In many countries, particularly in continental Europe, societies have been plagued by high unemployment for several decades. Simultaneously, due to recent shifts from industrial to service-oriented post-industrial societies, labor as a significant culture code is increasingly loosing importance. Because of this, the third or voluntary sector as a place of employment and as a service agency to society has become important for Europe as indicated by the 1997 Communication of the European Commission and various declarations by the European Parliament and the EU's Economic and Social Council.

Strategy Mix for Nonprofit Organizations: Vehicles for Social and Labor Market Integration explores the role of the third sector in Europe, where unemployment is high and in North America, where unemployment is rising and exploring the "gaps" that the third sector is fulfilling: both as a social service and as an employer.

The volume is organized into two distinctive parts. Part 1: The Nonprofit-Sector and Social Integration highlights the embeddedness of the sector in selected countries; it discusses how the sector is currently affected by changes of public policy particularly in the traditional social-democratic welfare state regimes, and it draws our attention to the sector's potentials to provide avenues for social integration, self-actualization and civic empowerment.

Part 2: Labor Concepts and Market Integration refers to the multifunctionality of third sector organizations discussing potentials of workplace as well as community involvement via nonprofit organizations.

This seminal volume will be of interest to those in the nonprofit sector, organizational management and economics, political scientists and other researchers working with nonprofit organizations and civil society studies on an international level.

Autorentext
Prof. Dr. Annette Zimmer ist am Institut für Politikwissenschaft der Westfälischen Wihelms-Universität Münster tätig.

Inhalt
Changing Focus or Changing Role? The Swedish Nonprofit Sector in the New Millennium.- The Mainstreaming of the Third Sector into UK Public Policy in the late 1990s: Whys and Wherefores.- The Role of the Third Sector in the Netherlands.- The Transformation of Social Services in the United States.- The Voluntary Sector, Community Sector and Social Economy in Canada: Why one is not the Other.- The Third Sector in France and the Labour Market Policy.- Workforce Development in the United States: Key Legislative Initiatives and the Roles of the Private and Nonprofit Sectors.- The Third Sector and Labour Market Policy in Germany.- A Third Way to Employment and Integration? Social Enterprises in Europe between Workfare and Welfare.- The Quality of Nonprofit Employment: Patterns and Dynamics of Work Organisation in the German Third Sector.- State, Economy and Nonprofits: Does the Third Sector Change Gender Structures?.- Combination of Gainful Employment and Voluntary Work of Employees: Problems and Possibilities.- The Third Sector in Europe: Five Theses.- Authors.