In the TRANSIT resource hub you can search for materials that provide an overview of theories on social innovation in general that we have built upon.
As we developed our theory on Transformative Social Innovation, the hub provides materials that:
- are published in TRANSIT
- are related to the cases that we study
- are related to key themes in TRANSIT (governance, social learning, monitoring and resourcing)
You have searched within keywords for "social innovation" we have found 224 results.
This paper demonstrates that the capabilities approach offers a number of conceptual and evaluative benefits for understanding social innovation and – in particular, its capacity to tackle marginalisation. Focusing on the substantive freedoms and achieved functionings of individuals introduces a multidimensional, plural appreciation of disadvantage, but also of the strategies to overcome... More
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This brief begins by addressing what we mean by a ‘theory’ and how we see its relevance to practice. This is followed by a summary of our current understanding of transformative social innovation, and finally seven insights are presented about the practice of transformative social innovation that stem from this understanding. More
This TRANSIT brief offers insights into the following questions: what is social learning, what does it consist of in the case of SI initiatives, and why is social learning important – even foundational – for SI initiatives as well as wider society? The brief also, brief provides insight into the role of networks in social learning for social innovation. Answers to these questions are... More
Our societies experience challenges of inclusion and cohesion and suffer (evidently) from multiple problems associated with exclusion across economic, social, political and many other dimensions. The challenge of building more inclusive societies is recognised at highest policy levels. The Europe 2020 Strategy (EC, 2010) has smart, inclusive and sustainable growth as its overarching aim, for... More
This deliverable is the synthesis report of work package 5 ‘Cases and Evidence – Meta analysis’. It presents the results of the meta-analysis of TSI propositions through the Critical Turning Points database. This database contains 65 local manifestations of transnational social innovation networks in 28 different countries, and almost 400 in-depth accounts of Critical Turning... More
Social innovation requires a transformation in innovation practices. These transformations should be democratic. At least that is the argument in this paper. Makerspaces are studied as potential sites for democratising innovation activity. Makerspaces are community-based workshops where people access the tools, skills and collaborators to design and make almost anything they wish. The tools... More
This working paper presents the TRANSIT open-access online database on Critical Turning Points (CTP) in Transformative Social Innovation. It specifies the contents of the database, comprising qualitative accounts of more than 450 ‘critical’ episodes in the evolution of social innovation initiatives in 27 different countries. Providing the theoretical-methodological context to these... More
This chapter explores the governance of Transformative Social Innnovations (TSIs) and focuses specifically on the challenges that emerge during institutionalization processes. The authors highlight the tensions that occur when TSIs are interacting with insitutions that they want to transform, often in a radical way. The perspectives of TSI actors and how they anticipate, avoid, refuse, welcome,... More
The paper looks at the development dynamics of social innovation processes (Haxeltine et al, 2016) addressing these from the perspective of their resourcing requirements. It distinguishes between financial and other kinds of resource needs and begins from the observation that, even if the financial needs of social innovation processes are low, social innovation still incurs some financial costs.... More
We use a ‘success-case’ evaluation methodology (Brinkerhoff, 2003; Murphy, 2016), identifying a set of known social innovation organisations that are ‘long term survivors’ and exploring their resourcing strategies to identify core as well as divergent characteristics. The findings, drawn from US examples, highlight that even among a small selection of ‘success... More
Sustainable resources in support of social innovations face a number of barriers including insufficient funding for preventative initiatives by government; the challenges in substantiating the effectiveness of innovations; the financial risks association with innovation; and the lack of up-front financial investments needed to support the innovation (Liebman, 2011). Social Impact Bonds (SIBs) are... More
Different forms of monitoring and evaluating social innovation initiatives (SII) are needed to respond to the concerns and questions of different stakeholders and to meet needs that arise at different stages in the development of SII. The established social innovation measurement paradigm, which is based on positivism and is grounded in economics-based methods, responds to some but not to all of... More
