Through research in the field of social care in six European Countries (France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain and the U.K.) the authors of this volume highlight the role of nonprofit and commercial organizations in the new "welfare mix systems" and main social and institutional effects of such new order. This volume in the Nonprofit and Civil Society Studies series is the first attempt to bridge the relevant gap existing between the literature on the welfare state and studies on the nonprofit sector.

The workings of multi-level governance -- institutional choices concerning centralisation, decentralisation and subsidiarity -- are widely debated within European public policy, but few systematic studies assessing the effects of changing divisions of power for policy-making have been carried out. This volume offers an assessment of the workings of multi-level governance in terms of social welfare policy across different clusters of European states -- Nordic, Southern European, Central and East European. This book reports on a major comparative study at the European Centre for Social Welfare policy and Research, which included partners from univerisities in Finland, France, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Poland, Spain and Switzerland. It reports on three particular policy areas: social assistance and local policies against poverty; activation and labour market policies; and care for the elderly. The authors describe different starting points, strategies and solutions in European countries which are facing similar challenges and could thus learn from each other. They explore the differences between European welfare regimes in terms of territorial responsibilities, the changes that have taken place over the past few years and their effects. The book is distinctive in highlighting comparative transversal and transnational issues of multi-level governance in social welfare policies, rather than presenting country reports.

"Social Welfare" offers, for the first time, a wide-ranging, internationally-focused selection of cutting-edge work from leading academics. Its interdisciplinary approach and comparative perspective promote examination of the most pressing social welfare issues of the day. The book aims to clarify some of the ambiguity around the term, discuss the pros and cons of privatization, present a range of social welfare paradoxes and innovations, and establish a clear set of economic frameworks with which to understand the conditions under which the change in social welfare can be obtained.

Although state provision may have dominated in Britain since 1945, there is a movement towards welfare pluralism - a mixed economy of welfare - involving private, voluntary & informal sectors. This book sheds light on this area of social policy. It shows how the mixed economy of welfare links with important conceptual & policy debates.

Get the latest research on new ways to measure innovation in the tourism value chain Until now, most available research on innovation in tourism product service and development has focused on concepts, rather than facts. Innovation in Hospitality and Tourism presents empirical studies that identify the major “push and pull” factors of innovation in hospitality and tourism, providing vital information on how to measure innovation in the control and sustainable management of new service development. This unique book examines the internal and external drivers of innovation in the market place, the difference between innovative firms and those that merely follow trends, and explanations and examples of innovations in special areas of the tourism value chain. With hospitality markets saturated and clients selecting services from all over the world, it’s not enough to have an innovative idea for a new tourism product—your idea has to have the potential to be successfully marketed. Innovation in Hospitality and Tourism looks at methods of measuring the market-based applications of new processes, products, and forms of organization, the economic impact of innovation, innovation as a bipolar process between market and resources, and forms of cooperation that can strengthen and reinforce innovation. The book’s contributors analyze the relationship between welfare services and tourism in Denmark, the innovation potential throughout the tourism value chain from the supply side focus, innovation as a competitive advantage in Alpine tourism and in the small- and medium-sized hotel industry, tourism innovation statistics across products, providers, markets, and geopolitical regions, and a case study of AltiraSPA, a wellness concept of the ArabellaSheraton group. Innovation in Hospitality and Tourism examines: product development measuring innovation consumer-based measurement of innovation innovation processes in hotel chains innovation performances in hotel chains and independent hotels mobile business solutions for tourist destinations Internet portals in tourism analyzing innovation potential leadership and innovation processes welfare services and tourism as a driving force for innovation SERVQUAL as a tool for developing innovations and much more Innovation in Hospitality and Tourism is an invaluable resource for academics, professionals, practitioners, and researchers working in the field of hospitality and tourism.

This edited collection provides the first in-depth analysis of social policies and the risks faced by young people. The book explores the effects of both the economic crisis and austerity policies on the lives of young Europeans, examining both the precarity of youth transitions, and the function of welfare state policies.

This book analyzes national anti-poverty measures at a local level via a set of unique and up-to-date empirical studies of minimum income support schemes and activation measures in five European cities. In examining this 'local welfare system' approach, it investigates the role that civil society organizations play, and the governance arrangements that prevail in contacts between public and civil society actors in local anti-poverty strategies. The current financial and economic crisis has caused increasing levels of poverty and unemployment, and put national minimum income protection schemes under severe strain. Combating Poverty in Local Welfare Systems therefore represents a timely and important intervention in the political and scientific debates as to whether more ‘local welfare’ is the solution to the challenges facing European welfare states.

Welfare is a current global issue challenging the lives of many. Investigations are constantly being made to find answers in search of the most proficient social model. This book presents the usefulness of an enhanced model for welfare regime analysis and shows the localisation of social professional orientations. This includes social quality, social professions, traditions, public services, globalisation, child protection, retirement plans and other social services.

From the welfare state’s origins in Europe, the idea of human welfare being organized through a civilized, institutionalized and uncorrupt state has caught the imagination of social activists and policy-makers around the world. This is particularly influential where rapid social development is taking place amidst growing social and gender inequality. This book reflects on the growing academic and political interest in global social policy and ‘globalizing welfare’, and pays particular attention to developments in Northern European and North-East Asian countries.