Abstract
The measurement of impacts has been considered one of the best methodologies to evaluate the level of achievement of social entities’ objectives as well as of their contribution to resolving social problems. Those methodologies can guide public policies and subsidies granting, as they help to identify the organizations producing a higher social value, and the effects of their projects. Our research focused on the effectiveness and the efficiency of social entities, measured through their capacity to generate impacts on their stakeholders. The research was realized through the analysis of a case study: the special education center for disabled youths, CEE-SA, in Spain. The social return on investment (SROI) methodology has allowed us to monetarize the social value created for stakeholders through the activity carried out by CEE-SA, and it provides information about the whole value creation process that is generated, for which the analysis and follow-up through the indicators offers a contribution to its management system. This case study can serve as a reference in assessing the management processes of similar entities and can also highlight SROI usefulness for public administrations as an assessment tool for subsidies granted on social criteria. The originality of this research relies on the new SROI methodology provided for the assessment of public financing decisions, especially in a field that remains as under-researched as special education schools.
Highlights
Public policies and services’ efficiency and effectiveness have been analyzed for years throughout the results of projects and budget fulfilment
The results obtained in analyzing the social impact of the CEE-SA correspond to the application of the different phases of the social return on investment (SROI) methodology [34]
This research contributes to understand how the SROI methodology can help to elucidate the social impact generated by nonprofit organizations (NPO) activities, responding to one of the management challenges of social entities for which economic performance is not the main objective [4,5]
Summary
Public policies and services’ efficiency and effectiveness have been analyzed for years throughout the results of projects and budget fulfilment. Citizens have become more and more concerned by the usage of public funds in a context of expenses containment and a higher tax pressure In this context, the public sector needs social value measurement and assessment tools [1] in order to increase citizens’ trust and gain legitimacy. In order to justify public subsidies to social entities, work is frequently done to relate the cost of the interventions with their results [2] These investigations do not fully reflect the social value generated by these organizations, since the analysis is dominated by an eminently economic approach, despite the fact that many nonprofits prioritize social objectives of an intangible nature over monetary objectives [3,4,5]. All the stakeholders involved are not always included in the analysis, so the effects studied are limited to the direct beneficiaries [2]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
