Paper Title
SOCIAL ENTERPRISES AS AGENTS OF CHANGE FOR THE WEAVING SECTOR: THE CASE OF GREECE

Abstract
In the last decades, the weaving sector in Greece has been constantly decreasing in size, to the point where there is very limited activity in some of the country‟s Regions. At the same time, the sector‟s production chain seems to be fragmented and in bad shape, especially where raw materials are concerned, as some of its links are in danger of disappearing. In some Greek Regions, social enterprises have emerged, attempting to counter some of these problems. Drawing from data collected for a National Research project, a study commissioned by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture in order torevitalise Greek handicrafts, this paper aims to examine the willingness of artisans/craftsmen to participate in social enterprise ventures, the role that social enterprises can play and their potential to act as agents of change for the weaving sector in Greece. In this context, three separate and distinct cases of social enterprises are examined, each contributing in a different way, in an attempt to identify their value in the revitalisation of the weaving sector. Keywords - Greece, Weaving, Social Entrepreneurship, Handicrafts, Social Enterprises.