社会的排除への日本とイギリスにおける社会的企業の取り組みの調査・研究

Research plan（研究員一覧・研究計画書　English）

	Staff
Director	Yuichiro Nakagawa（Meiji University, Professor）
Researchers	Toshikatsu Yanagisawa（Meiji University, Professor） Akira Nagaoka　　　　 （Meiji University, Professor Emeritus） Kohshi Endo 　 　　　 （Meiji University, Professor） Masao Kikuchi　 　　　（Meiji University, Associate Professor） Matthew H. Noyes 　　（Meiji University, Assistant Professor） Takamitsu Kubo　 　　（Meiji University, Part-time Lecturer） Atsushi Fujii 　 　　（Rikkyo University, Professor） Kohki Harada 　 　 （Rikkyo University, Associate Professor） Kendo Otaka 　　　（Seigakuin University, Professor） Takashi Sugimoto　（Kansai University, Professor） Yoichi Hashirii　 　 （Tokyo Kasei University, Associate Professor） Takeshi Hamada 　 （Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Associate Professor） Yoshichika Kubo 　（Japan Women's University, part-time lecturer） Kenji Masaoka　 　 （BS Japan Corporation, Fukushima University） Michiyo Imai　 　　（Meiji University, Research Assistant） Yurie Kumakura　　（Meiji University, Research Assistant）
Visiting Researchers	Alice Sampson　　　 （East London University, Principal Research Fellow/Director of the Centre for Institutional Studies） Jon Griffith 　　　　　（East London University, Principal Lecturer） Gladius Kulothungan （East London University, Senior Lecturer/ Programme Leader） Siobhan Riordan　　 （East London University, Principal Research Fellow） Molly Andrews　　 　 （East London University, Professor） Antoninette Meredew （Account 3, Director/ MBE） Mark H. Saddington　（Sustainable Enterprise Strategies, Director） Hyungmi Kim　　　 　（iCOOP Co-operative Institute, Managing Director）

　

1-1      Research Objective

This research project has two primary objectives. The first is to conduct a comparison of Japanese and British social enterprise and to create a key station in Japan for disseminating the knowledge gained through that research to the world. The second is to develop young researchers, centered on those in our school, who are expected to carry out this survey research.

The research first focuses on work integration social enterprises (WISE) in Japan and England that are addressing the typical issues of social exclusion by working closely with the local community to create regular work. Through close cooperation with practitioners, the project seeks (1) to conduct micro-level research to clarify the process of social inclusion that occurs through social enterprise, and (2) to carry out organizational theory and policy research that clarifies the necessary system design for the sustainability of social enterprise. By carrying out this research as an international comparative survey of Japanese and English social enterprises, it will highlight the unique characteristics of Japanese social enterprises and the issues they are facing, and it will facilitate the development of specific policy recommendations to encourage social enterprise in Japan. In addition, the project will seek (3) to examine the area affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake as a site where the lessons gleaned from this research might usefully be applied to social issues, And while working in cooperation with social enterprises that have begun operations in the affected region, our goal is to be involved in the process of “social inclusion through social enterprise” in the region in the form of participatory observers, and to thereby produce practical contributions through this research project.

In terms of the first objective, the project is seeking to conduct interviews with relevant individuals who have experienced social exclusion, and while drawing on insights from the sociology of education and other fields, it will empirically elucidate the micro process of social inclusion by social enterprises, or in other words, the process of empowering those who have been socially excluded. In terms of “system design,” the project will apply the following hypothesis: The promotion of social inclusion by social enterprises requires a “system design” (Bode et al.) that sustainably facilitates the multiple objectives of social enterprises (for example, it is not simply a matter of how many people in quantitative terms have been sent into the labor market; an equally important goal is the creation of a diverse empowerment process through such measures as creating places for these people, the provision of welfare services, and so on). For that reason, the fundamental prerequisites for developing social enterprises are (1) a network in the local community, (2) the existence and roles of intermediary service providers that form the foundation for their work, and (3) a clarification of ways in which they can partner with government. From that perspective, this research project focuses on methods of evaluating social value in social enterprises and sees to clarify what types of social and systemic conditions are significant in terms of the sustainability of social enterprises.

