Solidarity economy, social incubators and regional development: a bibliometric study

Over time, many studies have emerged on the solidarity economy theme, highlighting its relevance as a mechanism for promoting sustainable development. In this scenario, Social Incubators are considered institutions that provide appropriate technical and methodological support, both to assist solidarity enterprises that seek to value local aspects, and having a capable instrumentality of supporting the formulation and supervision of public policies that measure development. As a result, the existing interrelation and productive potential between the solidarity economy and the Social Incubators can stimulate regional development through public policies. This study seeks to understand how scientific research on Social Incubators has been evolving as a tool to corroborate the promotion of public policies on regional development in the solidarity economy context. With the methodology based on bibliometric analysis' properly selected articles from the Web of Science and Scopus bases, a scientific framework was found which expresses elements linked to the theme with regards to sustainability, information systems to the coherent policy indicators creation to the local reality and cases of solidarity initiatives that corroborate regional and national development. It was concluded that there is a growing number of studies with the potential to contribute to this proposed intersection in favor of development, showing that the support and technology of extension programs that involve Social Incubators, associated with solidarity economy, can stimulate regional development and foster public initiatives towards national progress. The proposition of a bibliometric study to analyze the main elements present in the literature that encompass the connectivity of the chosen areas, bearing in mind the contribution of Social Incubators both to strengthen the solidarity economy and in the role of influencing regional development, presents itself as the research's point of originality.