scholarly journals Dimensions of social innovation in agricultural cooperatives: a model applied to the Spanish olive oil industry

New Medit ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  

The Social Economy plays a fundamental role in the implementation and development of social innova-tion practices, especially in the field of cooperatives. In the case of agri-food cooperatives in the olive oil producing areas of Spain, a substantial share of the business is based around the social economy, with CIRIEC reporting a cooperativization rate of 70%. As such, there are increasing opportunities for these cooperatives to adopt tools that enable the potential development of social innovation actions. In the present article, we conduct a literature review to explore the definitions of social innovation provided in the last decade. We then analyse the results relating to a proposed model of social innovation applied to the olive oil industry, involving the participation of an expert panel composed of people with a position on the board of directors or managers of olive oil cooperatives and companies in the olive oil industry. From the analysis of the data collected, we identify four dimensions of Social Innovation that are particularly relevant to the olive oil industry: the Economic Dimension, the Cultural Dimension, the Environmental Dimension, and the Technological Dimension. These dimensions give rise to a methodological model for the implementation of Social Innovation actions in the olive oil industry.

Author(s):  
Alicia Guerra Guerra ◽  
Lyda Sánchez de Gómez ◽  
Carlos Jurado Rivas

The fusion of the social economy with the digital economy, together with the essential need for social organizations to innovate in order to face challenges not satisfied by using traditional methods, led to what is known as digital social innovation: the use of digital technologies to allow or help to carry out social innovations. We are facing a developing field of study, in full evolution and with a high and recent level of global activity, which makes it a true global movement. This, together with the fact that DSI practices still lack unanimous and systematized criteria, calls for identifying what DSI is and what should be understood by it. Therefore, this chapter aims to configure and illustrate the conceptual framework of DSI, detail the barriers that are limiting its momentum, and formulate a general scheme of action for good practices in DSI.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 15-34
Author(s):  
Hugo Pinto ◽  
◽  
Sílvia Ferreira ◽  
Jorge André Guerreiro ◽  
◽  
...  

The concept of ecosystem has been used to describe a dynamic set of relationships, services and interdependencies that potentiate the creation, renewal and growth of organizations. Social innovation is largely influenced by ecosystem conditions. The Portuguese social innovation ecosystem is a particularly interesting case study, as it assumes a hybrid structure that expresses a variety of policy schemes, networks and support structures. This article debates the concept of social innovation ecosystem and presents an exploratory approach to its mapping. Based on interviews with strategic stakeholders in the social and solidarity economy and social enterprises, the study elaborates on the specificities of the social innovation ecosystem. The Portuguese ecosystem is comprised of three sub-ecosystems that show different weights, limited connections and overlapping: social economy, social business, and the social solidarity ecosystem. The article concludes with an overview of the current state of social innovation, emphasizing the perspectives of stakeholders on recent experiences that the Portuguese state has developed in establishing dialogue within organizations integrating social innovation dynamics.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Jianling Li ◽  
Xiang Fan ◽  
Yufei Bai ◽  
Jingjing Zhang

Taking Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei as an example, it analyzes the comprehensive competitiveness of Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei. It selects four dimensions: economic dimension, social dimension, environmental dimension, and technological dimension. From a new perspective, it explores the application of niche theory in regional synergy. Based on the analysis of the ecological niche, the coordination degree model of the composite system is further used to calculate the status quo of the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region from 2013 to 2019. The results show that Beijing has the highest ecological niche, followed by Tianjin, and Hebei is the weakest. In 2019, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region is at a good level of coordination, with the social subsystem having the highest order and the technological subsystem having the lowest order. Based on this, it is proposed that the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei regions should be scientifically positioned, the overall need to be aligned with international trends, and the internal planning should be integrated to further enhance the level of cooperation in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.


Geoadria ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivan Sarjanović

Community supported agriculture (CSA) refers to those agricultural activities that contrast with commercial agriculture. They consist of members who pay for fresh, untreated and locally grown food directly from farmers. In this way the risk is shared and the resellers are eliminated. This paper discusses the basic principles of CSA functioning and the historical circumstances of their development. Besides the economic dimension of the functioning of CSA groups, which is most important (ensuring of purchase), emphasis is also given to the social and cultural dimension of the groups activity. The basis of the work is the presentation of the functioning of CSA groups in Croatia and a comparison of social and economic characteristics of the group members and the farmers that collaborate to the groups with trends in the world. The results were collected by administering an online questionnaire among 46 group members and 5 famers. The survey has confirmed the starting hypothesis – that the group members are younger and highly educated persons who live in large cities or urbanized regions (Zagreb, Kvarner, Istria) and are driven by eco-social motives (ecological consciousness, healthy food, cooperation with group members). Farmers who cooperate with CSA groups are practicing ecological agriculture on farms that are smaller than an average Croatian farm. They collaborate with the groups because of easier selling of the products and they find that the groups have a positive effect on their income and involvement in the local community.