This deliverable focuses on the topic of monitoring for social innovation, and consists of 4 parts: (1) working paper on monitoring and evaluation for social innovators, (2) key insights about monitoring for practitioners and policy makers (inputs for the TRANSIT brief), (3) an outline of the facilitation tool (input for proto-typing tools), (4) the workshop report on resourcing and monitoring.... More
This deliverable focuses on the topic of resourcing for social innovation, and consists of 6 parts: (1) a working paper on social innovation resourcing strategies and transformation pathways, (2) a working paper on resourcing strategies of 4 success cases of social innovation in the US, 3) a discussion paper on social impact bonds as a resource for social innovations, 4) key insights about... More
This Training Tool on “Resourcing for SI Initiatives” has as main objective to conceptualize the design of resourcing strategies useful for practitioners. It is the last one of a set of innovative training proposals. During the last three and half years, we learnt about the implications of different types of pedagogical instruments, including the usability of the new knowledge... More
This is Deliverable 6.7. It presents an approach for evaluating (transformative) social innovation. It does this by focusing on the narratives of change of social innovation initiatives as well as the critical turning points that happened during the journey of (transformative) change in which the initiatives engaged. The text introduces and contextualizes the tool. It explains how this tool can... More
The rise of social innovation expresses a discontent with innovation as we know it, and its ability to deliver just and sustainable outcomes. Yet, social innovation is also notoriously vague as a concept, thereby putting into doubt whether the concept offers any real improvements or alternatives. This paper issues an invitation to think about social innovation as a collaborative concept. The... More
The purpose of this deliverable (D3.4) of the TRANSIT research project is to report on the development of a consolidated version of a middle-range theory of transformative social innovation (TSI). Deliverable D3.3 presented prototypes of elements of a middle-range theory of TSI (Haxeltine et al 2016a, and the TRANSIT working papers Haxeltine et al 2016b, 2016c). The central part of this... More
In this document we provide a succinct overview of networks and initiatives under study in the TRANSIT project, including links to where case-study reports and data-base information can be found, as well as links to the websites of the networks and initiatives themselves. More
This brief discusses resources for social innovation, needs and methods for monitoring social innovations and for evaluating social impacts, tensions around resourcing and monitoring, resourcing strategies of social innovation organizations, developmental evaluation, and roles for science in supporting SI. Based on looking at social innovation from the perspectives of resourcing, monitoring and... More
This paper investigates how spaces and places play a role in the emergence of (transformative) social innovation. It draws on theoretical insights from the field of urban studies and geography that have paid much emphasis on the role of space and place in among others, social innovation. This results in a conceptual framing that addresses the importance of (tangible and spatially demarcated)... More
This is an overview of the publications that have been produced throughout the TRANSIT research project from 2014- 2017. More
This paper makes a contribution to the identified need for conceptual clarity and new theory on social innovation. Specifically it addresses transformative social innovation (TSI), defined as the process of challenging, altering, or replacing the dominance of existing institutions in a specific social and material context. Social innovation initiatives and networks are understood as the key... More
This TRANSIT brief describes our main results – both in terms of scientific insights and in terms of the societal implications of the research. Scientifically, our research focused on addressing the following questions: How do we conceptualize and study transformative social innovation? How, to what extent and under which conditions does social innovation contribute to transformative... More
PowerPoint presented at the meeting: Paradoxes of Transformative Social Innovation : interrogating new knowings of governance and imaginaries of societal transformation, 6-7 December 2017, Brussels. More
PowerPoint presented at the meeting: Paradoxes of Transformative Social Innovation : interrogating new knowings of goverance and imaginaries of societal transformation, 6-7 December 2017, Brussels. More
PowerPoint presented at the meeting: Pradoxes of Transformative Social Innovation : interrogating new knowings of governance and imaginaries of societal transformation, 6-7 december 2017, Brussels. More
PowerPoint presented at the meeting: Paradoxes of Transformative Social Innovation : interrogating new knowings of governance and imaginaries of societal transformation, 6-7 December 2017, Brussels. More
