×

Abstract

This paper addresses what I consider to be the world’s main problems, although I recognise that there are also other problems at present, such as inflation and the war in Ukraine. I will try to address the main problems, which are of interest to CIRIEC, which is an international organisation that pays particular attention to what is called the Third Sector” or “Social Economy”, an area that lies between the private business sector and the government despite I am not, I must admit, an expert in this last field. I will deal with it in the context of discussing a couple of problems we face in the world that I think are really important. The first problem is economic inequality, which I know something about. The second problem is climate change and environmental problems, which I think are the most important. I will also refer at the end to some problems related to the COVID pandemic. In all the problems, what we could call the Third Sector can play a big role.

×

How to cite this article

KRUGMAN, P. (2023): “Cooperating for a better future”, CIRIEC-España, Revista de Economía Pública, Social y Cooperativa, 107, 5-14. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7203/CIRIEC-E.107.26369

×

Abstract

Este documento aborda lo que considero los principales problemas del mundo, aunque reconozco que también hay otros problemas en la actualidad, como la inflación y la guerra en Ucrania. Intentaré abordar los principales problemas, que son de interés para el CIRIEC, que es una organización internacional que presta especial atención a lo que se denomina el Tercer Sector” o “Economía Social”, un área que se sitúa entre el sector empresarial privado y el gobierno a pesar de que no soy, debo admitirlo, un experto en este último campo. Lo trataré en el contexto de la discusión de un par de problemas a los que nos enfrentamos en el mundo y que me parecen realmente importantes. El primer problema es la desigualdad económica, de la que sé algo. El segundo problema es el cambio climático y los problemas medioambientales, que creo que son los más importantes. También me referiré al final a algunos problemas relacionados con la pandemia del COVID. En todos los problemas, lo que podríamos llamar el Tercer Sector puede desempeñar un gran papel.

×

How to cite this article

KRUGMAN, P. (2023): “Cooperando para un futuro mejor”, CIRIEC-España, Revista de Economía Pública, Social y Cooperativa, 107, 15-25. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7203/CIRIEC-E.107.26368

×

Abstract

This paper is about how to learn from past experience and how to move towards the new forms of capitalism that must be at the heart of a mission-driven system, in which the big issues of our time such as the digital divide, health systems and climate change are central, and how to work together to address them. This paper is about how to design a production system that is collective, but more importantly one that properly distributes the rewards, rather than the dysfunctional way we currently do it, which is to socialise the risks and costs and then privatise the benefits. I have had the honour of working with policy makers around the world to bring the notion of challenge, purpose and mission-drive to the heart of public policy design. This paper is also about systemic change, about what it really means, about how we understand the economy, about how to produce differently.

×

How to cite this article

MAZZUCATO, M. (2023): “Inclusive and sustainable growth. A mission-driven multi-stakeholder approach”, CIRIEC-España, Revista de Economía Pública, Social y Cooperativa, 107, 27-35. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7203/CIRIEC-E.107.26371.

×

Abstract

Este documento trata sobre cómo aprender de la experiencia pasada y cómo avanzar hacia las nuevas formas de capitalismo que deben estar en el centro de un sistema impulsado por la misión, en el que los grandes problemas de nuestro tiempo, como la brecha digital, los sistemas sanitarios y el cambio climático sean centrales, y cómo trabajar juntos para abordarlos. Este documento trata sobre cómo diseñar un sistema de producción que sea colectivo, pero sobre todo que distribuya adecuadamente las recompensas, en lugar de la forma disfuncional en que lo hacemos actualmente, que consiste en socializar los riesgos y los costes y privatizar después los beneficios. He tenido el honor de trabajar con responsables políticos de todo el mundo para llevar la noción de reto, propósito e impulso hacia la misión al corazón del diseño de las políticas públicas. Este documento trata también de los cambios sistémicos, de lo que realmente significan, de cómo entendemos la economía, de cómo producir de otra manera.

×

How to cite this article

MAZZUCATO, M. (2023): “Crecimiento inclusivo y sostenible. Un enfoque de múltiples partes interesadas orientado a la misión”, CIRIEC-España, Revista de Economía Pública, Social y Cooperativa, 107, 37-46. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7203/CIRIEC-E.107.26370.

