Can the economy be regenerative, inclusive, and oriented toward social justice and human well-being? This question underpins two visionary frameworks—The Economy of Francesco and Transformative Service Research (TSR)—that, despite originating in distinct domains, converge around a shared transformative ethos. Both offer alternative models that challenge the prevailing economic paradigm and propose new pathways grounded in dignity, sustainability, and co-creation. These models, while distinct, can be meaningfully compared and potentially integrated, offering fertile ground for the development of a unified approach to systemic change in economic and service ecosystems.
The Economy of Francesco
The Economy of Francesco is an international movement inspired by the moral and spiritual leadership of Pope Francis, officially launched in 2019 with the explicit aim of engaging young people from around the world in a collective effort to rethink and redesign the global economy. The initiative is grounded in the life and values of Saint Francis of Assisi, who represents a radical commitment to poverty, peace, solidarity with the marginalized, and care for creation. In contrast to economic systems that prioritize financial growth and individual profit, The Economy of Francesco envisions a model in which economic activity is reoriented towards human flourishing, ecological regeneration, and social justice.
More than a conference or a platform for discussion, The Economy of Francesco (EdF) operates as a dynamic and evolving ecosystem of thought and practice. It brings together thousands of young economists, social innovators, activists, researchers, and entrepreneurs in thematic “villages” that explore key areas such as work and care, finance and humanity, energy and poverty, and business in transition. These communities engage in collaborative research, propose policy alternatives, and experiment with new forms of enterprise and social organization. In doing so, the initiative seeks not only to critique the shortcomings of the prevailing neoliberal model but also to embody alternatives that are economically viable, ethically grounded, and ecologically sustainable. It is a call to action, urging new generations to imagine and implement an economy that is truly inclusive, participatory, and oriented toward the common good.
Transformative Service Research (TSR)
Transformative Service Research (TSR) is a growing stream of inquiry within the broader field of service research, developed with the primary objective of understanding and enhancing the well-being of individuals, communities, and society through service systems. It is rooted in a multidisciplinary foundation that draws from marketing, psychology, sociology, public health, and economics, and is characterized by a strong normative orientation toward social impact and equity. TSR investigates how service design, delivery, and ecosystems influence outcomes such as quality of life, empowerment, social inclusion, and resilience, especially for vulnerable or marginalized populations.
What distinguishes TSR from traditional service research is its explicit focus on transformation—on the capacity of services not merely to satisfy needs or create value, but to generate meaningful, positive change in people’s lives. This transformation may occur at multiple levels: intrapersonal (e.g., emotional and cognitive well-being), interpersonal (e.g., relationships and social connectedness), and systemic (e.g., policy reform, structural inclusion). By adopting a human-centered, ethical lens, TSR calls for a reorientation of service provision and service innovation toward models that prioritize dignity, agency, and sustainability. It is particularly well-aligned with contemporary global challenges, such as inequality, climate change, and health disparities, making it a vital framework for both academic research and applied practice in service innovation.
Focus on Human and Societal Well-being
At the heart of both The Economy of Francesco and Transformative Service Research lies a fundamental commitment to enhancing human flourishing and societal well-being. While TSR frames this goal within service ecosystems and studies how services can foster life satisfaction, dignity, and social inclusion, The Economy of Francesco extends this ambition to the entire economic architecture. It envisions an economy that places the human person—particularly the poor, the excluded, and the future generations—at the center of economic reasoning and decision-making. This convergence around well-being signals a paradigmatic shift from economic efficiency to economic meaning, where the success of systems is measured not by profit margins or GDP growth, but by their ability to support human development, promote solidarity, and preserve ecological balance.
A Shared Concern for Vulnerability and Social Justice
Vulnerability is a central analytical and ethical concern in both approaches. TSR critically examines how service systems often exacerbate existing inequalities or exclude disadvantaged populations, and it seeks to design interventions that actively reduce these disparities. The Economy of Francesco, similarly, begins with a prophetic denunciation of structural injustices—such as exploitative labor practices, environmental degradation, and the commodification of essential human needs—that disproportionately affect the most vulnerable. By challenging systems that produce and normalize marginalization, both TSR and EdF function as frameworks for rethinking value creation as a moral and inclusive endeavor. Their shared objective is not only to serve the vulnerable but to co-create systems in which vulnerability is not a consequence of systemic failure.
