an article by Kate Cooney (Yale University School of Management, Connecticut, USA) published in Social Enterprise Journal Volume 9 Issue 2 (2013)
Abstract
Purpose
Work integration social enterprises (WISEs) create jobs through business ventures that function as locations for training and employment of disadvantaged workers. A key challenge for US WISEs is that the businesses that are easiest to launch and best suited to absorb large numbers of unskilled workers may be located in the same low wage labour market sectors out of which these interventions are designed to catapult workers. This paper aims to present data on an understudied aspect of WISEs: the labour market niches where they are active, the occupations associated with these labour market positions, and the work conditions offered through their WISE businesses.
Design/methodology/approach
Data presented in this paper are from a national WISE database developed by the author that includes 254 businesses associated with 123 WISEs, and a pilot study of 15 WISEs testing an instrument for use in a national survey of US WISEs. Each business associated with the WISEs in the national database was coded for industry, occupation and wage data using categories developed by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Each WISE business was further coded as preparing its workers for either low or middle skill jobs. These data were analysed using frequency counts, chi square tests of association and a two-step cluster analysis. To explore employment conditions inside WISE businesses, the pilot study data were analysed using a multiple case study analysis approach. Through focused coding techniques, descriptions of the employment conditions associated with the WISE jobs are reviewed.
Findings
Analysis at the level of occupation category reveals that about 72 percent of the jobs that WISEs train clients to perform exist in low skill occupations. Chi-square tests of association between NTEE code (a proxy for target population) and job skill level are not significant suggesting that low skill training is utilised by organisations serving clients facing a range of disadvantage. Cluster analyses indicate that for WISEs targeting disabled populations and for newer organisations targeting the general unemployed populations, low skill job training pervades but for education organisation and for older employment organisations, middle skill job training is more prevalent. The pilot data analyses show that the WISEs offer minimum wage or higher wage positions but many without guaranteed hours or a clear pathway out of WISE employment.
Practical implications
These data suggest WISEs in the USA have grown well beyond their earlier, narrower niche working with the disabled to employ a much broader portfolio of client populations, many higher functioning. However, the findings that many WISEs are positioned in the low skill labour market and on some dimensions can mirror the low skill labour market employment conditions suggest that additional aspects of WISE workforce development strategy should be taken into account.
Originality/value
The paper focuses on the labour market niches where WISEs are active, the occupations associated with these labour market positions, and the work conditions offered.
Hazel’s comment:
I could not find a similar study on social enterprises in the UK. If there is one then please let us know in the comments.
Wednesday, 28 August 2013
Tuesday, 27 August 2013
The brains behind spirituality
We must enrich our idea of what it means to believe in order to fully understand the role of spirituality in society
an article by Jonathan Rowson (director of the RSA’s Social Brain Centre) published in RSA Journal (Summer 2013)
Immanuel Kant said that the impact of liberal enlightenment on our spiritual life was such that if somebody were to walk in on you while you were on your knees praying, you would be profoundly embarrassed. That imagined experience of embarrassment is still widely felt in much of the modern western world, not merely for religious believers, but for the silent majority who consider themselves in some sense ‘spiritual’ without quite knowing what that means. This sense of equivocation is felt when we hear the term ‘spiritual’ referred to apologetically in intellectual contexts. Consider, for instance, ‘the mental, emotional or even spiritual qualities of the work’, or ‘the experience was almost spiritual in its depth and intensity’.
Continue reading
an article by Jonathan Rowson (director of the RSA’s Social Brain Centre) published in RSA Journal (Summer 2013)
Immanuel Kant said that the impact of liberal enlightenment on our spiritual life was such that if somebody were to walk in on you while you were on your knees praying, you would be profoundly embarrassed. That imagined experience of embarrassment is still widely felt in much of the modern western world, not merely for religious believers, but for the silent majority who consider themselves in some sense ‘spiritual’ without quite knowing what that means. This sense of equivocation is felt when we hear the term ‘spiritual’ referred to apologetically in intellectual contexts. Consider, for instance, ‘the mental, emotional or even spiritual qualities of the work’, or ‘the experience was almost spiritual in its depth and intensity’.
Continue reading
Decoupling the state and the third sector? The 'big Society' as a spontaneous order
an article by Rob Macmillan published in Voluntary Sector Review Volume 4 Number 2 (July 2013) and also as Third Sector Research Centre: Working Paper 101
Abstract
Despite a largely indifferent and otherwise sceptical public reception, the 'Big Society' has remained a central feature of the Conservative-led coalition*rsquo;s project in the United Kingdom.
