Purpose

This paper aims to explain the development of the social economy by analyzing when, why and how the community interest company (CIC) legal structure was established in the UK. The CIC legal structure was designed for social enterprise to ensure that company assets are committed to public benefit in perpetuity.

Design/methodology/approach

This research paper uses archival data and semistructured interviews to analyze the historical development of the social economy, emergence of social enterprise and the establishment of the CIC legal structure.

Findings

The historical analysis describes why and how the idea for the CIC emerged from practitioners and explains how collaboration between practitioners, lawyers, civil servants and politicians established the CIC as a new legal structure for social enterprise.

Practical implications

The analysis explains how practitioners influenced policy development and demonstrates how practitioner influence can be usefully incorporated into policy development.

Social implications

The CIC legal structure advanced the social economy by creating an institutionally recognized brand identity for social enterprise that locks assets to public benefit in perpetuity.

Originality/value

The paper presents a detailed empirical account of the establishment of a new legal structure for social enterprise and applies theoretical concepts to develop an integrated account of social economy advancement.

中文翻译：

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社会经济进步：从自愿到安全的组织承诺到公共利益

目的

本文旨在通过分析英国社区利益公司 (CIC) 法律结构的成立时间、原因和方式来解释社会经济的发展。CIC 法律结构是为社会企业设计的，以确保公司资产永久用于公共利益。

设计/方法/方法

本研究论文使用档案数据和半结构化访谈来分析社会经济的历史发展、社会企业的出现以及 CIC 法律结构的建立。

发现

历史分析描述了为什么以及如何从从业者中产生了 CIC 的想法，并解释了从业者、律师、公务员和政治家之间的合作如何将 CIC 建立为社会企业的新法律结构。

实际影响

该分析解释了从业者如何影响政策制定并展示了从业者的影响如何有效地纳入政策制定。

社会影响

CIC 的法律结构通过为社会企业创建一个制度上认可的品牌标识，将资产永久锁定为公共利益，从而推动了社会经济。

原创性/价值

本文详细介绍了为社会企业建立新的法律结构的经验说明，并应用理论概念来发展对社会经济发展的综合说明。