Europa Regionum

Social economy, according to the definition of National Program of Social Economy Development, is an area of civic activity that, through economic activity and non-profit activity, is aimed at professional and social integration of people endangered by social marginalization, at creating jobs, at providing social non-profit services (in favor of public interest) and local development (KPRES, 2014, p. 15). This term causes many controversies, both when it comes to its definition, and about its place in context of broader economy. Hausner writes that it is a mistake to think about it as a new approach to economy or to treat it as a separate branch. It is more like „defined segment of economic activity located in a triangle which sides consist of – market economy, civil society and democratic state” (Hausner, 2008, p. 11). As Hausner (2008, p. 15) points out: „Counter-measuring social exclusion is social economy’s main function”, by including people, who are endangered by marginalization, in market economy, while trade or type of service remains a secondary issue. Social context of social economy enterprises activity is its foreground, but issues like its power to animate entrepreneurial attitude or prodding and developing competence related to functioning at competitive job market are not irrelevant. One of the most important task of social economy is to integrate marginalized groups. Social economy enterprises are achieving it by, among other ways, its work that serve various functions: as an employer, as an organization that support employment, provider of job market services or as a mouthpiece. Social economy enterprises are including themselves in executing policies of active job market. By employing people endangered by social exclusion they strive for their social-professional reintegration, they support employment process at open job market. At the same time, social economy enterprises (in all their forms and types) are businesses that are active in various trades and can compete with other market enterprises.