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Do cooperative enterprises create social trust?

Author

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  • Fabio Sabatini
  • Francesca Modena
  • Ermanno Tortia

Abstract

This article contributes to the literature by carrying out the first empirical investigation into the role of different types of enterprises in the creation of social trust. Drawing on a unique data set collected through the administration of a questionnaire to a representative sample of the population of the Italian Province of Trento in March 2011, we find that cooperatives are the only type of enterprise where the work environment fosters the social trust of workers. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media New York 2014

Suggested Citation

  • Fabio Sabatini & Francesca Modena & Ermanno Tortia, 2014. "Do cooperative enterprises create social trust?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 42(3), pages 621-641, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:sbusec:v:42:y:2014:i:3:p:621-641
    DOI: 10.1007/s11187-013-9494-8
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Cooperative enterprises; Nonprofit organizations; Trust; Social capital; Motivations; Inclusive governance; Work organization; L31; L33; P13; Z1; Z13; L26;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • P13 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Cooperative Enterprises
    • Z1 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification
    • L31 - Industrial Organization - - Nonprofit Organizations and Public Enterprise - - - Nonprofit Institutions; NGOs; Social Entrepreneurship
    • L33 - Industrial Organization - - Nonprofit Organizations and Public Enterprise - - - Comparison of Public and Private Enterprise and Nonprofit Institutions; Privatization; Contracting Out

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