Beyond co-location : D4 final report : clustering the social economy

The overall project is working towards the reinsertion of social goals, reciprocity and solidarity into economic thinking and decision making, and aims to address the following primary research questions: 1. What are the scope and characteristics of the social economy in BC and Alberta? [...] The next section discusses the emergence of cluster models within the social economy in response to shifting political and economic climates and discusses their potential in contributing to the overall growth and development of the sector through collaboration, social innovation and the creation of organizational learning communities. [...] Non-profit clusters and shared space models have the potential to foster the conditions necessary for social innovation and the development of solutions to complex social and ecological problems. [...] Finally, given the need for social innovation to address the complex social and ecological problems facing society today, further research into the degree to which non-profit clusters and shared spaces create the conditions for the emergence of social innovation is required. [...] The intention of the literature review was not only to provide a basis for understanding the role of non-profit cluster models in strengthening and supporting the growth and development of the social economy sector, but also to produce a conference paper to share our findings and stimulate discussion in this area.