Action plan for social
economy actors involvement
in MED smart specialization
strategies
Progress Report
Presentation – Avril 2014
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CITEK : Be smart, innovative, open and online …
CITEK project -“Capitalization Initiative for the Innovation and
Internationalization of the MED economic and knowledge system »
•
promote the setting up of innovation system in the MED area
involving public administration, research centers, innovation
drivers, categories' associations and SMEs (the triangle of
innovation)
•
capitalizing the results coming out by the projects of the CITEK
partnership previously implemented (ICS, IKTIMED and R&D)
CITEK
Project
partners
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9 organizations
from 6 different
countries
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Med smart specialization strategies observatory
One of Citek's activities
specialization
strategies’
observatory.
is Med smart
implementation
In this activity, Oxalis Coop, Citek partner,
coordinates the elaboration of an action plan to
include
social
economy
actors
and
cooperatives,
in
Smart
Specialization
Strategies drawing up.
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Social Economy in Europe : economic influence
• Paid work for more than 14.5 million Europeans,
• 6.5% of the active population of the EU-27,
• 20% of 500 million Europeans are volunteers in a
structure of social economy,
Organizations of the social economy are present in the
majority of economic sectors and territories.
Statistical data from CIRIEC International Report – 2012
« The Social Economy in Europe »
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Social Economy in MED Area : a wide variety
Countries
Chypre
Espagne
France
Grèce
Italie
Malte
Portugal
Slovénie
Croatie
% of total employment
1,32%
6,74%
9,02%
2,67%
9,74%
1,02%
5,04%
0,73%
0,59%
Social Economy in MED Area : a wide variety
Countries where the concept of social economy is
widely accepted : Spain, Greece, Portugal, France,
Italy.
Countries where the concept of social economy has a
medium level of acceptance : Malta, Cyprus.
Countries where the concept of social economy is not
well recognized or not recognized at all : Croatia,
Slovenia.
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Social Economy : definitions in motion
Definition by legal status, four major categories: cooperative enterprises,
mutual societies, foundations and associations.
Definition by practical observed : democratic decision- making processes,
non-profit, equality of men and women, general interest activities,
solidarity, respect for the environment, the fight against poverty …
Social entrepreneurs and social enterprises multiply and are highlighted in
some countries. Sometimes these are NGOs.
All these organizations are often those that develop
social innovations.
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MED Social Economy processing
Croatia example
national strategy to promote social enterprises.
The government has published 7 March 2014 a strategy for the
period 2014-2020 to promote social entrepreneurship, which
should be adopted by the end of the year, for implementation in
2015.
With 41 million euros, it establishes the creation of a directory of
social enterprises and provide a regulatory and institutional
framework for these companies.
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Social Economy and Smart Specialization Strategy
A survey among eight regions of six countries participating in the program
Citek (all the Med area except Malta, Cyprus and Greece)
Presence of the social economy in the RIS3 is considered rather low
Presence of social innovation in the RIS3 is considered rather average
Social innovation is well considered by the RIS3 in the regions. It is
mentioned in all the strategies in the finalization phase of the RIS3. Social
economy is not as well integrated, so we can consider that social economy
is not sufficiently considered as a contributor of economic development in
MED region.
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Brakes for the integration of the social economy
to the RIS3
• Social economy actors not assimilated to business and economic sector
by public authorities
• Small dimension and no good representation of the sector himself
• Not all have access to information and support at regional economic level
• State and regional policy is focused on technology innovation
• Legal constraints for testing of an idea or new activity
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Advantages for the integration of the social
economy to the RIS3
• Economic activities for the real needs of local people
• Give human values to business activities and development
• Experience in networking and partnership
• Provide more labour opportunities
• Providing new, more efficient answers to meet grown social needs
• Mobilization and involvment of the population about local economy
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Social Economy and Smart Specialization Strategy
Involve Social Economy actors- Marche Region expérience
1.
The establishment of a Regional group of stakeholders composed by
the socio-economic actors and by the representatives of scientific and the
credit system.
2. The organisation of targeted focus group, aimed to deepen objectives,
contents and action plans of specific priorities.
3. Initiative: “Suggest your innovative idea for the Marches”
In order to develop a broader and more open dialogue not only with
businesses, but also with all citizens , the Marche Region launched the
initiative: “Suggest your innovative idea for the Marches”. The objective of
this innovative web-based communication tool was:
- to collect innovative ideas of policies
- to give a further impetus to the debate on regional innovation,
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Social Economy contributions to
Smart Specialization Strategy
Rhône-Alpes region has included social entrepreneurship and
social innovation in its strategy approved in October 2013
- Development of social entrepreneurship and supporting social
innovation within companies.
- Develop and promote the social value within the company.
- Promote innovative practices for economic purposes, social
and territorial cooperation, encouraging practices intercompany
cooperation strengthening the competitiveness of enterprises,
the local economy, and welfare at work.
Social Economy : Innovations for the RIS3
Some of the basic ideas and practical of Social Economy can provide
new approaches to the regional economy.
• Networks, strategic alliances and franchising are examples of
cooperation used by cooperatives
• In a high competitive context many companies are also seeking to gain
customers’ loyalty and generate a sense of belonging through forms of
”membership” or to differentiate themselves from competitors through
claims of social responsibility and ethics.
• Profit social enterprise mainly reinvested in the company or its territory.
There is no capital flight.
Best Connecting Social Economy to the RIS3
Some good pratices of Citek partners region :
• Prior analysis of the role of social economy in the region.
• The organization of targeted focus group, aimed to deepen objectives,
contents and action plans of specific priorities
• Presentation seminars
• Working groups
• Collection of idea and suggestions
• Web forms
• Brainstorm exercises aimed at identifying the specific focus of the RIS 3
in the domains of social economy
Recommandations to Connecting Social Economy
to the RIS3
• Study more precisely the actors of the social economy, their strengths,
their organizations, innovations,
• Explore the process of innovation by custom, involving citizens and
organizations in the social economy, and collaborative economy
• Diversify forms of innovation in integrating social organizational
innovations, environmental, with clusters and associated research labs
• Develop new business models, closer than territories, with a better
distribution of wealth, and a weaker recovery requirement on capital
employed.