2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 76
Author(s):  
Hsiao-Ming Liu ◽  
Shang-Yung Yen

Taiwan's aboriginal tribes have long been affected by political forces and market economy model, and the aboriginal people living in remote mountainous areas with lack of information have met with a lot of economic and social problems and challenges such as loss of land and traditional culture, aging population and stagnation of tribal industry development. Therefore, the original self-sufficient tribes began to prone to “poverty”, and this is one of the most critical social issues for Taiwan to cope with. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the concept of "social economy" in the aboriginal tribes, to develop and restore the sharing economic cooperation model, to increase collective interests and to set up tribal social enterprises, so as to address the crucial social issues.This study will adopt the method and experience of socio-economic analysis to study the action plan of Seediq, a division of Taiwanese aboriginals, and their experience of social and economic organization and operation, and reflection on the social enterprise system. The main research is to explore the social economy in the Meixi tribe, the status quo and future development, and how to employ social innovation to promote the tribal social enterprise planning and business model.


2013 ◽  
pp. 93-125
Author(s):  
Eugenia De Rosa

The social innovation paradigm recognizes enterprise' innovative and progressive potential to create new and sustainable solutions to the needs and challenges of modern age (ageing population and the changing nature of gender roles, poverty, migration processes, unemployment of the younger generations, the diffusion of flexible and precarious work, and guarantee equal rights). This article proposes a framework for analyzing the processes and changes generated through the interaction of organizations of social economy (service providers), local public institutions and civil society. This is achieved by integrating a critical analysis of literature with the results of a case study conducted on social cooperation in the city of Rome. The aim is placing "social welfare innovations" and social development into the social innovation paradigm providing a model of the paradigm of social innovation according to a social economy and human rights perspective


2013 ◽  
pp. 180-199
Author(s):  
Yolanda Montegut-Salla ◽  
Eduard Cristóbal-Fransi ◽  
Maria Jesús Gómez-Adillón

New technologies in information and communication technology are significantly impacting traditional business models, demonstrating how the relationship between the company and its corresponding value chain is changing in recent years due to the new possibilities they offer. The aim of this chapter is to analyze the current situation of Internet usage and electronic commerce in agri-food cooperatives in the province of Lleida, Spain. To this end, a questionnaire was completed by olive oil and sweet fruit cooperatives in 2010 that addressed the following aspects: computer equipment, Internet connection and presence, and finally, the level of electronic commerce. The results provide information on aspects to consider for ensuring that agricultural cooperatives take full advantage of the opportunities offered by new technologies, resulting in a useful tool for the managers of these organizations as well as for policy makers concerned with encouraging and promoting the social economy.


Author(s):  
Laurie Mook

This article proposes a holistic framework of integrated social accounting that could be adopted by all types of organizations in the social economy, as well as in other sectors. The impetus for this derives from the popularity of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and the broadening of collective impact thinking. The article advances a model of integrated social accounting that brings together four dimensions: 1) resources/capitals, 2) value creation/destruction, 3) internal systems and processes, and 4) organizational learning, growth, and innovation. Organizations using this model focus on the implications of their activities through the lens of the SDGs, looking both internally and externally.Cet article propose un cadre global de comptabilité sociale intégrée qui pourrait être adopté par les organisations de l’économie sociale, ainsi que dans d’autres secteurs. Cela découle de la popularité des objectifs de développement durable (ODD) et de l’élargissement de la réflexion collective en matière d’impact. L’article avance un modèle de comptabilité sociale intégrée qui regroupe quatre dimensions : 1) ressources / capitaux, 2) création / destruction de valeur, 3) systèmes et processus internes et 4) apprentissage organisationnel, croissance et innovation. Les organisations qui utilisent ce modèle se concentrent sur les implications de leurs activités dans l’optique des ODD, en cherchant à la fois en interne et en externe.


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