engleski

Social Entrepreneurship and the Revitalization of the Cooperative sector: Emergence of Social Cooperatives in Croatia and Serbia

Despite the long tradition of cooperativism in Croatia and Serbia (as in the rest of the European South Eastern region) dating back to the nineteenth century, nowadays the strong animosity towards cooperatives still prevails, mainly influenced by the experiences from the socialist regime. Moreover, the legal and institutional framework is hardly favourable, leaving cooperatives at the margins of the policy agenda. However, new forms of cooperatives emerged during the last decade. These are greatly influenced by external factors, mainly through intensive discourse and promotion of social entrepreneurship. This paper will focus on the emergence of social cooperatives in two countries – Croatia and Serbia. The aim of this paper is to identify the main drivers of development, features and potential of this emerging sector, and to give an overview of the relevant legal and institutional environment. By mapping, describing and analysing its main features in these countries, the findings of the study will help to understand the evolution of the new social cooperative in Serbia and Croatia, and therefore to support the development of better suited legislative and more supportive public policies, for both social entrepreneurship and the cooperative sector.

social enterprise ; social economy ; cooperative ; social cooperative

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