Aims
The principal aims of CICS are to work with government (national and local), industry, commerce and local communities to provide academic support to achieve the strengthening of the social economy and to raise the profile of the social enterprise sector, specifically co-operatives, within the academic community.
Objectives
To achieve these broad aims, CICS works both independently and collaboratively and in partnerships with academics and practitioners in relation to specific objectives:
To provide multidisciplinary research and consultancy in relation to all aspects of the social economy as it relates to Wales
To develop and engage with relevant national and international social and economic theory [both orthodox and heterodox] that support but also critically evaluate the ideas of social economy
To undertake research into the specific application of aspects of the social economy such as employee ownership, community enterprise, credit unions and related boundary areas such as ethical business.
To engage critically with the innovative organisational structures required by these developments, as well as exploring the implications for more traditional organisational forms.
To develop an archive, resource base and models of good practice that can be used for the purposes of training and consultancy.
To provide advice forums for academics and practitioners interested in these and related areas
To support, advise and review social and economic policy in these areas at the European, national, regional and local level.
To invite, respond to and undertake any specific requests for research and consultancy in these or related areas.