Second, the project seeks to nurture our school’s young researchers and graduate students by involving them in this international comparative research and offering them an opportunity to investigate the socioeconomic system of the near future.

1-2-1   The Issue of “Social Exclusion” in Japan

Today, industrialized nations share a major concern as they seek solutions to the problem of social exclusion. In Japan as well, the trend has been toward a shifting employment regime accompanied by a rapid bipolarization of the labor market (Taro Miyamoto), an aging population with a declining birth rate, and an increase in single-person households (i.e., people marrying later in life or not marrying at all). In that context, the safety net provided by companies and families has been weakened, risk has been individualized (i.e., it has become one’s own responsibility), while at the same time there has been an increase in the number of people who are socially isolated, as expressed in the term “muen shakai,” or a society without connections. As this type of individualization progresses, those with disabilities (particularly those with mental and intellectual disabilities), young shut-ins who have withdrawn from society, the homeless, the elderly—above all, those who are in a vulnerable condition—are being excluded from the labor market, and as that happens it creates a situation of true “social exclusion” where they become isolated from their local communities and have difficulty participating in society. Moreover, following the 3/11 disaster, tens of thousands of victims lost their homes, their jobs, and their families as a result of the damage from the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear power plant accident, and this issue has further exacerbated the issue of social exclusion in Japanese society.

1-2-2   Focus on “Social Inclusion” and Social Enterprise

Social enterprises, and particularly WISE, are becoming a major focus of attention today as organizations that can help solve social exclusion and facilitate social inclusion. Research findings on social enterprise in Europe and the United States have been introduced in Japan, and numerous case studies have appeared on Italy and England. In Japan as well, numerous social enterprises have begun to appear, starting with social enterprises that belong to the category of cooperatives (such as labor unions and worker collectives), as well as social enterprises in such fields as employment for those with disabilities, support for the homeless, support for youths, and so on. Networks are being formed, as seen in the Kyoseigata Keizai Suishin Forum (Symbiotic economic promotion forum) and the Shakaiteki Kigyo Kenkyukai (Social enterprise research association), and there has been an increasingly vocal movement for a legal system for social enterprise (associated labor cooperatives, social firms). There has also been increasing attention paid in the policy realm to social enterprises as important actors for creating employment in local communities, as seen by the Democratic Party’s new growth strategy and the New Public Commons Roundtable. Against this backdrop, neighboring South Korea passed the Social Enterprise Promotion Act in December 2006, and in December 2011 it included a provision for social enterprise under article 4 of the Basic Law on Cooperatives, which had the effect of spurring research on social enterprise in Japan as well.

 1-3     Research Trends in Japan and Abroad

With regard to research on social enterprise in Japan, we can point to two issues related to theoretical and empirical research. First, looking internationally at social enterprise, there are two theoretical currents. One is the American social enterprise theory that emphasizes social entrepreneurs, while the other is a social enterprise theory based on social economy and solidarity economy theory, as exemplified by the EMES European research network. In Japan, there is a strong tendency to view social enterprise along the former lines, as a business entity that “solves social issues through business” and that is spearheaded by the strong leadership of a social entrepreneur. In particular, while research by business scholars such as Kanji Tanimoto or policy documents focused on the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry may emphasize social enterprise, one can find a strong underlying message that (1) social enterprises must achieve financial independence through income earned from the market, and (2) they are expected to provide new public services that will supplement a small government. Plainly speaking, the logic underlying this view of social enterprises can be seen as encouraging NPOs to assume the same form systemically as for-profit corporations. However, when one considers the actual circumstances in Japan, the introduction of this concept of social enterprise is problematic. That is because it is unreasonable to expect that social enterprises, which by nature must deal with negative conditions—factors of production (manpower) grappling with challenging conditions and a local market with no purchasing power—should be business entities capable of withstanding market competition. It is also a problem in that excessive corporatization—accompanied by increased scale of operations and bureaucratization—runs the risk of undermining critical elements of the “sociality” of social enterprises—i.e., the participation of volunteers and other diverse stakeholders, the close connection to the community, and the broad networks. Accordingly, in this research project we did not feel it necessary to view social enterprise in excessively market-driven terms, but rather we believe it is important to clarify the systemic conditions and fundamental social conditions (including intermediary service providers, or infrastructure organizations) that will enable the sustainable development of social enterprises while allowing them to maintain their nature as a hybrid of social and corporate characteristics.

