Monitoring profile shifts and differences among WISEs in Flanders

Abstract

Purpose -The sector of work integration social enterprises (WISEs) has grown considerably all across Europe during the last few decades. Unfortunately, many governments do not have a clear sight on the profile of WISEs they are supporting. The purpose of this paper is to provide a detailed profile of WISEs in Flanders and identify shifts and differences within and between WISE work forms. Design/methodology/approach -Data are utilized from a newly designed monitoring instrument to capture the profile of WISEs in Flanders (Belgium). This paper discusses some methodological issues in using administrative data to monitor this sector, and present a profile at the enterprise level and at the worker level. Parametric and nonparametric tests are applied to assess the significance of profile shifts and differences within this sector. Findings -One of the dominant features of the analysis has been the identification of profound differences that can be observed between the work forms and the slighter differences that are observed within the work forms while comparing start-ups to their mature counterparts. Therefore, it might be concluded that the policy framework on the social insertion economy as it currently exists in Flanders has a strong regulative impact on the WISEs in Flanders. This impact translates itself through differences in the profile of enterprises, as well as differences in the profile of the target group workers they employ. Originality/value -A dataset combining administrative data are created to estimate enterprise and target group worker profiles in this sector. The discussion on methodological aspects involved contributes to the literature on monitoring this sector.

The Development of a Measurement Instrument for the Organizational Performance of Social Enterprises

“…As it is the case in Europe in general, Flemish social enterprises mainly emerged because of the persistence of structural unemployment and the need for more active policies to tackle the increasing exclusion of specific groups. These "work integration social enterprises" offer a job to disadvantaged people, but in addition they focus actively on job training, necessary to make reintegration in the labor market possible, and provide social support to solve personal problems which are often obstacles for employment [11,12,34]. While some of these organizations are specifically set up to hire disadvantaged people, others are organizations or local authorities who hire some disadvantaged workers, next to a majority of regular employees [34].…”

“…These "work integration social enterprises" offer a job to disadvantaged people, but in addition they focus actively on job training, necessary to make reintegration in the labor market possible, and provide social support to solve personal problems which are often obstacles for employment [11,12,34]. While some of these organizations are specifically set up to hire disadvantaged people, others are organizations or local authorities who hire some disadvantaged workers, next to a majority of regular employees [34]. Next to the work integration social economy, there is a growing interest in the entrepreneurial, innovative approach of social enterprises.…”

“…Figure 1 gives an overview of the five selected performance domains. possible, and provide social support to solve personal problems which are often obstacles for employment [11,12,34]. While some of these organizations are specifically set up to hire disadvantaged people, others are organizations or local authorities who hire some disadvantaged workers, next to a majority of regular employees [34].…”

“…cleaning services, shopping assistance for the elderly) [34], (3) work experience enterprises and work care initiatives, offer a job to long-term unemployed people and are mainly active in health and social care or the cultural sector [34], (4) work integration enterprises receive subsidies in return for employing long-term unemployed jobseekers and integrate them into their regular staff [34] and (5) cooperatives: member-based democratic organizations [64].…”

“…In the first focus group session, eight managers of social enterprises were involved. Because of the prevalence of work integration social enterprises in Flanders [34], we invited managers of different types of work integration social enterprises. In the second focus group, we aim at a broader perspective: three representatives of sectorial federations of work integration social enterprises (The federation of social workshops SST and the federation of sheltered workshops VLAB), two researchers with a broad perspective on social entrepreneurship and two civil servants of the Flemish government were involved.…”