The Development of Social Entrepreneurship – The Key to an Inclusive Society through Social Businesses

• Main Author: Lucian Sîrb
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universitatea "Stefan cel Mare" Suceava 2012-12-01
• Series: Annals of Philosophy, Social and Human Disciplines
• Subjects: Social Economy; Social Entrepreneurship; Farm of Roses; Clustering.
• Online Access: http://www.apshus.usv.ro/arhiva/2012II/010.%20pp.%20119-131.pdf

The current international context, marked by the economic crisis and by the expansion of social problems, placed the concept of social economy and that of social entrepreneurship as being an effective tool in solving certain problems of socially excluded or under social risk persons, with real impact on their social inclusion and labour market integration. Regardless the goods or services produced or their price, the social economy organisations operate in a competitive environment, together with the classically organized enterprises, with the mention that their principal purpose is in equal measure to obtain profit and the labour market integration of vulnerable persons, as well as their empowerment and development of some self-marketing skills, for a self- determined life. In the present article, I will address as practical example of social business, a farm of roses from Alba county, situated in the Sâncrai village, belonging to the municipality of Aiud, an area known in Romania for the specific agricultural activities of cultivating roses, as well as other plants or shrubs. The development of such a viable social business, having as specific this activity, represents a great opportunity offered to vulnerable persons or to those who are in social risk in Sâncrai area and in the surroundings, by the fact that this offers a chance for a better life and for their social and labour market inclusion, but also for acquiring certain professional abilities, as well as human ones, in the same time with the development of a local brand namely the culture of roses.