BEST PRACTICES OF STATE SUPPORT MECHANISMS FOR INNOVATIVE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE ІTALIAN REPUBLIC

Abstract

In recent years, social entrepreneurship has become an important tool for public administration in the simultaneous implementation of social policy and innovative modernisation of services at the community and regional levels. The aim of this article is to summarise best practices in state support for the innovative development of social entrepreneurship in the Italian Republic and to identify management elements that can be adapted in Ukraine, particularly in the context of the transition from fragmented grant decisions to a systematic policy of social innovation. The research methodology is based on a combination of systemic and institutional approaches, comparative analysis of state support mechanisms, regulatory analysis of third sector and social entrepreneurship regulation, as well as content analysis of EU framework policies and OECD analytical approaches to socially oriented procurement, social innovation ecosystems and performance monitoring. Methods of generalisation, typology and logical-structural modelling of links between regulation, data, financial instruments and accountability were applied. The results of the study are that, for the first time, a comprehensive interpretative model of Italian state support has been substantiated as an interconnected circuit, within which reducing information asymmetry and increasing trust are key prerequisites for scaling up innovative social services. Conclusions. It was proved that the effectiveness of the Italian approach is ensured by the consistency of legal norms, digital transparency infrastructure, investment-oriented financial mechanisms and non-financial accountability standards, which shifts state support from the logic of one-off transfers to the logic of institutionalisation and reproducible scaling. The practical implication is that it is advisable to link access to support to requirements for transparency, quality of management, and evaluation of social impact.