Modelling experiments: from civil/nonprofit organisations to regionalism

Abstract

In the present study I try to create a model which connects civil/nonprofit organisations with regionalism using different elements. The first element consists of common features collected from the pertinent literature. The second is a verification of the model using empirical data about civil/nonprofit social or child protection organisations in the Western Transdanubian and Northern Great Plain regions. The model to describe civil/nonprofit organisations also links the elements of social capital, innovation and regional identity to regionalism. According to my model the five elements are interdependent and show a linear connection, with the civil/nonprofit organisations representing the starting point. The main focus is on these organisations and their relationships, because if the relationship based on social capital is strong and co-operations and bonding are strong, then this has an effect on the other three elements. If local relationships are an asset, territorial identity becomes stronger. Strong relationships transform into transfer channels, transporting more knowledge, information, support, emotions, experience and so forth. As a consequence, motivation for innovation is bigger, and there are more innovative possibilities, because knowledge and ideas accumulate. At the same time, those relationships and innovations generate new relationships in a steadily widening circle, which in turn generates the feeling of a stronger regional belonging.

Despite the fact that in the present study civil/nonprofit organisations provide the starting point and the goal is to arrive at regionalism, the empirical verification of the model demonstrate that its five elements have reciprocal effects on each other. They can even be mutually enhancing. It is conceivable or even likely, that this model can also be applied successfully in cases where the reciprocal effects are negative.

In conclusion, the elements of my model could be found to be linked in both regions, but the individual elements of the model have a different weight in each of the two regions. From the economic aspect, the Western Transdanubian Region is more successful than the Northern Great Plain Region. However, there are less social and child protection civil/nonprofit organisations in this region, therefore the social capital and territorial identity elements of the model are also weaker. Individualism and more frequent co-operation with commercially run organisations are more characteristic here. In the Northern Great Plain Region, deficiencies have to be compensated by sourcing social capital, which means using more energy, but gaining more relationships. These relationships result in more, though less complex, and slower innovations, and in stronger and more loyal communities. Therefore, the development of regionalism is more successful – if not from an economic point of view, but certainly socially –, and the elements of the model are also more dynamic.