PowerPoint presented at the meeting: Paradoxes of Transformative Social Innovation : interrogating new knowings of governance and imaginaries of societal transformation, 6-7 December 2017, Brussels. More
PowerPoint presented at the meeting: Paradoxes of Transformative Social Innovation : interrogating new knowings of governance and imaginaries of societal transformation, 6-7 December 2017, Brussels. More
PowerPoint presented at the meeting: Paradoxes of Transformative Social Innovation : interrogating new knowings of governance and imaginaries of societal transformation, 6-7 December 2017, Brussels. More
PowerPoint presented at the TRANSIT conference 'Learning for Change', in Rotterdam, 14th September 2017. More
As part of the broader research strategy in the TRANSIT project, it is the aim to compare RIPESS with other cases of transformative social innovation. The report primarily serves this internal purpose of building theory through case comparison. So other than providing a comprehensive case study and evaluating the achievements of the featured initiatives in their own terms of social and solidarity... More
PowerPoint presented at the meeting: Paradoxes of Transformative Social Innovation : interrogating new knowings of governance and imaginaries of societal transformation, 6-7 December 2017, Brussels. More
This book addresses the practice of social innovation, which is currently very much in the public eye. New ideas and approaches are needed to tackle the severe and wicked problems with which contemporary societies are struggling. Especially in times of economic crisis, social innovation is regarded as one of the crucial elements needed to move forward. Our knowledge of its dynamics has... More
This report has two parts. Part 1 of the report gives an overview and a comparative analysis of the findings from the 20 case study reports in TRANSIT about aspects of transformative social innovation (TSI). Each of the 20 reports, which the report is based on, includes an analysis of a transnational social innovation network and at least two local social innovation initiatives. Part 2 of the... More
The development of social innovation indicators is a pending task in the analysis of innovative processes. There are diverse perspectives that suggest the application of indicators at different measurement levels: the individualistic approach, the regional/national approach, and the organizational approach. The present working paper promotes the notion of Social Innovation Regime (SIR) with the... More
In this paper, the authors investigate significant social innovation policies (related to the concept of social investment) involving the role of Social Economy organizations, and they discuss some relevant national and regional social innovation experiences by relying upon the current national and international literature, reports and website information. During the 1990s and the first half of... More
The term social innovation has become popular as an umbrella concept describing an array of social programs and initiatives deserving attention. Unfortunately, this flurry of social innovation activity has, as of yet, not led to the development of a comprehensive theory of social innovation. This is a critical missing step if our aim is to enact public and private policies to develop, stimulate,... More
This case study of Slow Food at the University of Wisconsin—Madison (SFUW) examines the success of a volunteer social innovation that promotes sustainable food access. Using inductive thematic analysis of 19 in-depth, semi-structured interviews of past and current members, advisors, and collaborators, we find that the success of SFUW is consistent with Self-Determination Theory. We find... More
Report of the the Workshop on Makerspaces and Sustainable Development, which took place in the Machines Room, a makerspace in London, on October 26-27 2015 that was funded by the Centre on Innovation and Energy Demand (CIED) and co-organised with the STEPS Centre. It was held as part of a research project on Grassroots Innovation in Low Energy Digital Fabrication. The workshop was motivated... More
This paper aims to investigate characteristics and the role that social networks have in the rise of social innovation. In doing this, the authors also examine the way social innovators focus on social aims, as well as how the set of relationships they establish may turn, over time, be a locus for knowledge creation and diffusion, allowing the emergence of so-called Networks for Social Innovation... More
The purpose of this deliverable (D3.3) of the TRANSIT research project is to report on the development of a ‘second prototype’ of a middle-range theory of transformative social innovation. The version of the prototype presented here has been further developed during months 18-30 of the project, based on thefollowing four main areas of research activity: Consolidating the initial... More
While the adoption of Social Innovation (SI) in the governance and policy domain has fueled a rapidly expanding scholarly literature, this field has become characterized by conceptual ambiguity and a diversity of definitions and research settings. This present situation inhibits the integration of findings. This paper traces the content, scope and relatively short history of modern social... More