This article asks what the Big Society might mean for the 'third sector' of voluntary organisations, community groups and social enterprises. The previous Labour government’s approach has been characterised as the development of a closer 'partnership' between state and the third sector.
However, a partial decoupling may now be underway in the new political and economic context. Theoretically, this might signal a shift away from the idea of interdependence between the state and the third sector, and towards a model involving separate spheres: from partnership to an emergent 'trial separation'.
The article draws on Friedrich Hayek's theory of 'spontaneous order', suggesting that the Big Society involves some implicit Hayekian assumptions.
It concludes by considering the implications of regarding the third sector in such terms.
Full text of the Working Paper(PDF 21pp)
Abstract
Despite a largely indifferent and otherwise sceptical public reception, the 'Big Society' has remained a central feature of the Conservative-led coalition*rsquo;s project in the United Kingdom.
This article asks what the Big Society might mean for the 'third sector' of voluntary organisations, community groups and social enterprises. The previous Labour government’s approach has been characterised as the development of a closer 'partnership' between state and the third sector.
However, a partial decoupling may now be underway in the new political and economic context. Theoretically, this might signal a shift away from the idea of interdependence between the state and the third sector, and towards a model involving separate spheres: from partnership to an emergent 'trial separation'.
The article draws on Friedrich Hayek's theory of 'spontaneous order', suggesting that the Big Society involves some implicit Hayekian assumptions.
It concludes by considering the implications of regarding the third sector in such terms.
Full text of the Working Paper(PDF 21pp)
The Co-construction of Shame in the Context of Poverty: Beyond a Threat to the Social Bond
an article by Elaine Chase and Robert Walker (University of Oxford, UK( published in Sociology Volume 47 Number 4 (August 2013)
Abstract
Scheff (2000, 2003) has argued that shame, while recognised as a social emotion, is frequently explored outside of the social matrix and with limited reference to its role in human behaviour.
Drawing on empirical qualitative research with adults living in poverty in the UK, this article illuminates
a) how the co-construction of shame (feeling shame and being shamed) is fundamental in framing how people living in poverty respond to the social demands on them; and
b) how shame as a phenomenon may also take on a dynamic of its own, ultimately used by those feeling shame to distance themselves from the socially constructed and denigrated ‘Other’ (Lister, 2004).
The article shifts the analysis beyond shame arising from a threat to the immediate ‘social bond’ (Lewis, 1971), instead presenting it as a social fact which not only undermines human dignity but risks the atomisation of modern society.
Abstract
Scheff (2000, 2003) has argued that shame, while recognised as a social emotion, is frequently explored outside of the social matrix and with limited reference to its role in human behaviour.
Drawing on empirical qualitative research with adults living in poverty in the UK, this article illuminates
a) how the co-construction of shame (feeling shame and being shamed) is fundamental in framing how people living in poverty respond to the social demands on them; and
b) how shame as a phenomenon may also take on a dynamic of its own, ultimately used by those feeling shame to distance themselves from the socially constructed and denigrated ‘Other’ (Lister, 2004).
The article shifts the analysis beyond shame arising from a threat to the immediate ‘social bond’ (Lewis, 1971), instead presenting it as a social fact which not only undermines human dignity but risks the atomisation of modern society.
Friday, 23 August 2013
10 non-work-related items that I found fun or interesting
Gotham Noir: 1933
via Shorpy Historical Photo Archive – Vintage Fine Art Prints by Dave
March 15, 1933
“New York city views. Financial district from Hotel Bossert”
Large-format acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner
View original post
===========================================
Arts & Letters Daily – ideas, criticism, debate
What’s the origin of “jazz”, or “shyster”, or “Big Apple”? The answers are in Rolla, Missouri, home of Gerald Leonard Cohen, master etymologist… more
===========================================
A beautiful bacterium
via Boing Boing by Maggie Koerth-Baker
David Goodsell of the Scripps Research Institute made this lovely watercolor illustration of a cell of Mycoplasma mycoides. This bacterium is the cause of a deadly respiratory disease that affects cattle and other cud-chewing animals.
Continue reading
===========================================
One Third of Humanity May Host a Mind-Altering Parasite
via Big Think by Ross Pomeroy
This article originally appeared in the Newton blog at RealClearScience. You can read the original here.