Second, in terms of Japan’s social enterprises, although there have been a smattering of ad hoc case studies, there has been no research that comprehensively examines the current state of the field. To start with, in Japan’s case “social enterprises” do not possess a set legal status and so they tend to use a variety of names, such as operating NPO, community business, or workers collective, and they have a broad range of legal statuses as well, including incorporated NPOs, limited companies, company unions, unincorporated associations, and so on. For that reason, when carrying out empirical research on social enterprise, one inevitably runs into the issue of how to come up with an operating definition of “social enterprise” and how to comprehensively collect case studies. Accordingly, we believe it is crucial that when empirical research is conducted in Japan on social enterprise, that it be done as joint research (1) according to the issue areas in which social exclusion is typically manifested (e.g., issues of poverty, persons with disabilities, the homeless, and young shut-ins), (2) based on an awareness of the historical pedigree of the various movements that can be recognized as social enterprises (worker cooperatives, worker collectives, Kyodoren, etc.), and (3) in cooperation with practitioners who are active in key intermediary service providers in each issue area and in each historical movement.

Third, if social enterprises are to be viewed as entities that solve the issue of social exclusion, then their primary social function is social inclusion, or to put it conversely, their potential for achieving social inclusion can be considered to be the very basis for justifying social enterprises. However, what exactly is the process by which social enterprises achieve social inclusion? It would be difficult to say that any detailed explanation has been provided by the European EMES group or others in terms of what sort of empowerment process social enterprises employ to enable people who have been excluded from society to regain their confidence (psychological empowerment), to give them the strength to participate in society (social empowerment), and consequently to find a place to work and become self-sustaining (economic empowerment). Accordingly, within this research project we must conduct empirical analysis at the micro level on the collective learning and growth processes of people who have been excluded from society. In addition, we must examine the micro-level organizational requisites that facilitate social inclusion and consider methods of institutional evaluation.

Finally, social enterprise research in Japan in many cases introduces the results of research done overseas to the Japanese audience, or it attempts to apply those findings to Japan, but there have been inadequate efforts made to date to disseminate research findings from Japan itself. This point became evident when researchers involved in this project began engaging in an exchange of opinions with English researchers in 2009, and when they participated in a 2010 panel held by EMES at which they presented a report on Japan. This project therefore intends to disseminate the findings globally. We plan to write papers and make presentations in both Japan and England, and we will convene an international symposium with the objective of sharing the research results with a broad international audience.

1-4      Academic Characteristics/Originality of this Research and the Anticipated Results and Significance of the Project

Based on the points described above, the research project will have the following noteworthy characteristics.

(1) By carrying out “A Japan-England Comparative Research Project on Social Enterprise” based on collaborative research with British social enterprise researchers and practitioners, and by drawing out the unique characteristics of and issues facing social enterprise in Japan and at the same time investigating the sustainability of social enterprises, we will be able to establish a Japanese key station for disseminating information worldwide related to social enterprise.

(2) This will be the first substantive and systematic survey and research of Japanese social enterprises, which have focused on social inclusion in order to respond to those who have been excluded from the labor market through unemployment or other reasons.

(3) It will be a multidisciplinary research project that connects the micro-level empowerment process for social inclusion with the macro processes that make that possible, including the institutional and systemic requisites.

(4) By carrying out a survey and research based on a pre-existing cooperative relationship between Japanese and British social enterprise practitioners—as well as practitioners in Italy, France, Denmark, and elsewhere—this project will carry out practical research that will create a system to involve people in the Tohoku region who are facing various forms of social exclusion as a result of the Great East Japan Earthquake in practical and concrete efforts to promote social inclusion as the core of job creation and the revitalization of local communities.  The results of the research are also expected to contribute greatly to the study and practice of social enterprise, which utilizes the economic, cultural, natural, social, and human resources of local communities not only in the Tohoku region but also in other areas that are grappling with social exclusion for various reasons.

