55170 - Sociology of Non-Profit Organizations

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the students will be able to:

- apply the main concepts of the theory of organizations to empirical cases;

- carry out critical analyzes of different types of organizations: public, private forprofit, private nonprofit;

- analyze organizational networks at the local level;

- study the partnerships between public administration and nonprofit organizations in the field of social and health services;

- apply the case study technique to third sector organizations.

Course contents

1. The origin of the discipline;

2. Main approaches and school of thought;

3. Methodological tools to study the organizations;

4. Case studies;

5. Nonprofit organizations: some definitions;

6. Nonprofit organizations: theories and approaches;

7. Nonprofit organization: typologies and characteristics.

Readings/Bibliography

Bibliography for home study and any further recommended reading materials for the course.

1) Colozzi I., Bassi A., (2003), Da terzo settore a imprese sociali, Carocci Editore, Roma. (Cap. 1, 2, 3, 5).

2) Bassi A. (2013), Una nuova metrica per l’impresa sociale: il sistema di rilevazione del Valore Aggiunto Sociale, «IMPRESA SOCIALE», 2013, 1, (pp. 30 - 47).

3) Bassi A. (2016), La politica sociale: scenari e prospettive. Verso la riconfigurazione societaria di un Welfare plurale, solidale e sussidiario, in Corbisiero F. e Ruspini E. (a cura di) (2016), Sociologia del futuro. Studiare la società nel 21mo secolo, CEDAM, Padova, (pp. 51-75).

Readings

A] Social Economy, Social Enterprise, Nonprofit Sector

1 - Defourny Jacques, Hulgard Lars, Pestoff Victor (2014) (Edited by), Social Enterprise and the Third Sector. Changing European landscapes in a comparative perspective, Routledge, London and New York.

2- Venturi P. e Zandonai F. (2016), Imprese ibride. Modelli di innovazione sociale per rigenerare valori, Egea, Milano.

2b – Venturi Paolo e Zandonai Flaviano (2014) (a cura di), Ibridi Organizzativi, Il Mulino, Bologna.

3 - Donati Pierpaolo e Martignani Luca (2015) (Edited by), Towards a New Local Welfare: Best Practices and Networks of Social Inclusion, Bononia University Press, Bologna.

4 – Young Dennis (2013), If not for Profit for What?, Lexington Books, Lexington, Massachusetts. http://scholarworks.gsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=facbooks2013

B] Social Innovation

1 - Franz Hans-Werner, Howaldt Jürgen, Hochgerner Josef (eds) (2013), Challenge Social Innovation, Berlin, Springer.

2 - Howaldt Jurgen and Schwarz Michael (2010), Social Innovation: Concepts, research fields and international trends, Sozialforschungsstelle, Vol. 5, Dortmund. http://www.sfs.tu-dortmund.de/cms/en/social_innovation/publications/IMO-MAG_Howaldt_final_mit_cover.pdf

3 - Klein Juan-Luis and Harrisson Denis (sous la direction de) (2010), L'innovation Sociale. Emergence et effets sur la transformation des sociétés, Presse de l'Université du Québec, Québec.

4 - Mulgan Geoff et al. (2006), Social Silicon Valleys, The Young Foundation, London. http://youngfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Social-Silicon-Valleys-March-2006.pdf

5 - Moulaert, F., MacCallum, D., Mehmood, A. and Hamdouch, A. (eds) (2013), The International Handbook on Social Innovation: Collective Action, Social Learning and Transdisciplinary Research, Cheltenham, Edward Elgar.

6 - Nicholls Alex and Murdock Alex (Edit by) (2012), Social innovation. Blurring Boundaries to Reconfigure Markets, Palgrave MacMillian, New York.

C] Globalization and Post-Modern Society

1 - Donati Pierpaolo (2014), Transcending Modernity: The Quest for a Relational Society, Cesis - Department of Sociology and Business Law, University of Bologna: Bologna. http://www.relationalstudies.net/uploads/2/3/1/5/2315313/p._donati_transcending_modernity_ebook.pdf

2 – Mulgan Geoff (2013), The Locust and the Bee, Predators and Creators in Capitalism's Future, Princeton University Press, Oxford, UK. http://press.princeton.edu/chapters/s9953.pdf (primo capitolo)

3 – Brafmaud Ori and Beckstrom Rod A. (2006), The Starfish and the Spider: the unstoppable power of leaderless organizations, Penguin Books, London. http://media.portland.indymedia.org/media/2008/10/380532.pdf

 

 

 

Teaching methods

The lectures will present a general overview of the historical development of the discipline  and an illustration of the main approach of the sociology of organizations. The lectures will be supplemented with practical examples through short videos.

Assessment methods

The final examination consist of a colloquium that aim to ascertain students' understanding of the arguments presented during lectures. 

The student must prepare the texts 1, 2, 3 indicated in the above mentioned "Bibliography" and an argument chosen among the topics indicated in the "Readings" Section.

Teaching tools

Video projector, PC, overhead projector.

Office hours

See the website of Andrea Bassi