Study on the Condition, Needs and Problems of Regional Social Economy Entities on the Example of Rural Housewives' Circles in Poland
Purpose: The purpose of the article is to indicate the condition of local organizations whose role is to achieve socio-economic goals in regional areas in Poland. This is because the conditions in which such organizations operate have a significant impact on their achievement of their goals, which include social integration, building social capital, and helping disadvantaged groups. Design/Methodology/Approach: The basic research tool used in the article is a quantitative, survey, Computer Assisted Web Interview covering the entire area of Poland by province. A representative sample of 300 entities was adopted. The survey had a nationwide character, so a proportional division of the research sample according to the number of Rural Housewives' Circles operating in each province of Poland was adopted. Findings: Circles of Rural Housewives counted as Social Economy organizations carry out many important activities in the aspect of activation and social exclusion in the Polish territories. Their growing role and dynamic development can be seen. This activity is accompanied by barriers and problems with which KGW members must cope. Undoubted challenges are issues of financing, promotion of these organizations. We should also mention insufficient cooperation with the local government environment, lack of premises or complicated reporting procedure. Practical Implications: The results of the research, its conclusions and recommendations can become valuable material, indicating the problems and ways to solve them, helping to develop the social economy in Poland, in relation to Circles of Rural Housewives and small local communities, where the social economy is developing most dynamically. Originality/Value: The article describes and verifies the assumptions of realization of social goals in the area of social economy, which especially in Poland has not been sufficiently described. There are also few primary and secondary materials describing the activities of organizations such as Rural Housewives' Circles in the literature.