Social Enterprises und Social Entrepreneurship. Konzepte und Begrifflichkeiten

(no abstract available

Civil Society in Central and Eastern Europe: Challenges and Opportunities

More than two decades have passed since nonprofit and third-sector researchers "discovered" Central and Eastern Europe as an area of scholarly interest. After the collapse of the communist regimes in Eastern Europe and the fall of the Iron Curtain, scholars noted the emergence of new civil society actors and were curious to understand the role these actors would play in their societies. Since that time, Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) has experienced intensive periods of transformation, conflict and renewal. This study is guided by the intention to develop a better understanding of the current state of civil society in Central and Eastern Europe, the diverse pathways of its development, and its possible future trajectories

SROI as a Method for Evaluation Research: Understanding Merits and Limitations

NPOs and their funders are increasingly drawn to the Social Return on Investment (SROI) method to evaluate the social impact of programs, organizations or organization networks. While many claims about the benefits of SROI have been expressed, various points of criticism have also been raised. On the basis of both current research and our own experience in conducting SROI analyses, we develop a comprehensive assessment of this method, which is structured along two dimensions: the observer's paradigmatic perspective, on the one hand, and positive or negative valuation, on the other. We identify two major merits: SROI analysis can provide legitimacy to NPOs or their funders, and it can assist in allocating resources. We identify limitations from three perspectives: From an interpretative-sociological perspective, criticism of commensuration and utilitarianism calls the method as a whole into question. From a technical-instrumental perspective, there are a number of difficulties that could however be overcome as the method matures. From an intermediary perspective, a number of limitations become apparent that, while inherent to SROI analysis, are no reason for abandoning it, as long as they are thoroughly understood. We conclude by providing suggestions for the responsible use of SROI analysis

Impact-oriented networks in the context of philanthropy: an evaluation of the Bosch Alumni Network

This report presents the findings of an exploration into the operating principles, benefits and social impact of the Bosch Alumni Network (BAN), an impact-oriented network that brings together more than 6,800 current fellows, grantees, staff and partners of the Robert Bosch Stiftung (RBSG) from all over the world. It builds on the results of a 12-month research project (09/2019-08/2020), comprising of the review of scientific literature (80+ sources) and company documents, 13 background interviews, 22 interviews with members, a participatory observation and an online survey of 634 members

Das Potential von Social Business in Österreich

Der vorliegende Bericht stellt die Ergebnisse einer im Frühjahr 2015 durchgeführten Studie zum Thema "Das Potential von Social Business in Österreich" vor. Basierend auf einer systematischen Literaturrecherche, der Auswertung von Sekundärdatensätzen und einer ExpertInnenbefragung (n=18), werden die derzeitige Bedeutung und das zukünftige Potential von Social Businesses analysiert

Addressing Grand Challenges Collectively: A brief introduction to Impact-oriented Networks

This paper aims to provide a brief introduction to networks from the perspective of philanthropy and social impact. Acknowledging the depth and breadth of the discourse around networks and its terminology, we focus on a particular type of networks – impact-oriented networks – and discuss their key characteristics, value creation and, briefly, their potential role in the philanthropic toolkit