ABSTRACT
Switzerland’s specific position at the crossroads of the German, French and Italian cultures results in a complex and rather segmented field of social enterprise (SE). Language and cultural barriers often make it difficult for actors across the country to collaborate and institutionalise a nation-wide understanding of the concept. Originally, the SE concept in the Swiss context referred mainly to work-integration social enterprises and, by extension, to some social-work organisations with a business activity. The concept of social and solidarity economy has a long tradition in various countries, such as neighbouring France. The second movement, namely that of the “economy for the common good”, seems to be emerging from Austria and Germany; it is found mainly in the German-speaking part of Switzerland.