(5) Another important objective of this research project is to nurture researchers by inviting young researchers from our university (both current faculty and alumni) and our graduate students to participate in the project as co-researchers or research assistants. The project will enable us to make our university and graduate school an “international research center” where we can conduct international comparative research on social enterprise together with young researchers from England, Italy, Denmark, and other countries—e.g., University of East London, University of Sheffield, and Oxford University in England; University of Salento in Italy; and Roskilde University in Denmark—and will allow us to become a global research and education center on social enterprise.

 

2          Research Plan

2-1      Subject of the Survey and Research

In order to achieve the three objectives of the research project described above, we have established the following specific subjects as the focus of our research. (For further details, please see appendices j and k.)

(1) Survey of Social Enterprises in England Working to Address Social Exclusion

The survey research will be conducted collaboratively with researchers from the University of East London as well as with practitioners from well-known British social enterprises such as account3, both of which are based in the eastern section of London. For that reason, we will carry out interview surveys of numerous social enterprises that are active in that area, which is a run-down section of the city that is home to many of London’s immigrant and impoverished residents, and we will shed light on the specific processes through which social enterprises are implementing social inclusion.

In addition, in Sunderland, an area where industry has declined, detailed interviews will also be conducted that will build on surveys of social enterprises done by the lead researcher, Dr. Nakagawa, and others, and will focus on organizations such as Sustainable Enterprise Strategies (SES) as we examine methods of social inclusion based on extensive cooperative networks.

In addition, while examining those types of front-line social enterprises, we will also visit institutions that serve as important intermediary service providers (infrastructure organizations) for social enterprises, such as the Social Enterprise Coalition (SEC), Social Enterprise London (SEL), Social Firms UK, Co-operatives UK, Liverpool Vision (an organization that seeks to promote local revitalization through cooperative efforts between social enterprises, the Liverpool City Council, England Partnership, and the RDA). Interviews will focus on such issues as methods of support for social enterprise and the impact of government policies on social enterprise since the Cameron administration came to power. Researchers will also visit organizations such as the New Economic Foundation (NEF) and Social Audit Network to study the methods of assessing the social value of social enterprises, will critically examine methods such as social return on investment (SROI) and social auditing, which are being introduced in Japan today, and will examine the appropriate means of ensuring accountability at social enterprises.

(2) Survey of Japanese Social Enterprises Working to Address Social Exclusion

Through this project, the research team will work together with practitioners to conduct detailed case studies of work integration social enterprises (WISE) that are dealing with j those living in poverty (including the homeless), k young people (shut-ins, NEETs, etc.), l people with disabilities, m job creation for the elderly, n job creation in depopulated mountainous regions, and o job creation for disaster victims. More specifically, from the perspective of collaboratively implementing the research centered on relevant individuals who have close ties to the local community (including NPOs and other organizations other than labor cooperatives narrowly defined), we intend to examine the following types of practical case studies.

j Job creation for the poor (including homeless)—Kamigaseki Shien Kiko (Kamigaseki Support Organization) of Osaka, NICE, the Chiiki Seikatsu Shien Netowaaku Salon  (Local Livelihood Support Network Salon) of Kushiro (interesting examples of empowering families receiving welfare), etc.

k Job creation for youths (shut-ins, NEETs, etc.)—Kanagawa Workers’ Collective Association, youth self-sufficiency programs and community youth support stations run by worker cooperatives, etc.

l Job creation for people with disabilities— Members of the Shiga-based Kyodoren, such as Nekko Kyodo Sagyosho, Takarajima, and Ganba Company (Kyodoren in Shiga Prefecture was established under regulations on social firms, the only system in Japan that covers social enterprise)   

m Job creation for the elderly—In the context of a shrinking workforce, in order to maintain the country’s economic vitality will require that the entire population—including youths, women, and the elderly—become the supporters of society. Other than “employment until the age of 65,” the provision of job opportunities in the form of “self-employment” is also important. This is becoming increasingly commonplace in industrialized nations and thus we will conduct a survey on this topic in England. In Japan, there are active efforts underway by the Japan Older Person’s Cooperative Union, and we will analyze the current status of and issues facing such initiatives.

n Job creation in depopulated mountainous regions—A survey will be conducted of measures being taken to revitalize mountainous regions, such as the Yoshidaya Ryokan in Shimane Prefecture, the efforts at community revitalization being conducted through a public welfare center for the elderly in Hiroshima called “Baache,” and the Kanedani agricultural product processing plant in Shimane Prefecture, where they are trying to revitalize a community of senior women by employing them in the processing of cherries and yuzu.

