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Innovation in addiction recovery in Scotland includes the transfer of effective models from other countries, such as San Patrignano, Italy and Basta, Sweden. Independence from Drugs and Alcohol Scotland (IFDAS) was founded to develop a new model for Scotland, based on social enterprise. Drawing on the San Patrignano programme theory, this prospective study investigates IFDAS stakeholders' perspectives on which mechanisms should be transferred, and which require adaptation of the delivery mode, for the Scottish context. Data collection included interviews with ten stakeholders with expertise including: drugs policy, social enterprise, alcohol and drug partnership practice and therapeutic community methods. Drawing on realist principles, data were analysed using inductive and deductive approaches and synthesised using frameworks. San Patrignano mechanisms identified for transfer include: the need for motivation, recovery peer mentors, visionary leadership and social enterprise. Adaptations from Basta include: extending abstinence to alcohol and creating a smaller, semi-permeable, residential community. Further adaptations to mechanism delivery include a 'step-wise' model of housing and work. Scottish contextual factors shaping adaptations include: the culture of alcohol misuse, social care standards, housing regulations and socio-cultural acceptability. This study contributes to the evidence on international transfer and adaptation of complex interventions and documents stakeholders' theory-informed decision making in the development of a new Scottish recovery model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social movement organizations that engage directly in commercial activities face the particular challenge of mobilizing movement activists and commercial actors simultaneously. In a seven-year case study of a Sicilian anti-racket social movement organization that uses commercial activities to combat Mafia racketeering, we show how strategic framing enables such dual mobilization. Our findings show that original anti-racket social movement frames were modified through a process of strategic frame brokerage that incorporated, through interaction, the distributed interpretations of tourists, tourism service providers, and anti-racket activists. As a result of this process, original social movement frames were retained, transformed, or managed through selective referral. We discuss the implications of our findings for research on processes of frame development, social enterprise, and commercialization as a "mobilizing technology" for social movements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: People with mental disorders are far more likely to be unemployed than the general population. Two internationally recognized, evidence-based models of interventions for employment for people with severe mental health problems are Individual Placement Support and the Clubhouse. In Italy, a common model is the 'social enterprise' (SE), which is a programme run by non-profit organisations that help individuals with disabilities to be employed. Despite SEs spread and relevance in Italy, there are no studies about Italian samples. This paper reports on a pilot evaluation of psychosocial and work outcomes of a SE based in Verona, Italy. The study aims to investigate if people with SMI involved in SE job placements may achieve personal recovery and better outcomes over time, and in comparison with a comparable group of users. Methods: This is a pilot descriptive study with three components. A longitudinal design that comprised a functioning description of 33 SE members with a psychiatric disability in two time-points (when they joined the SE—on average 5 years before the study recruitment, and at the study recruitment—year 2018); and a repeated collection of job details of the 33 members in three time points: 2 years before the recruitment,—year 2016; 1 year before the recruitment – year 2017; and at the recruitment—year 2018. An assessment at the recruitment time—year 2018, of SE users' satisfaction with the job placement, symptoms, functioning, and quality of life (QoL). A cross-sectional study that compared the 33 SE members at the recruitment time—year 2018, with a matched group of people with the following criteria: living in local supported accommodations, being unemployed and not SE members. The two groups were compared on ratings of psychopathology, functioning, and QoL. Descriptive analyses were done. Results: At the recruitment time – year 2018, all SE participants showed a significant better functioning (p < 0.001) than when they joined the SE—when they had been employed for an average of 5 years. In comparison to the matched group, SE members had significantly better functioning (p = 0.001), psychopathology (p = 0.007), and QoL (p = 0.034). According to their SE membership status, participants comprised trainees (21.2%) and employee members (78.8%). Trainees compared to employees had lower autonomies, functioning, QoL and more severe psychopathology. Over the two years prior to study recruitment, trainees showed stable poor autonomies, while employee members showed a variation from average autonomies in the 2 years before the recruitment time – year 2016, to good ones at the recruitment time – year 2018. Over the two years, all SE members set increasing numbers of objectives in all three domains. All SE participants reported high levels of satisfaction with all aspects of the job placement. Conclusions: SE that provides tailored support to assist people to gain employment skills may be an effective component in helping recovery from SMI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social entrepreneurship (SE) has gained prominence in recent years, becoming a primary field of study and providing rich research opportunities that are both challenging and intriguing. This paper seeks to fill the knowledge gap in this field by improving the understanding of business models of SE and, more specifically, investigating how social entrepreneurs design