Solidarna ekonomija u javnim politikama u Hrvatskoj

Abstract

This paper provides an analysis of the practical implications of the concept of solidarity economy and the elements of public policies that affect the solidarity economy in Croatia. In a broader sense, solidarity is a common component of economic behaviour. In a narrower sense, solidarity refers to a set of economic practices that meet the criteria of balancing economic, social and environmental sustainability, joint ownership and participatory governance. Solidarity economy supports the construction and maintenance of common economic goods, which may occur within legal entities, as well as in contractual relations or informal cooperation. Solidarity economy is close to the concept of social economy, and significantly different from collaborative (sharing) economy. Public policies that encourage solidarity-based economic practices have their origins in the welfare state regime and the level of solidarity in society, which is followed by ideologies, strategies and activities of political and economic actors. The social contributions of the solidarity economy and the risks to which it is exposed justify state intervention in this area, which can be reflected in regulation and institutional, financial and tax support to its actors and processes. Public policies in Croatia generally do not recognise the importance of the social and solidarity economy and its actors, such as cooperatives and social enterprises. Although the recognition of possible contributions of the social and solidarity economy to society and the economy in Croatia is growing, the incentive framework is incomplete and insufficient, which is reflected in the results and future prospects of this sector. Key words: solidarity, solidarity economy, public policy, cooperatives, social enterprises.

Social Entrepreneurship Education at Croatian Universities

“…Although the Strategy (Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy, 2015) offered a definition of social entrepreneurship in Croatia and announced the creation of the Register of Social Entrepreneurs, which should serve as a basis for applying for special tenders and realizing incentives intended for social entrepreneurs, such official records do not exist today. Social entrepreneurship in Croatia has not yet achieved its full potential due to the incentive framework that is incomplete and insufficient (Račić, 2022;Šimunković et al, 2018). Besides insufficient incentives, both reports point out the general unawareness of the population about social entrepreneurship and its potential, so interventions within the educational system are also dearly needed.…”