Caterina Rosini
Silvia Barbero
Abstract
Modern societies must face increasing social needs which characterize the world nowadays. Traditional business models propose a hierarchical organization based on a capitalist pattern, which is restrictive for enterprises aiming to put the social dimension at the core of their organization. In opposition to the capitalist model, we are witnessing the development of social organizations. We suggest investigating how functions a special type of social organization, a social cooperative in a real-life context conducting a case study. In the socio-technical structure of a social cooperative there are multiple relationships between different actors. Specifically, the work organisation must interface with many different actors and different ways of carrying out the work. In this complexity, the aim is to reach a detailed understanding of the dynamics that characterize the social cooperative. For doing so, we apply an innovative context framework the Holistic Diagnosis (HD). HD is applying to the management organisation of the cooperative including both aspects of work organisation with related material resources and the social aspects inherent in the cooperative’s mission. The results emerging from HD highlight the main critical issues and potentialities within personnel organisation and resource management. HD allows us to have a holistic view of the reference context. In the specific case it allows us to clearly identify the management and organizational aspects that are less functional and not strategic.