their business models in order to create both social and economic value. Using the abductive approach method, the paper explores a single case study that enquires about the business model of the social enterprise named "La Paranza Cooperative", located in southern Italy and operating in the cultural heritage industry. Our main theoretical contribution lies in illustrating and formalising the ambidexterity perspective through which social enterprises simultaneously pursue goals that are apparently contradictory, such as economic and social ones. Furthermore, on the practical side, we assess the win–win managerial mechanisms that benefit social enterprises through their external environment as a bundle of distinctive resources while contributing to its requalification. Finally, our explorative study opens-up for deeper and more detailed future research on the business model of SE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Europe, social enterprises have gained unprecedented attention over the last two decades. As to the European Union, Directives and Social Funds Programmes have provided an enabling legal framework that has helped social enterprises to grow, especially as providers of welfare services. Many Member States of the EU have passed statutes providing for the legal features and the role of social enterprises, especially in the delivery of welfare services. As a member state of the European Union and hence pursuant to EU law, the Republic of Italy passed the 2017 Social Enterprises Reform Act. This includes some innovative provisions of social enterprises that may be of some interest to other jurisdictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Benefit Corporation is one possible alternative to traditional business models and a new way of managing business and sustainability. Emphasis on B‐Corporations in Italy dates back 2006, and 1 year later, B LAB certified the first Benefit Corporation Industry using the first version of the Benefit Impact Assessment process. Since then, the number of B‐Corporations has been growing, showing the success of the initiative of this category of firm that have voluntarily decided to pursue, like the profit, a further purpose: to obtain in the exercise of economic activity a positive impact on society and on the planet. After a presentation of the Benefit Corporation features, the main aim of this paper is to explore the relations that exists between the five different impact areas considered in certification awarded to Certified Benefit Corporation and the net profit value, using ordinary least squares regression model based on the entire sample of the Italian Certified enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: People with mental illnesses face stigma that hinders their full integration into society. Work is a major determinant of social inclusion, however, people with mental disorders have fewer opportunities to work. Emerging evidence suggests that social enterprises help disadvantaged people with their work integration process. The purpose of this study is to enhance our understanding about how perceptions of stigma can be decreased for people with mental disorders throughout their work experience in a social enterprise. Method: Using a longitudinal study design, 310 individuals with mental disorders employed in Italian social enterprises completed a battery of questionnaires on individual (e.g., severity of symptoms; occupational self-efficacy) and environmental (e.g., social support; organizational constraints) variables. Of the 223 individuals potentially eligible at the 12-month follow up, 139 completed a battery of questionnaires on social and working skills, perceived work productivity and perceived stigma. Path analyses were used to test a model delineating how people with mental disorders working in social enterprises improve social and work outcomes (i.e., motivation, skills and productivity), and reduce the perception of being stigmatized. Results: Working in a social enterprise enhances working social skills, which leads to a perception of higher productivity and, consequently, the perception of being discriminated against and stigmatized is reduced. Conclusions and Implications for Practice: Social enterprise provides a context in which people with mental disorders reach a sense of work-related and social competence. This sense of competence helps them to reduce perceived stigma, which is a crucial step toward social inclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper the relation between psychosocial rehabilitation and job in Italy, a theme that can be traced back to two cultural roots, that of the right to work enshrined in the Italian Constitution and that of the ergotherapy in the asylum tradition, is stressed. After 1978 the efforts to assure community psychiatry patients a job opportunity has led to the emergence of cooperatives against exclusion. The story of one of them was told in an Italian movie, in which it is possible to understand the main problems of rehabilitation through labor. In recent decades, the transformation of Italian society and the evolution of services has necessitated the evolution of cooperatives to social enterprise, which respond to a different philosophy, and a broader range of opportunities, with the introduction of new models, such as IPS. The example of two regional projects of the last years is here illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social enterprises are increasingly regarded as successful mechanisms for reconciling equity and efficiency with the creation of economic and social value, and they can be interpreted as concrete expressions of a growing sense of social responsibility on the part of citizens. Research conducted in various geographical contexts corroborates that social enterprises are a structural trend, which cuts across countries with diverse characteristics. Following a historical contextualization of the social enterprise, the article focuses on a conceptual analysis. Next, attention is paid to the diffusion of social enterprises in the enlarged