In the opening scenes of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, two Starfleet officers find themselves in quite a perilous situation.
Continue reading
===========================================
Arts & Letters Daily – ideas, criticism, debate
Ever the scientist, Richard Feynman ran experiments on how best to woo women. His finding: being aloof works better than being a gentleman… more
===========================================
How did feathers evolve? - Carl Zimmer
via 3quarksdaily by S. Abbas Raza
===========================================
Do Interruptions Zap Our Brain Power? Yes. A Lot of It.
via Big Think by Orion Jones
To test whether interruptions like email and text messages come at the expense of getting good work done, scientists at Carnegie Mellon designed an experiment.
Continue reading and be prepared to be surprised at the results
===========================================
Arts & Letters Daily – ideas, criticism, debate
Devoted to skinny dipping, faddish diets, and vigorous exercise, Samuel Johnson was hardly the awkward, depressive man of letters you think… more
===========================================
Haunting Photos of Abandoned Planes in the Middle of Nowhere
via Flavorwire by Alison Nastasi
Wired introduced us to the work of Dietmar Eckell, who photographs abandoned airplanes in remote locations. The haunting images of the metal behemoths sinking into gorgeous, deserted landscapes are dramatic and surreal. The series Happy End started when the artist was researching the “visual disruption of nostalgic technology in endless landscapes”, and continued when he drew a connection between the ghostly planes and the shipwreck/marine paintings of the Romantic period. The aircraft Eckell documented are the relics of forced landings in faraway places (some abandoned now for 10 to 17 years), but thankfully everyone on board survived. The artist wants to share the stories he uncovered in a book he’s currently campaigning to fund.
Visit Eckell’s work in our gallery, and head to his Indiegogo page to learn more.
And of the pictures included on Flavorwire I chose this one as an example
===========================================
Innovations for a New Old Age - Slow But Coming
via Big Think by Joseph F Coughlin
It is happening...but as the quote often associated with discussions of innovation suggests, “the future is here, it is just not evenly distributed....” For years, I’ve predicted, promoted and pleaded for radical change in the way we think about old age.
Continue reading
via Shorpy Historical Photo Archive – Vintage Fine Art Prints by Dave
March 15, 1933
“New York city views. Financial district from Hotel Bossert”
Large-format acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner
View original post
===========================================
Arts & Letters Daily – ideas, criticism, debate
What’s the origin of “jazz”, or “shyster”, or “Big Apple”? The answers are in Rolla, Missouri, home of Gerald Leonard Cohen, master etymologist… more
===========================================
A beautiful bacterium
via Boing Boing by Maggie Koerth-Baker
David Goodsell of the Scripps Research Institute made this lovely watercolor illustration of a cell of Mycoplasma mycoides. This bacterium is the cause of a deadly respiratory disease that affects cattle and other cud-chewing animals.
Continue reading
===========================================
One Third of Humanity May Host a Mind-Altering Parasite
via Big Think by Ross Pomeroy
This article originally appeared in the Newton blog at RealClearScience. You can read the original here.
In the opening scenes of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, two Starfleet officers find themselves in quite a perilous situation.
Continue reading
===========================================
Arts & Letters Daily – ideas, criticism, debate
Ever the scientist, Richard Feynman ran experiments on how best to woo women. His finding: being aloof works better than being a gentleman… more
===========================================
How did feathers evolve? - Carl Zimmer
via 3quarksdaily by S. Abbas Raza
===========================================
Do Interruptions Zap Our Brain Power? Yes. A Lot of It.
via Big Think by Orion Jones
To test whether interruptions like email and text messages come at the expense of getting good work done, scientists at Carnegie Mellon designed an experiment.
Continue reading and be prepared to be surprised at the results
===========================================
Arts & Letters Daily – ideas, criticism, debate
Devoted to skinny dipping, faddish diets, and vigorous exercise, Samuel Johnson was hardly the awkward, depressive man of letters you think… more
Haunting Photos of Abandoned Planes in the Middle of Nowhere
via Flavorwire by Alison Nastasi
Wired introduced us to the work of Dietmar Eckell, who photographs abandoned airplanes in remote locations. The haunting images of the metal behemoths sinking into gorgeous, deserted landscapes are dramatic and surreal. The series Happy End started when the artist was researching the “visual disruption of nostalgic technology in endless landscapes”, and continued when he drew a connection between the ghostly planes and the shipwreck/marine paintings of the Romantic period. The aircraft Eckell documented are the relics of forced landings in faraway places (some abandoned now for 10 to 17 years), but thankfully everyone on board survived. The artist wants to share the stories he uncovered in a book he’s currently campaigning to fund.
