Expo Linux

This first article attempts to answer the questions:

1 Those in the private sector, if social enterprises are a threat or an opportunity for them (and how they change their own practice, in order to remain competitive).

2 Those in the nonprofit sector to work in their medium and long-term future (whether or should oppose the notion of corporate social protection).

3 The present in the public sector, invited to develop, support or commission to work on the basis of social undertakings.

4 Those who self-definition as part of the social enterprise sector, wondering how to understand themselves and describe the value of their approach.

In recent years, a new concept - Social Enterprise - has been promoted throughout the world (Borzaga and Defourny, 2001). The problems around its importance can be explored through a revision of the contexts in which the term is to achieve recognition. The national economy has been designed maybe three sectors (Billis, 1993; Pearce, 2003). First, there is an economy, the State supports a public-public sector, as well as institutions of the rule of law and public funded organizations. Secondly, there is a private sector, competition and coexistence with the State: it consists of companies that can earn money from people and their livelihoods. Thirdly, it is a sector with organizations of persons on a voluntary basis, social, charitable and objectives of the Community.

The problem with a three-pronged analysis of the sector of the economy lies in the fact that further marginalize organizations beyond the limits of these definitions of dominance. For example, Co-operative enterprises (owned by employees, producers and consumers), cross the border between the private and nonprofit sector (Oakeshott, 1990). They often have a social purpose or community, but a general rule, to negotiate and allocate benefits and financial just rather give priority to social and financial objectives of the founders (Ridley-Duff, 2002). Furthermore, they are often able to adopt democratic practices in the public sector in elections for leadership positions and subsets of the population, can be directly question executive.