ABSTRACT
Tension arises regarding where the economic activity should take place with respect to proximity or distance from the religious and community life. There are also conflicts due to time management issues, regarding the allocation of time to be used for economic and religious purposes. The space on the top left represents trade-offs that tend to place the religious dimension or monastic values above economic performance. The monastic economy is currently experiencing a revival of interest both for its products, which meet a growing demand for singularities bespoke goods which incorporate qualities of tradition, naturalness and trust, and also for its very form as an alternative economy. The monastic economy thus responds to current trends in society and benefits from social recognition for its alternative and ecological dimensions. The reduction of the internal labour force in the communities requires either a change of activities or the employment of more lay people.