×

Abstract

Recently, there is a new European Union commitment to the potential of the social economy which is a pioneer in job creation linked to the circular economy that will be further leveraged by the mutual benefits of supporting the green transition and strengthening social inclusion. Considering this general context, we propose in this paper an exploratory research aiming to investigate the potential of the Romanian social economy sector as part of a circular economy approach that could advance the green transition in the following years. Our paper is based on the findings of preliminary systematic content analysis for the identification of the social enterprises in Romania which include circular economy and/or green economy in their business model, and on qualitative research based on semi-structured in-depth interviews with the social economy organizations’ managers. We have highlighted five good practice examples (Recicleta, Atelierul de Pânză, Educlick/Reconect, Remesh, and Bio&co Farm), which clearly show that combining the principles of social economy with the ones of circular/green economy is a strategy that might lead to overcoming the current challenges of the society. Our investigations represent the first approach to this topic, aiming to understand the specific challenges of the circular or green economy and social economy models when joining forces together for sustainable development in the context of an emerging social economy, as is the case of Romania.

×

How to cite this article

BARNA, C., ZBUCHEA, A. & STĂNESCU, S. (2023): “Social economy enterprises contributing to the circular economy and the green transition in Romania”, CIRIEC-España, Revista de Economía Pública, Social y Cooperativa, 107, 47-69. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7203/CIRIEC-E.107.21738.

×

Abstract

The objective of this article is to analyze the concept of empowerment for women from different perspectives, in relation to their participation in productive enterprises of the popular and solidarity economy in Ecuador. The research was carried out through a documentary analysis of the emergence of the concept of empowerment that has evolved over time according to the different contexts and historical moments, as well as the presentation of the figures of the SEPS Data that indicates the governance of women in this economy. The recognition of the popular and solidarity economy in the Constitution of the Republic of Ecuador in 2008, as an integral part of the Ecuadorian economic system, has allowed its institutionalization through different institutions and legal instruments, as well as public policies that promote this model of economy, known as the economy of the human face or solidarity, due to its identifying principles that characterize it. One of these principles is gender equity and women actively participate in the different business models, allowing them to enjoy opportunities, become leaders, entrepreneurs. Finally, with sufficient theoretical arguments, the analysis of these concepts contributes to studying how the popular and solidarity economy allows women in an excluding labor market to vindicate themselves, by building alternative projects that improve their quality of life. The methodology used in this article is descriptive, based on documentary, literature review, and as a result of the analysis a concept of empowerment for women in the popular and solidarity economy is proposed.

×

How to cite this article

VERZOSI, C.V. & CARVAJAL, R.V. (2023): “The Popular and Solidarity Economy in Ecuador. Women’s empowerment”, CIRIEC-España, Revista de Economía Pública, Social y Cooperativa, 107, 71-100. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7203/CIRIEC-E.107.17063

×

Abstract

Mutualism is widely recognised as key to the origin of welfare states in central and northern Europe. However, there is little knowledge about this relationship in the southern region, where welfare systems took on a particular character (Minesso, 2018). This article provides an overview of the long-term relationship between the mutualist movement and the emergence of a welfare system in Portugal. It is hoped that this study will contribute to our understanding of the agency of social movements in the design of social policies, taking into account the Portuguese case study. Following Topalov’s analytical model (Topalov, 1999), it examines the mutualist movement as a network that fostered social reform. To this end, the resolutions of mutualist congresses were analysed, from the 1865 1st Social Congress to the 1934 Mutualist Congress, the last before the 1974 revolution. Additionally, official surveys and social policies were examined from the first 1860 survey of mutual aid associations to the extinction of the Compulsory Social Insurance Institute in 1933. The relational analysis of this evidence proves the importance of mutual societies as a laboratory of experimentation, observation, and statistical inquiry into social welfare, promoting consensus-building on state intervention in the sphere of social security, dealing with specific social risks. These findings contribute substantially to our understanding on the relationships between social mobilisation and public policies in a Southern setting during the liberal period.

×

How to cite this article

PEREIRA, J.D. (2023): “Mutualism and welfare: experiences, debates and policies on social security sustainability in Portugal (1860-1934)”, CIRIEC-España, Revista de Economía Pública, Social y Cooperativa, 107, 101-126. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7203/CIRIEC-E.107.22762.

