Shifting paradigms
Shifting paradigms
The third sector and the nature of active citizenship are both changing rapidly. Indeed the sector may appear ever more confused as it appears to move simultaneously in opposite directions. With the increasing dominance of neo-liberal, market driven ideology, particularly in OECD countries, many third sector organisations, are turning to market-driven models of organisational structure and function and operate more like entrepreneurial businesses. One problem with this approach is the inherent conflict of interest between profit generation and social good. The chapter explores some of the negative aspects of this approach but also some of the positive developments, for example with the growth of cooperatives and hybrid approaches. New emergent (online) activist organisations are also part of the third sector though they sometimes defy categorisation. These are driven by passion and not money but by making astute use of the social media are able to operate with minimal financial resources.
Keywords: third Sector, neo-liberal ideology, entrepreneurship, business models, cooperatives, hybrid models, online activism
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