Social economy: Characteristics and needs for development

Abstract

This paper looks into the status of social economy organizations in Călăraşi County, one of the least developed counties in Romania. A first issue is what the social economy is. With the term being only recently introduced in Romania, there is a question over which types of organizations would be regarded as being part of the social economy. For a better understanding of context, there is a brief social and economic outlook of Călăraşi County, especially regarding social exclusion issues. This study is based on a qualitative approach. Interviews were conducted with representatives of social economy organizations (co-ops, mutual organizations, charities with social services, farming societies etc.) and officials from the main public services with responsibilities in social affairs. The overall picture is mixed. Some, like the handicraft cooperative and farming societies are successful and have a clear potential for the future. Overall, the stories of success and failure for different social economy organizations depend on local context and decisions. This study offers a significant outlook at county level, not a representative one at national level.