Visit Eckell’s work in our gallery, and head to his Indiegogo page to learn more.
And of the pictures included on Flavorwire I chose this one as an example
===========================================
Innovations for a New Old Age - Slow But Coming
via Big Think by Joseph F Coughlin
It is happening...but as the quote often associated with discussions of innovation suggests, “the future is here, it is just not evenly distributed....” For years, I’ve predicted, promoted and pleaded for radical change in the way we think about old age.
Continue reading
The Limits of Technology: Social class, occupation and digital inclusion in the city of Sunderland, England
an article by John Clayton and Stephen J. Macdonald (University of Sunderland, UK) published in Information, Communication & Society Volume 16 Issue 6 (2013)
Abstract
Drawing upon the concept of capital and its uneven distribution, as outlined by Bourdieu, the article highlights the importance of social class, occupational status and place in understanding how individuals and communities make use of and benefit from technology in their everyday lives.
Based upon quantitative and qualitative research conducted in the city of Sunderland, England, the article addresses the extent and manner to which those in ‘socially excluded’ areas of the city engage with technology, specifically personal computers and the internet and the impact of such engagement upon quality of life and social inclusion.
The research indicates that the manner in which technology is experienced by marginalised social groups in this place, does not fit neatly with a dominant discourse of digital inclusion which emphasises technology as a means for social inclusion, particularly in the realms of civic participation, educational achievement and employment.
Abstract
Drawing upon the concept of capital and its uneven distribution, as outlined by Bourdieu, the article highlights the importance of social class, occupational status and place in understanding how individuals and communities make use of and benefit from technology in their everyday lives.
Based upon quantitative and qualitative research conducted in the city of Sunderland, England, the article addresses the extent and manner to which those in ‘socially excluded’ areas of the city engage with technology, specifically personal computers and the internet and the impact of such engagement upon quality of life and social inclusion.
The research indicates that the manner in which technology is experienced by marginalised social groups in this place, does not fit neatly with a dominant discourse of digital inclusion which emphasises technology as a means for social inclusion, particularly in the realms of civic participation, educational achievement and employment.
Repeated job quits: stepping stones or learning about quality?
an article by Anne C Gielen (Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands and IZA) published in IZA Journal of European Labor Studies Volume 2 Number 7
Abstract
Increasing labour mobility is high on the political agenda because of its supposedly positive effects on labour market functioning. However, little attention has been paid to information imperfections, and to what extent they limit potential efficiency gains of labour mobility. When the quality of a new job offer is known ex ante, job quits serve as a stepping stone to better jobs. Yet, if job quality is only observed ex post, job quits may lead to worse matches.
This paper argues that actual job quit behaviour is characterised by a mixture of both, and investigates the relative empirical content of both extremes in quit decisions. A variance decomposition shows that for nearly 70% of job quits job quality was observed ex-ante; the remaining 30% was learned ex post. Hence, stimulating job mobility mostly improves labour market outcomes, though governments may aim to further reduce information imperfections in order to maximise the efficacy of labour policies.
Full text (HTML) [High level statistics, or that’s what it looked like to me. I did O-level a long time ago.]
JEL classification: J28, J62
Abstract
Increasing labour mobility is high on the political agenda because of its supposedly positive effects on labour market functioning. However, little attention has been paid to information imperfections, and to what extent they limit potential efficiency gains of labour mobility. When the quality of a new job offer is known ex ante, job quits serve as a stepping stone to better jobs. Yet, if job quality is only observed ex post, job quits may lead to worse matches.
This paper argues that actual job quit behaviour is characterised by a mixture of both, and investigates the relative empirical content of both extremes in quit decisions. A variance decomposition shows that for nearly 70% of job quits job quality was observed ex-ante; the remaining 30% was learned ex post. Hence, stimulating job mobility mostly improves labour market outcomes, though governments may aim to further reduce information imperfections in order to maximise the efficacy of labour policies.
Full text (HTML) [High level statistics, or that’s what it looked like to me. I did O-level a long time ago.]
JEL classification: J28, J62
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