(3) Participatory Observation of Social Enterprises Handling Social Inclusion in Disaster Zones

Following the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, the issue of social isolation was highlighted through such phenomena as the discovery of individuals in temporary housing who had passed away without anyone noticing (kodokushi, or “solitary deaths”), and in that context community businesses played an important role in terms of creating “jobs that give life meaning,” offering disaster victims a sense of purpose and social recognition in their lives. This research project will study examples of community businesses in Kobe, such as the Community Support Center Kobe (CS Kobe), and will consider the feasibility of similar job-creation efforts in the areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Specifically, research contributors Koki Harada and Yoshichika Kubo have already gone to the disaster zone, surveyed local governments, and created a base for volunteer efforts. All areas are being restored to their pre-disaster conditions, but it was clear that they have not yet gotten to the stage of considering the important step of revitalization. Various assistance projects are being carried out, such as the city of Tono’s Magokoro Support Network, agriculture support projects in Ibaraki and Fukushima (Gokigen Farm), and collaborative efforts between the National Homeless Support Network and groups such as the Seikatsu Club Cooperative and the Green Co-op. Also, we will look for similar examples being developed in the disaster zone, such as organizations that are using joint funds to start businesses and create employment with the goal of spurring recovery and revitalization from within through the efforts of disaster victims themselves as a means of social reform. We will select case studies that can be surveyed continuously, and will record the ongoing implementation of social inclusion of disaster victims. At the same time, working together with local social enterprise practitioners, we consider the empowerment methods and systemic basis for social inclusion that become apparent from the research described in sections (1) and (2) above, we will investigate practical prescriptions for applying those to the disaster zone, and will offer policy recommendations to the local government policymakers and general population.

2-2      Summary of the 5-Year Research Plan

2-2-1   FY2012 (Year 1)

(1) Starting in January, study group meetings will be held once a month in Japan, and for the first half of the year, we will carry out theoretical research on social inclusion by social enterprises and will gather and analyze basic documents in order to develop a detailed plan for the empirical research in Japan. Also, in terms of case studies of social enterprises in the region affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake, we will conduct interviews together with Gladius Kulothungan of the University of East London (UEL) among others. Moreover, we will divide up examples of Japanese social enterprises (poverty, people with disabilities, elderly, youths, etc.) and conduct case studies.

(2) In England, we will carry out interviews at East London social enterprises (e.g., account3), SES in Sunderland, Co-operatives UK, and infrastructure organizations such as SEC and SEL. In FY2012, co-researcher Atsushi Fujii will travel to London and spend a year at UEL. He will be handling the coordination of surveys of social enterprises and related organizations centered on East London.

2-2-2   FY2013 (Year 2)

(1) We will be actively carrying out surveys of social enterprises in Japan while also continuing to hold study group meetings.

(2) We will be vigorously carrying out case studies of Japanese social enterprises in various fields (poverty, people with disabilities, elderly, youths, etc.) and will report our findings to the Japanese Society for Co-operative Studies, the Japan Welfare Studies Association, and other relevant organizations.

(3) We will delve deeper into our ongoing case studies in the disaster zone.

(4) The survey in England will place priority on considering social enterprises and the local government contract system, as well as social enterprises’ systems for social evaluation.

2-2-3   FY2014 (Year 3)

(1) We will continue to conduct study group meetings and will intensify our deliberations on the research findings.

(2) Based on the research conducted in the previous two years, we will hold an international symposium at Meiji University with the objective of disseminating the research findings within Japan and abroad.

2-2-4   FY2015 (Year 4)

(1) A book will be published in Japanese based on the research findings. Study group meetings will continue to be held.

(2) We will participate in the annual EMES International Conference on Social Enterprise, where we will report on our research findings and share information on the current state of social enterprises in Japan with a global audience.

