Ageing and the social economy

Abstract

Purpose -This paper is concerned with the extent to which social economies can be constructed as alternatives to private and state markets and their purported neoliberal tendencies.Design/methodology/approach -The paper presents a meta-evaluation of an integrated set of projects supported by philanthropic investment to build finance, skills, entrepreneurship, social enterprises and non-monetised trading in the age sector in Northern Ireland.Findings -The programme had important successes in stimulating social entrepreneurship, improving employability and showing how social enterprises can be incubated and scaled to offer new services for older people. It also improved skills in contract readiness but this did not translate into new borrowing or trading models, even among larger NGOs. Practical implications -In that all economies are, to some extent, constructed and socially mediated, there is value in thinking through the components, relationships and projects that might make the ecosystem work more effectively. This should not just offer a counterweight to the market but could explore how an alternative arena for producing and consuming goods and services can be formed, especially among potentially vulnerable age communities.Originality/value -The albeit, small scale investment in a range of interrelated projects shows the value in experimentation but also the limits in planned attempts to construct social markets. The analysis shows that social economies need to respond to the priorities of older people, grown from community initiatives and better connected to the capabilities and resources of the sector.3

Active Ageing: Mapping of Scientific Coverage

“…Many factors contribute to the longevity and dynamic process of active ageing: genetic characteristics (according to Herskind et al [6]; Kaplanis et al [7]; Murabito et al [8], the genetics cause does not reach more than 25% of what each individual will be), gender, behavior, socioeconomic class, culture and environment [9]. That is, ageing is not only a biological process, but a process determined by a series of biological, social, psychological, and ecological factors.…”

“…In this context, in recent decades, there has been a growing interest, both from scientific and political spheres, focused on developing and finding formulas that allow for ‘good ageing’, with the aim of providing greater autonomy to the elderly and social inclusion [9].…”

Evolución del papel del emprendedor rural: del agricultor subordinado del siglo XVIII al empresario rural actual

“…Dado esto, los emprendedores sociales a menudo se ven a sí mismos como héroes (Murtagh, 2017); con diferentes roles (diagrama 3) resolviendo los problemas de la comunidad y los entornos en los que viven o se conectan por alguna razón. Buscan identificar brechas y oportunidades desde una perspectiva altruista para impulsar el negocio, donde un beneficio personal no es su objetivo esencial, haciendo que las comunidades participen en los beneficios y acciones que motivaron a la empresa (Aileen-Boluk y Mottiar, 2014; Thompson, 2002).…”

El emprendimiento en adultos mayores y su entrenamiento como oportunidad para favorecer el envejecimiento activo.

“…Un envejecimiento con ocio activo contribuye a la salud óptima de la población, por ello es una cuestión a resolver por nuestros dirigentes. Es tarea de las economías sociales responder a las prioridades de las personas mayores impulsando y creando, tal y como propone Murtagh (2017), iniciativas comunitarias conectadas con las capacidades y recursos del sector.…”

“…En sentido inverso, una reducción de la actividad cognitiva, acelera el proceso de envejecimiento. Por ello, las economías sociales deben responder a las prioridades de las personas mayores, creadas a partir de iniciativas comunitarias y mejor conectadas con las capacidades y recursos del sector (Murtagh, 2017).…”