Europe, including countries where social enterprises have been acknowledged; countries where social enterprises are increasingly regarded as a unique way whereby unmet needs can be addressed; and countries where social enterprise-like initiatives happen to emerge despite the predominance of unfavourable conditions. Finally, attention is paid to social enterprises in Italy and specifically to the key factors explaining their success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the role of social enterprise in relation to the specific features of the Italian socio-economic context. It argues that in this case it is appropriate to discuss the concept of social enterprise within the theoretical framework of human development and Amartya Sen's capability approach. The focus is thus an analysis of the evolution of social enterprises in Italy, and social co-operatives in particular, in pursuit of two aims. On the one hand, the study shows the importance of the social economy in the Italian regions with regard to the welfare system and development policies; on the other, it outlines both the positive and the disappointing aspects of policies implemented at central and local level. Finally, the conclusions indicate both the institutional dynamics that could strengthen social enterprise in Italy and the potential contribution of these enterprises to the economic and human development of the poorer southern regions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A social enterprise has cyclically to redefine itself as organizational system. The challenge is put it into practice in a real participant way by a specific attention to members' needs, problems, relational and working difficulties and, at the same time, to the social enterprise collective identity. The aim is the development and the slrenghtening of the social enterprise as reflexive social subjectivity. This work presents the many years' experience enacted in this way the social cooperative Ii Sestante, in Treviso (region of Veneto, Italy). The working process that is presented consists in two phases. The first phase includes the whole path that led to (a) the definition of co-ope working areas through (a. 1) a knowledge process of the situation among the members; (a.2) through an implementation process of the co-op's values; and, in the end (a.3) through a looking on process of the general functions of every area. Instead the second phase (b) pertains to the definition of specific functions (b.l), (b.2) of the structure of every area and (b.3) the election of representatives. This experience of participated working organization was the object of a research seminar among 11 Italian social enterprises that treated of "The relation between organization and participation: which criticalities and which future perspectives?". The account reporting of the research seminar is in the second part of the article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We contribute to the social innovation debate, integrating the social entrepreneurship and cooperative-network innovation fields, by investigating the effect of product, technological, and process innovation investments of social enterprises on social and environmental outcomes. Relying on a willingness-ability paradigm, we discuss under which circumstances social innovation unfolds. Drawing on unique survey data collected from a sample of 164 social cooperatives in Italy, we find that investments in product/service and process innovation are positively related to social innovation outcomes. Moreover, the contingent effect of proactiveness and risk-taking suggests that willingness plays a controversial effect on the relationship between innovation input and outcome. Interestingly, the contingent role of low barriers to accessing distribution channels and funding on the one hand and competitor aggressiveness on the other shows the role of ability in unfolding social innovation. Overall, these findings contribute the debate on social innovation and pave the way for future research. • The paper highlights the importance of innovation inputs on social and environmental outcomes of a social enterprise. • A willingness-ability framework helps consider levers and challenges playing as contingencies to achieve social innovation. • The paper integrates social entrepreneurship and cooperative/network innovation to advance the social innovation debate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preparation for reuse (PfR) is a fundamental waste management practice that is second only to prevention in the waste hierarchy. The paper, building on advertising literature, investigates how to leverage the pro-social nature of this option for giving products that have become waste a second life. To examine how advertising strategies based on emotional, functional or combined stimuli can be used to increase intention to buy these items, we carried out an experiment on 507 actual visitors a PfR items shop run by a social cooperative in Northern Italy. We found that, depending on consumers' social involvement, both emotional and functional stimuli based on the social impact of preparation for reuse tend to outperform functional stimuli and have a positive impact on brand attitudes by shaping attitudes to advertisements. Purchasing behaviour has a positive impact on attitudes toward the PfR organization and moderates the effect of emotional and combines stimuli on attitudes toward the advertisement. Since emotional stimuli can be freely used by both legitimated and opportunistic companies, the former should seek to preserve their value proposition by making it easier for consumers to recognise actually trustworthy organizations. This is possible combining the use of advertisements with the development of solid customer relationships. To this end, awareness campaigns, closer relationships with stakeholders and third-party verifiable standards and certifications should be considered to reduce the risk of "social washing" in the current second-hand market context., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)