Participation, Co-creation, and Agency
Both The Economy of Francesco and TSR emphasize the importance of participation and agency as transformative levers. TSR promotes co-creation as a process through which individuals are not passive recipients of services but active contributors to the design and delivery of value. This logic resonates with the participatory ethos of The Economy of Francesco, which engages youth not simply as consultants or future beneficiaries but as current protagonists of change. Through collaborative workshops, thematic villages, and international assemblies, young people engage in co-designing visions, policies, and practices that reimagine the economy from the ground up. This distributed agency challenges hierarchical models of innovation and governance and reinforces the idea that meaningful transformation emerges through collective action and localized experimentation.
Systems Thinking and the Value of Multidisciplinarity
A systems perspective is essential to both theoretical frameworks. TSR draws upon insights from diverse disciplines to understand how service systems function as complex, interrelated structures that influence and are influenced by broader social, economic, and institutional dynamics. The Economy of Francesco similarly embraces a holistic and integrative outlook, connecting economics with theology, environmental science, political philosophy, and ethics. This transdisciplinary approach enables a deeper understanding of the root causes of inequality, alienation, and ecological crisis, and supports the development of integrative solutions that reflect the multifaceted nature of contemporary global challenges. Rather than viewing the economy as a separate or neutral domain, both TSR and EdF insist on situating economic systems within their broader socio-cultural and ecological contexts.
Toward Sustainable and Regenerative Systems
Finally, sustainability represents a point of strong convergence between The Economy of Francesco and Transformative Service Research. TSR is increasingly attentive to the long-term impact of service systems on both social and ecological well-being, calling for the adoption of sustainable, inclusive, and adaptive practices. The Economy of Francesco proposes a vision of the economy as ecologically embedded and morally accountable. It calls for a form of development that respects planetary boundaries, honors intergenerational equity, and fosters what Pope Francis termed “ecological conversion.” In both cases, sustainability is not treated as an add-on or constraint but as a foundational principle for reconfiguring the purposes and structures of economic and service systems.
Toward a Shared Transformative Framework
The intersection between The Economy of Francesco and Transformative Service Research offers fertile ground for the development of an integrated theoretical and practical framework focused on transformative economic and service systems. Both approaches reject technocratic or purely utilitarian visions of value and instead champion models of co-created, justice-oriented, and ecologically responsible systems. This convergence suggests the potential for a shared research agenda that explores how service innovation and economic restructuring can be mutually reinforcing in the pursuit of inclusive well-being.
A possible integrative framework could be built around three interrelated pillars: normative orientation, systemic co-creation, and sustainability transformation. First, both approaches emphasize an explicit ethical stance—grounded in human dignity, solidarity, and care—that can guide research design and institutional decision-making. Second, they prioritize the role of co-creation and agency, advocating for participatory processes that empower marginalized actors and generate context-sensitive solutions. Third, they share a commitment to long-term, systemic change that is ecologically regenerative and socially equitable.
Such a framework invites researchers and practitioners to adopt transdisciplinary methodologies, collaborate across institutional and cultural boundaries, and engage directly with communities in processes of reflexive learning and social innovation. It also opens the door for rethinking educational curricula in economics, management, and service science, integrating ethical and ecological literacy as foundational competencies.
Ultimately, the integration of The Economy of Francesco and TSR does not merely enrich academic debate—it expands the horizon of what economies and service systems can become. It offers a vision of transformation that is not imposed from above but cultivated through distributed agency, moral imagination, and relational intelligence. In doing so, it contributes to the emergence of what may be termed a transformative service economy—an economy in which the creation of value is inseparable from the promotion of justice, sustainability, and human flourishing.
References
– Anderson, L., Ostrom, A. L., Corus, C., Fisk, R. P., Gallan, A. S., Giraldo, M., … & Williams, J. D. (2013). Transformative service research: an agenda for the future. Journal of Business Research, 66(8), 1203-1210.
– Boenigk, S., Kreimer, A. A., Becker, A., Alkire, L., Fisk, R. P., & Kabadayi, S. (2021). Transformative service initiatives: enabling access and overcoming barriers for people experiencing vulnerability. Journal of Service Research, 24(4), 542-562.
– Mele, C., Russo-Spena, T., Tregua, M., & Pels, J. (2023). A value-based well-being framework. Journal of Macromarketing, 43(1), 85-97.
– Rotondi, V., & Santori, P. (Eds.). (2023). Rethinking Economics Starting from the Commons: Towards an Economics of Francesco. Springer Nature.
Cristina Mele
Professor of Service Innovation, Department of Economics, Management and Institutions, University of Naples Federico II
Co-Chair of the Naples Forum on Service
