Statement
Nonprofit Management Education (NME) in the United States has been developed around the notion of charity, philanthropy and tax exemption benefits (O’Neil & Fletcher, 1998). The numbers and models of social enterprise organizations are rapidly growing across the United States, especially in innovative eco-systems such as the San Francisco Bay Area. European scholars have been pioneers in identifying these innovations in organizational configurations that integrate earned income with social impact (Salamon & Sokolwoski, 2016). The social economic systems of European countries have also been fertile ground for social innovation and the legal constitution of social enterprises organizations responding to the most urgent social needs through diverse business models (Thomas, 2004).
The field of nonprofit management education is catching up to the innovations of social enterprises and has recently integrated competencies adapted to these organizational models (Tavanti, 2016). While the historical evolution of philanthropy in the United States still provides valuable lessons that can be translated into modern expressions of corporate social responsibility, the need for preparing social sector leaders capable of exploring social enterprise solutions to their social missions requires an expanded set of values, skills and competencies.
The diverse and complex national legal systems and socio-political environments throughout Europe and around the world have fostered the creation of hybrid organizations to meet the complex social issues through non-traditional models and innovative approaches (Salamon & Sokolwoski, 2016). By exploring the various models that have emerged across Italy and throughout the Europe, particularly in the governance and social impact these organizations have on societal issues, academic institutions will be able to better prepare the next generation of leaders with the skillsets to adapt and be effective in their efforts.
In this paper, we first explore the evolution of the social economy and the emergence of social enterprises around the world; we then focus on the social enterprise structure of cooperatives in Italy and other models throughout Europe. Next we outline the convergences and divergences of these structures, focusing on the issue of governance of shared economy solutions along with the social impact of these structures. We also identify the opportunities and limitations that these structures inherently bring, when applied in other countries or cultural contexts. We then explore the need to prepare and educate the next generation of leaders; recommending approaches to ensure innovative and international perspectives are included in third sector studies.
Main Argument
Throughout the world, the third sector is experiencing the emergence and growth of hybrid organizations that are forming as a response to diverse national legal systems and sociopolitical factors. These new organizations are being created as a result of the private and governmental sectors not being able to provide adequate solutions to some of society’s major social ills and concerns. As a result of the various models being used in different countries, it’s imperative that academic institutions with nonprofit management education programs adapt their programs to reflect these sector changes. Not only should these programs continue to provide a strong foundation and knowledge of the sector, the curricula should also incorporate courses that will prepare the next generation of leaders with the skillsets and the ability to work in and with these hybrid organizations.
Main Conclusions and Relevance
The nonprofit-social sector has undergone significant changes over the past two decades and continues to evolve rapidly. The entrance of social enterprises and the participation of business and hybrid organizations into social causes has not only disrupted the traditional nonprofit and third sector models, it is challenging educational institutions and how they educate the next generation of leaders. These emerging perspectives in social impact, social innovation and social enterprises are already quite vivid in many communities throughout Europe, particularly in Italy. By understanding how these various organizations are taking a different approach to solving social causes, academic institutions with focuses on nonprofit management will be able to better equip and prepare the next generation of social leaders.
Main References
Defourny, J. (2001). From third sector to social enterprise. In C. Borzaga & J. Defourny
(Eds.), The Emergence of Social Enterprise (pp.1-28). London: Routledge.
O’Neill, M. & Fletcher, K. (1998). Nonprofit Management Education: U.S. and World
Perspectives. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc.
Salamon, L.M., & Sokolowski, S. (2016). Beyond Nonprofits: Re-conceptualizing the Third
Sector. Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations, 27(4),
1515-1545. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11266...
Tavanti, M. (2016). International by Design: International Accreditation Perspectives for
Nonprofit Management Education (NME).
Thomas, A. (2004). The Rise of Social Cooperatives in Italy. Voluntas: International
Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations Vol. 15, No.3, September 2004
1. Concepts and models of social enterprise worldwide