×

Abstract

The rise of social cooperatives can be related to the blurring of boundaries between sectors in the modern economy and the creation of hybrid organizations, which combine different rationalities in their activities. Despite the defined legal form, they can still express their organizational iden-tity in a variety of ways – adopt a more social or a more market orientation. One of the forms of expression of organizational identity is a declaration of mission, which includes, among others, basic values. The aim of the article is to: a) identify the types of mission statements in Polish social coopera-tives; b) identify the values contained in the mission statements of Polish social cooperatives; c) determine whether the identity of an enterprise, social organization or mutual-support group prevails in Polish social cooperatives. For the purposes of the research, the contents of the missions of social cooperatives registered in Poland were analysed. 99 missions were identified and analysed using the IRAMUTEQ program. At a later stage, an invitation to participate in the survey was sent out to the 99 social cooperatives whose missions were being researched. The invite was addressed to the managers. The conducted analyses point to the existence of three main elements in the identity of Polish social cooperatives. The first, and the most developed one, is a social element related to the organ-ization’s orientation towards solidarity and its responsibility for the work and social integration of persons at risk of social exclusion, focus on beneficiaries and on their comprehensive service. This identity is related to high prioritization of such value as education. The second exposed element of identity is related to economic activity. The organizations in question see themselves as enterprises that should provide high-quality products and focus on customer satisfaction. This identity is related to values such as professionalism and work engagement, focus on employees and work safety. Matters related to business growth and competition, as well as values such as research and development, growth, product superiority, focus on competitors or company success are much less exposed. The third, least exposed area of identity has to do with responsibility for the environment and is associated with activities undertaken for the sake of community and envi-ronment. The analysis of the mission statements was supplemented with an analysis of case-specific data obtained in the questionnaire research. Two identities were predominant: enterprise and social organization, while the identity related to community affairs was marginalized.

×

How to cite this article

SEILER, B. & BORTNOWSKA, H. (2023): “Expressing identity in mission statements: a case of Polish social cooperatives”, CIRIEC-España, Revista de Economía Pública, Social y Cooperativa, 107, 127-167. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7203/CIRIEC-E.107.19108.

×

Abstract

The use of big data by large food retailers is increasing their bargaining power against the agri-food cooperative sector. The aim of this study was to determine the social media behaviour of food retailers in Spain and the UK, and to identify significant changes pre- and post-COVID-19 pandemic. The study analysed Twitter data collected from 16 food retailers; a total of 102,200 valid tweets were extracted from their official Twitter accounts. A term frequency analysis and a social network analysis of food retailers’ Twitter behaviour were carried out. The results obtained show differences for both UK and Spanish retailers before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. For agri-food cooperatives with little bargaining power in the supply chain of fresh produce, data analysis is a key factor in improving their competitive positioning. These findings should be of value to data scientists as well as managers responsible for forming strategies in agri-food firms that have large food retailers as clients. Finally, the study also confirms that, for agri-food cooperatives, analysing tweet content is a cheap and useful tool for understanding customer behaviour.

×

How to cite this article

BORRERO, J. (2023): “Agri-food Cooperatives’ Online Marketing: Evaluation of the Strategies Utilized by Spanish and UK Food Retailers Pre- and Post-COVID-19 Pandemic”, CIRIEC-España, Revista de Economía Pública, Social y Cooperativa, 107, 169-195. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7203/CIRIEC-E.107.21460.

×

Abstract

This study focuses on the search for the causes, or combination of circumstances, that lead to business failure processes. There is renewed interest in this subject due to the adverse consequences that the recent economic crisis has caused in the business world. A fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) is thus carried out to identify the combination of financial ratios that points to situations of financial difficulty. The study centres on the cooperative sector, represented by a sample of 56 companies holding this legal status, belonging to various different productive sectors. The results obtained, and confirmed through a number of different robustness tests, reveal the presence of sufficient conditions comprising combinations of variables reflecting high indebtedness, low liquidity, low solvency and small firm size, representing a scenario that would be sufficient for an entity to face business continuity problems. Thanks to its ability to identify combinations of variables that warn of business failure, as well as its ease of interpretability, the fsQCA technique can be extremely useful for business management and the identification of business failure situations.

×

How to cite this article

POZUELO, J., ROMERO, M. & CARMONA, P. (2023): “Utility of fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) methodology to identify causal relations conducting to cooperative failure”, CIRIEC-España, Revista de Economía Pública, Social y Cooperativa, 107, 197-225. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7203/CIRIEC-E.107.21888.

