<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>The article presents results from a research on the relevance and challenges of collaboration for the long-term sustainability of rural community enterprises. The study relies on Communities of Practice and Degrowth theories. Methods include semi-standardised interviews and focused ethnography in two community enterprises in rural areas in Germany and Portugal. Main results confirm the relevance of collaborative relations with residents, public sector, peer organisations and within the teams for both stability and transformative power of the organisations’ work. Respectful handling of privileges and balance in participation and professionalisation support sustainability, whereas institutional stagnation and involuntary degrowth may risk it.</p></abstract>

The article presents results from a research on the relevance and challenges of collaboration for the long-term sustainability of rural community enterprises. The study relies on Communities of Practice and Degrowth theories. Methods include semi-standardised interviews and focused ethnography in two community enterprises in rural areas in Germany and Portugal. Main results confirm the relevance of collaborative relations with residents, public sector, peer organisations and within the teams for both stability and transformative power of the organisations’ work. Respectful handling of privileges and balance in participation and professionalisation support sustainability, whereas institutional stagnation and involuntary degrowth may risk it.

Collaborative Patterns of Long-Term Sustainability in Community Social Enterprises: An International Comparative Case Study

Quaestiones Geographicae

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Public License.

The article presents results from a research on the relevance and challenges of collaboration for the long-term sustainability of rural community enterprises....

Participants		Youthwork			Daycare
Participants		Abbr.	Date	Amount/Respond	Abbr.	Date	Amount/Respond
Interviews	Chair/Manager	B1I1	27/3/19	1	A1I2	8/5/19	1
	Vice-chair				A1I1	27/3/19	1
	Project worker	B1I2	23/7/19	1
	Service workers				A1I4	28/5/19	3
	Coordinating service worker				A1I5	7/6/19	1
	Peer-organisation	B1I3	31/7/19	1	A1I8	21/6/20	1
	Freelance worker	B1I4	1/8/19	1
	Local volunteer	B1I5	1/8/19	1
	Service user and board				A1I3	13/5/19	1
	Service user				A1I7	11/11/19	1
	Funder	B1I6	29/8/19	1
	Public administration	B1I7	21/9/19	1	A1I6	6/6/19	2
	Local development organisation	B118	28/11/19	1	A1I9	29/3/19	1
	Local politician				A1I10	25/5/19	1
	Network organisation of the municipalities				A1I11	16/4/19	2
	Social innovation hub				A1I12	17/4/20	1
Observations	Days, daily work	B1D1-15		15	A1D1-15		15
	Incl. public events			3			3
	Incl. meetings			2			2
	Incl. context						2
Documents	Statute	B1Do1			A1Do1
	‘Milestones’ – publication for 25th anniversary	B1Do2
	4-year plan 2014–2017				A1Do2
	Minutes of strategy meetings	B1Do3, 4			A1Do3
	Minutes of general assembly	B1Do4
	Project report	B1Do5			A1Do4
	Letter for customers	B1Do6			A1Do5
	External coverage in media and national competitions	B1Do8-12		4	A1Do6-11		5

Collaborative Patterns of Long-Term Sustainability in Community Social Enterprises: An International Comparative Case Study

Data publikacji: 18 gru 2020

Zakres stron: 53 - 63

Otrzymano: 15 lip 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/quageo-2020-0033

Słowa kluczowe
community enterprise, long-term sustainability, community of practice, case study, degrowth

© 2020 Sunna Kovanen, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Public License.

The amount of data.

Collaborative Patterns of Long-Term Sustainability in Community Social Enterprises: An International Comparative Case Study

Data publikacji: 18 gru 2020

Zakres stron: 53 - 63

Otrzymano: 15 lip 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/quageo-2020-0033

Słowa kluczowecommunity enterprise, long-term sustainability, community of practice, case study, degrowth

© 2020 Sunna Kovanen, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Public License.

The amount of data.

Słowa kluczowe
community enterprise, long-term sustainability, community of practice, case study, degrowth