2-2-5 FY2016 (Year 5)

(1) A book will be published in English to disseminate the research findings globally.

(2) An international symposium will be held at Meiji University to consider the implications of the research findings.

 

3-1-1 Background of Research Organization

This project is a multidisciplinary research effort based on work conducted to date by a Meiji University research group led by Yuichiro Nakagawa (economics), Toshikatsu Yanagisawa (business administration), Yoshichika Kubo (public administration), and another group led by Koki Harada (public administration) and Atsushi Fujii (sociology, organizational theory) of Rikkyo University and Kendo Otaka (education) of Seigakuin University, among others. In addition, five scholars at UEL in England will be cooperating on this research: Gladius Kulothungan (social enterprise, social innovation), Siobhan Riordan (organization and human resources, social innovation), Molly Andrews (political science, sociology), Alice Sampson (area studies, urban regeneration), and John Griffith (social enterprise, organizational learning). We are receiving support that cuts horizontally across UEL’s departments and research centers. Another major characteristic of the project is that it will be conducted through close collaboration among a group of researchers and practitioners from leading social enterprises including account3’s Antoinette Meredew and Josephine Amuwo, Mark Saddington and Kevin Marquis of SES, and others.

3-1-2   Exchanges with the English Research Group

To date, our study group has had regular research exchanges with UEL. In May 2010, October 2011, and February 2012, we have continued to hold research conferences when researchers from Japan travelled to England or our British colleagues visited Japan. On October 31, 2011, at a study group meeting held at this university, we listened to a report from Kulothungan, Riordan, and another scholar from UEL and exchanged opinions on the current status and issues facing social enterprise in England, as well as on the definition of the term social enterprise in the English context. Globally as well, the concept of social enterprise is new, and the definition is not necessarily agreed upon. In England and other countries as well, 75 percent of the academic writing on social enterprise was published between 2002 and 2005 (Stevart and Hjorth 2006), and even internationally speaking, research on social enterprise has only just begun.

3-1-3   Inter-university Agreement between Meiji University and University of East London

 The English universities with which Meiji University currently has inter-university agreements include the University of Sheffield and University of Manchester. (The agreement with the University of Manchester, however, is not with the entire school but rather with just the Faculty of Humanities.)

UEL, which will be working with our study group to carry out this international research project, has undergraduate and graduate courses in the social sciences and natural sciences, including law, economics and accounting, business management, education, finance, health sciences, humanities, communications, media studies, psychology, architecture, art design, biological sciences, computing, engineering, sports science, geo-information studies, and so on, and is rated among the best universities in England in 15 fields, particularly sociology (Guardian University Guide 2007).

The UEL School of Law and Social Sciences, with which we are conducting this joint research project, has been producing prominent research in England on social enterprise. In 2001, they launched England’s first master’s program in social enterprise. In 2002, they also established a social enterprise undergraduate program, which was the first of its kind in England as well. The primary partner in this research project, the Center for Institutional Studies, carries out commissioned research for the British government, local governments, and the third sector, from which they have raised ¥190,000,000 over the past 10 years.

This research project will involve scholars and researchers from not only the School of Law and Social Sciences but also the humanities and psychology faculties. UEL is involving the entire school in proactively pursuing this research plan. Our university also believes that it will be beneficial to launch joint research that takes into consideration the comprehensive agreement we have with UEL.

3-2      Methods of Disseminating the Research Findings

Two primary methods are planned for disseminating the findings of this international collaborative research project. First, we will present our findings at EMES and other international academic conferences. Second, the results will be published in both Japanese and English. As was touched on above, Japan in particular has disseminated very little information abroad in this field, and there is a lack of in-depth understanding globally of the situation in Japan regarding social enterprise and the third sector. One of this research project’s objectives is to overcome that boundary by conducting international collaborative research with our colleagues in England.

 

4          Research Funds Received to Date and the Results

Primary Research to Date and Results of the Japanese Research Group

The Meiji University research group led by Yuichiro Nakagawa, Toshikatsu Yanagisawa, and others has an extensive track record of research on English thought on cooperatives and worker cooperatives (including community co-ops and care co-ops), and they have been producing empirical research centered on Sunderland and account3 that examines the way in which the trends occurring in England’s workers cooperative movement are, since the Blair administration, being reframed in the policy sphere through the concept of social enterprise, and how social enterprises are becoming key actors in solving the issues of community revitalization and social exclusion.

