

5 Links to Poland – tentative reflections

.• Concepts and definitions• Measuring scale, size and numbers...• ...but mainly small• Recognition by public and policy makers• Relations between sectors• Independence and finance• Capacity /training issues in the sector• Rhetoric and ‘sense making’ – finding an historical and

contemporary narrative• New beginning – chances to shape the field and the research

Thanks Tak!

Future Research (EMES)

• Roger SpearChair Co-ops Research Unit & ICA RC 6yrs Founder member of EMES networkJoint Coordinator of Third System in Europe Project

• Marte Nyssens & Jacques Defourney (WP 08/01 (EMES website www.emes.net)

Themes (1)• More Hybrid Legal forms• Boundary blurring: non-profit distribution, multi-

stakeholders, boards• Increasing recognition of SEs as brand• But varying effectiveness of different legislations• Several overly restrictive or non-advantageous

legislation– Greece, Belgium, France, Finland, Sweden

• Only two clearly popular structures– Italy, UK, (Portugal)

• Others – no data

Themes (2)• Some structures linked to Co-ops (France, Portugal,

Spain, Greece)• Some structures linked to specific policy measures: work

integration, social services• Most SEs use the most flexible legal form• But national prefs: Belgium asbl, Sweden co-ops• Some new legislation gives variation on existing

structures (Italy/UK)• Rationale for legislation? Sweden “firm with limited

profit distribution” to stave off pressures for privatisation of public education and healthcare!

• Differing emphases: UK quite commercial but asset lock.

Conclusions

• Legislation and numbers• Patterns of institutionalisation in the sector• Policy systems (work integration)• Work integration models• Broadening of field• Increasing marketisation in the field• Contested terrain of social economy

END!

Associations, Mulheim Germany

Bristol, UK: co-ops and associations

Defourny J. and Borzaga

Tokyo, Japan: wholefood co-ops

Chase Centre, Nottingham

Hartcliffe & Withywood Community Partnership, Bristol

Wood StoreBrighton

Bulky BobsLiverpool

Social Economy: an international movement

Sweden: co-ops