×

Abstract

This paper investigates which factors are more effective when taking advantage of benefits perceived by firms in their collaborations with public research organizations (PROs). The empirical study is based on a survey of firms that have collaborated with the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), the largest PRO in Spain. We performed an ordinal probit regression, where the dependent variables reflect the importance of benefits from the interaction. We add to previous literature by considering benefits beyond innovation results and by studying the firm´s absorptive capacity and knowledge search strategy as determinants of such benefits. Our results show that firms need to have a certain level of absorptive capacity to take advantage of the collaboration with PROs, but that R&D is not the only antecedent that must be considered. Prior collaborative experience with PROs appears as an important factor to exploit these interactions, in particular as a way to develop internal capabilities and obtain long-term benefits. The study also outlined the firm´s external search strategy as a relevant factor in determining the benefits obtained from interactions with PROs

×

How to cite this article

GARCÍA-GRANERO, A., VEGA-JURADO, J. & MANJARRÉS-HENRÍQUEZ, L. (2023): “Public research organizations’ interactions with firms: Factors driving the perceived benefits”, CIRIEC-España, Revista de Economía Pública, Social y Cooperativa, 107, 227-257. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7203/CIRIEC-E.107.23009.

×

Abstract

The Collective Social Responsibility model (CSRm) arises as a response to questioning the current vision of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). After analysing several authors and sources, this research proposes a vision that is more in line with reality and events in contemporary society and can contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The study had three main objectives: (i) to propose a theoretical model to expand the concepts associated with CSR, (ii) to explain the proposed model and its implications for companies, society, and the environment, and, finally, (iii) to establish the relationship between the proposed model and the SDG promoted by the UN. This study used a qualitative methodology based on documentary review and inferential and deductive reasoning. The Collective Social Responsibility model (CSRm) proposed here is an expanded and updated version of CSR, observed from a three-dimensional perspective. The proposed model seeks to transform not only the impact that organizations and businesses have on society, but also the way in which governments, companies, groups, and individuals complement each other in relation to this field.

×

How to cite this article

SOCORRO, F. et al. (2023): “Collective Social Responsibility: an extended three-dimensional model of corporate social responsibility for contemporary society”, CIRIEC-España, Revista de Economía Pública, Social y Cooperativa, 107, 259-288. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7203/CIRIEC-E.107.20611.

×

Abstract

The objective of the work is to know the contributions that the social economy and corporate social responsibility can make in the search for solutions to the current health and economic crisis, in order to avoid its most traumatic effects. To this end, we analyze the variations that can occur in three scenarios: in social and responsible organizations, in the changes of values in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and in the transformation towards new economic and business models. In this way, the existing favorable elements are reviewed, such as the role of companies against the effects of the pandemic, the important existing international consensus -the Ten Principles of the Global Compact and the 17 SDGs- and the increased collective awareness of the importance of the public and the risks of the planet. The main contribution of the work is to propose possible strategies against the crisis, both at the macro and micro levels, on the basis that this unprecedented situation collects and stimulates pre-existing elements that now take on new dimensions. Methodologically, these proposals are generated in a debate where academic literature, examples of business actions, the results of surveys and in a outstanding way, the technique of documentary compilation and analysis of the discourse of experts in the field. Among the findings and conclusions, we should highlight the greater sensitivity towards the public and sustainability, as an element of development, and more receptivity towards a new business paradigm

×

How to cite this article

AGUADO-HERNÁNDEZ, J.A., RODRÍGUEZ-DEL-PINO, J.A. & ABELLÁN-LÓPEZ, M.Á. (2023): “The responsible social economy and the Sustainable Development Goals in the face of the post-COVID-19 crisis: the voice of experts”, CIRIEC-España, Revista de Economía Pública, Social y Cooperativa, 107, 289-319. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7203/CIRIEC-E.107.20681.

×

Abstract

This article deals with the measurement of quality in public health services in the Basque Country, which are provided by the public body Osakidetza – Basque Health Service. It describes general quality methods and tools in the field of business and health management, together with others specific to Osakidetza, the latter of which are analysed in greater depth. Specifically, the concept of quality has been studied from a multi-faceted perspective, which includes different aspects of the term. Such as contracted versus funded quality; certified, comparative, perceived and evaluated quality. The main conclusion is the confirmation of the importance of objectives aimed at the quality of the health service and management quality in the Basque Health Service. These are achieved, among other things, through knowledge of the perception of patients and users of the health care received through satisfaction surveys, as well as the establishment of contracted quality commitments which, when achieved, receive specific funding through the formula of formalising programme contracts.

×

How to cite this article

CANO, F.J. & ESTEBAN, M. (2023): “Measuring quality in public health services. The case of Osakidetza – Basque Health Service”, CIRIEC-España, Revista de Economía Pública, Social y Cooperativa, 107, 321-354. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7203/CIRIEC-E.107.21160.