At the same time, since 2003, the research group led by Koki Harada, Atsushi Fujii, and Kendo Otaka has been conducting interview surveys of Italian social cooperatives and of London’s major social enterprises (e.g., Bromley by Bow Centre, Kaleidoscope Social Enterprise Ltd., Tower Hamlets Co-operative Development Agency, CAN, and SEL). Their research has shown that a condition of European social enterprise’s development has been the investment of a certain amount of public funds (subsidies and commissions) based on employment policy and regional revitalization policy, and they have shed light on the importance of the way in which governments commission social enterprises to undertake work on their behalf. Another important insight from their research is the fact that an abundance of intermediary service providers exist as the foundation of social enterprise, such as the consortia seen among Italian social cooperatives, and that these organizations play an important role in terms of having a degree of influence in local governance as well.

This group has also been conducting survey research on the labor market integration type of social enterprise within Japan, focusing on workers collectives and worker cooperatives that are related to cooperatives, and in addition to conducting interviews with organizations that have a track record of accepting individuals who face difficulty in finding work, they have also conducted comprehensive questionnaires and analyzed the current situation of and conditions for social inclusion by these social enterprises. Moreover, in the process of conducting these surveys, they organized the JWISE study group together with representatives from workers’ collective associations and have been carrying out research while building close connections to practitioners. They are also building a close relationship with the Shakaiteki Kigyo Kenkyukai (Social enterprise research association) and the Kyoseigata Keizai Suishin Forum (Symbiotic economic promotion forum), which are network organizations created by Japan’s labor market integration type of social enterprises and cooperatives. Accordingly, in this research project as well, we will be able to enlist the cooperation of workers’ collectives and worker cooperatives, Kyodoren, and other organizations.

These research efforts have primarily been based on survey research conducted through the following grants-in-aid for scientific research (kakenhi).

 Research subject: “Comparative Research on the Collaboration-Building Process of Community Businesses,” Basic Research C, 2003–2005, Principal researcher: Yoichi Nakamura (Co-researcher: Fujii)

‚ Research subject: “Comparative Research on Innovation in Social Enterprise and its Basic Conditions,” Basic Research B, 2006–2008, Principal researcher: Atsushi Fujii (Co-researchers: Harada, Otaka)

ƒ Research subject: “Comparative Japan-Korea Research on the Systemic and Social Foundation of Social Enterprises as Actors for Social Inclusion,” Basic Research C, 2009–2011, Principal researcher: Atsushi Fujii (Co-researchers: Harada, Otaka)

„ Research subject: “Theoretical and Empirical Research on the Role on Nonprofit Intermediary Organizations in a Welfare Society,” Basic Research C, 1998–2000, Principal researcher: Yuichiro Nakagawa (Co-researcher: Yanagisawa)

… Research subject: “Comparative Japan-US-Europe Research on the Role of the Nonprofit and Cooperative Sectors in a Post-Welfare Society,” Basic Research A, 2002–2005, Principal researcher: Yuichiro Nakagawa (Co-researcher: Yanagisawa)

† Research subject: “Survey Research on the Citizen Solidarity Model of Welfare State Formation,” Basic Research C, 2009–2011, Principal researcher: Toshikatsu Yanagisawa

‡ Research subject: “Survey Research on the Citizen Solidarity Model of Welfare State Formation,” Basic Research C, 2012–2014, Principal researcher: Toshikatsu Yanagisawa

The results of these projects were published in NPO Saikochiku he no Michi [The path toward rebuilding NPOs] by Koki Harada, Atsushi Fujii, and Mariko Matsui (Keiso Shobo, 2010), and Hieiri-Kyodo Shisutemu no Tenkai [The development of the nonprofit and cooperative system] by Yuichiro Nakagawa, Tetsuro Uchiyama, and Toshikatsu Yanagisawa (Nihon Keizai Hyoronsha, 2008).

　

---