Limited Advancement with Minimal Tech Utilization
In the realm of Italy's non-profit sector, digitalization is on the rise, particularly among social cooperatives and associations. According to Istat data presented in 2022, an astounding 79.5% of Non-Profit Institutions (NPIs) were using at least one digital technology in 2021.
Despite this growth, the sector still operates with a relatively low level of digitalization, relying primarily on the internet and few advanced technologies. The Istat data showed that 9.8% of digitalized NPIs invested in cloud computing services, while only 2.2% adopted advanced technologies.
Interestingly, the new wave of NPIs is particularly prevalent in Southern Italy. However, it's worth noting that sports and recreational associations remain undigitalized within the sector.
The non-profit sector experienced a growth of over 20% in the number of NPIs and employees between 2011 and 2021. This growth was accompanied by a slight decrease (-2.0%) in volunteering during the same period.
Intriguingly, NPIs born after 2011, which account for about 35% of active NPIs in 2021, are more common among social cooperatives and associations. This suggests a shift towards digitalization among the newer entities.
However, the current level of digitalization in social cooperatives and associations within the non-profit sector, specifically regarding internet use and advanced technologies, is not explicitly detailed in the available search results.
There is evidence of ongoing initiatives blending social inclusion with technology and community projects in Italy. For instance, the social cooperative Agendo in Vicenza is engaged in a project to renovate greenhouses into an inclusive botanical café and community space, which includes some level of digital fundraising and event organization.
Academic and technological initiatives also indicate potential growth areas. Research and event activities surrounding Cooperative Information Systems (CIS) suggest a growing academic and practical interest in enabling cooperation between organizations, smart devices, and systems via technologies like Cloud Computing, IoT, Blockchain, and Semantic Systems.
Digitalization efforts in related sectors, such as political parties and public institutions in Italy, are being studied from a digital communication perspective (websites, social media). This reflects broader digital engagement trends that may also influence the non-profit and social cooperative sectors.
Despite these indicators, no explicit data or recent studies listing the percentage of social cooperatives or associations actively using advanced internet technologies or participating in digital transformation within the Italian non-profit sector were found in the current search. The sector likely exhibits varied levels of digital adoption, with some cooperatives incorporating digital tools for community engagement and operations, while the integration of more advanced technologies remains at early or experimental stages.
In 2021, 23.9% of NPIs were not registered in the National Registry of the Third Sector (Runts). Furthermore, approximately 40% of the NPIs listed in 2011 were no longer active in 2021, either ceasing operations or becoming temporarily inactive.
In conclusion, social cooperatives and associations in Italy's non-profit sector are increasingly adopting internet use and some digital tools for community engagement and operational support. However, comprehensive uptake of advanced technologies remains limited or under-documented. Academic and technological initiatives indicate potential growth areas, but firm, current-level statistics or detailed evaluations specific to this sector are not available in the provided sources.
- The non-profit sector, specifically social cooperatives and associations, is seeing a rise in the adoption of digital technologies, yet the level of digitalization remains relatively low, with only a small percentage investing in cloud computing services and adopting advanced technologies.
- Despite ongoing academic and technological initiatives suggesting potential growth areas in digitalization, there is a lack of explicit data or recent studies detailing the percentage of social cooperatives or associations actively using advanced internet technologies or participating in digital transformation within the Italian non-profit sector.
