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There has been a huge amount of research conducted into the growth and development of the social enterprise sector in the UK.  This has also included many consultations, focus groups, discussion documents, surveys, etc.

This section of the site aims to provide you with access to a wide range of information and published papers, where you can read about and follow the development of this vibrant and diverse sector.

(The se² partnership cannot accept any responsibility for the content published on any external websites)

South East Regional Economic Strategy:

• SEEDA Regional Economic Strategy - SEEDA undertook a comprehensive consultation with stakeholders in business, local government and the voluntary sector to produce the third Regional Economic Strategy (RES) for South East England, 2006-2016

Social enterprise strategy:

• Social enterprise action plan: scaling new heights, - The Government's strategy for social enterprise launched in November 2006.
• Social enterprise action plan: one year on [PDF, 199KB, 6 pages]
• Social enterprise action plan: two years on [PDF, 380KB, 4 pages]
  Leaflets looking at progress in meeting the aims of the action plan one and two years on from its publication 
• view comments on the social enterprise action plan - Have your say archive 
• Social enterprise, a strategy for success [PDF, 389KB, 81 pages]- The original Government's 2002 strategy that the action plan builds on.

Research:

• Delta Economics - "Hidden Social Enterprises" Research Report - 2010
• BERR Small Business Survey and Household Survey of Entrepreneurship  [external website]
• IFF Research (2005) A survey of social enterprises across the UK  [PDF 2.2MB, 166 pages]
• GHK Research (2006):  Social Enterprise, an international literature review [Word 1MB, 88 pages]
• GHK (2005) Review of the Social Enterprise Strategy - Full report [PDF 8.5MB, 118 pages]
• Mapping regional approaches to business support for social enterprises - final report [PDF 1.2MB, 83 pages]
• Mapping regional approaches to business support for social enterprises - summary report [PDF 308KB, 13 pages]
• Finance for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: Comparisons of Social Enterprises and Mainstream Businesses Report [PDF 951KB, 175 pages]
• Assessing the Economic and Social Impact of Social Enterprise (full report) [PDF 262KB, 70 pages]
• Assessing the Economic and Social Impact of Social Enterprise (summary) [PDF 23KB, 5 pages]
• The Prince's Trust (2006) Investing in communities - Supporting young people to be social entrepreneurs [PDF 1.5MB, 27 pages
• In Search of Cost Effective ICT Services for the Third Sector - Is Social Enterprise the Solution? - Report published in April 2008

Discussion papers:

• Is Social Enterprise at a Crossroads? COI Strategic Consultancy and Research Division presentation [PDF, 765KB, 81 pages]
• Social enterprise and social innovation: strategies for the next ten years by Charles Leadbeater [PDF, 200KB, 17 pages]
• What is the future of social enterprise in ethical markets? by Dr Alex Nicholls [PDF, 298KB, 26 pages]
• Why measuring and communicating social value can help social enterprise become more competitive by Jeremy Nicholls [PDF, 199KB, 17 pages]
• How can innovation in social enterprise be understood, encouraged and enabled? by Andrea Westall [PDF, 249KB, 24 pages]
• What is the role of social enterprise in finding, creating and maintaining employment for disadvantaged groups? by Dr Mike Aiken [PDF, 336KB, 31 pages]