Work integration is one of important and common industry in social enterprise field. Work integration social enterprises have been analysed deeply in European countries (Davister et al.,2004; Nyssens,2006; Defourny... [ view full abstract ]
Work integration is one of important and common industry in social enterprise field. Work integration social enterprises have been analysed deeply in European countries (Davister et al.,2004; Nyssens,2006; Defourny et.al.,2014) as well as in China Taiwan and Hongkong (Kuan et al. 2012). In China mainland, social enterprises have also been put into practice way before its being taken as a public concept (Ding, 2007 and 2010; Wang and Zhu, 2010; Yu, Zhang, and Lai, 2011; Zhao and Yen, 2012).And work integration social enterprise can trace back to “welfare enterprise”(Fuli qiye) established in 1950s in China, which seems much earlier the emerging of social enterprises in Europe and America in 1990s. How about work integration social enterprises look like in China mainland? How they operate? What characteristics do they have? What roles do they play? What kind of social enterprise model do they shape? We identifies work integration social enterprises models in China mainland through three cases in disabled field---the Shenzhen Canyou Group, the Amity Food Co. Ltd. and Chengdu Guanghui Leather Shoes Beauty Co. Ltd..
We take use of the framework and method of “the International Comparative Social Enterprise Models (ICSEM) Project” led by EMES network. First, based on interest and previous research on the Shenzhen Canyou Group, we choose work integration industry for the disabled persons. Second, based on EMES indicators, we seek two other cases, considering different goods and products as well as different locations in China. Third, we conduct literature review on work integration social enterprise and collect all kinds of materials on three cases from internet and other channels. Fourth, we utilize the EMES approach of social enterprise as a tool of analyses and prepare questions for a field survey what ICSEM suggested, and interviw the general manager in each social enterprise by phone and We Chat. Fifth, we analyze how the work integration social enterprise models for disabled people shaped by internal factors and major external driving forces in China mainland, what characteristics do they have and what roles do they play. At last, we try to discuss the institutional and practical implications for work integration social enterprises in China.
The paper will benefit the international research community to understand the difference of work integration social enterprises models in China and other countries and/or regions, do some international comparison on them and advance EMES approach of social enterprise to apply in various culture contexts.