This deliverable focuses on the topic of social learning and transformative social innovation (TSI) and contains: (1) a Working Paper on Social Learning for Transformative Social Innovation; (2) a synthesis of the Third Integration Workshop; (3) a paper on Inner Transformations : Dimensions, Practices and Facilitation; and (4) Insights on Social Learning for Transformative Social Innovation... More
This working paper reports on steps towards the development of a new theory of social innovation in an EU-funded research project entitled “TRANsformative Social Innovation Theory” (TRANSIT; 2014-2017). The project aims to build a theory of transformative social innovation that is of practical relevance in formulating both policy and strategies for unlocking the potential of social... More
This working paper presents a set of propositions about the agency and dynamics of transformative social innovation (TSI) that have been developed as part of an EU-funded research project entitled “TRANsformative Social Innovation Theory” (TRANSIT; 2014-2017). These TSI propositions represent first steps towards the development of a new theory of TSI, taking the form of... More
![Deliverable no. 6.5 : training tool on social learning for Transformative Social Innovation [in Spanish]](/content/hub-thumb/243 Deliverable 6.5 part 3 cover.jpg)
The Training Tool on social learning "Building Learning for Transformative Social Innovation" has as main objective to generate skills of conceptualization and design of learning strategies oriented to the resolution of problems by the practitioners. The secondary objectives of the Training Tool are: 1. To inform about the importance of learning strategies for the development of... More
The purpose of this document is to make explicit the methodological and conceptual principles which shaped the Training Tool. It has as main objective to stimulate capacities to conceptualize and design of learning strategies oriented to the resolution of problems faced by practitioners. More
Neoliberalism is a powerful narrative that has shaped processes of urban economic development across the globe. This paper reports on four nascent ‘new economic’ narratives which represent fundamentally different imaginaries of the urban economy. Experiments informed by these narratives challenge the dominant neoliberal logic in four key dimensions: What is the purpose of economic... More
The persistence of current societal problems has given rise to a quest for transformative social innovations. As social innovation actors seek to become change makers, it has been suggested that they need to play into impactful macrodevelopments or “game-changers”. Here, we aim to deepen the understanding of the social innovation agency in these transformation games. We analyze... More
Continuing economic turbulence has fuelled debates about social and political reform as much as it has stimulated actions and initiatives aimed at a more fundamental transition of dominant economic systems. This paper takes a transition perspective to explore, from a Western European viewpoint, how the economic crisis is actually viewed through a variety of interpretations and responded to... More
We explore the impact of “game changers” on the dynamics of innovation over time in three problem domains, that of wilderness protection, women’s rights, and assimilation of indigenous children in Canada. Taking a specifically historical and cross-scale approach, we look at one social innovation in each problem domain. We explore the origins and history of the development of the... More
The Living Knowledge network is an umbrella organisation where the different science shops handle different parts of the administration and monthly activities, as the Living Knowledge network has no employees, physical offices or funds. The primary function of the network is to facilitate communication, serve as an archive, build awareness and respect around and between science shops, and serve... More
This document describes the data population and envisioned deployments of a database on Critical Turning Points in Transformative Social Innovation processes. More
Social innovations are becoming increasingly significant around the world, and not only in practical respects. Efforts towards a theoretical classification and grounding of the concept are also gaining momentum. This can be seen from a series of major academic conferences such as the Challenge Social Innovation conference in September 2011 in Vienna, the Social Frontiers conference in November... More
This deliverable provides a platform for policy makers, practitioners, academics and social innovators to exchange experiences on the governance tools that they have used to facilitate transformative social innovation processes. The deliverable asks our target group: What kinds of key governance tools have you worked with that empower different actors to take part in social innovation... More
This report provides a very short summary of a full case-study report that includes in-depth case studies of Ashoka. Both, the full case reports and this summary, were guided by four empirical research questions based upon a preliminary conceptual framework of the TRANSIT-project. The four questions concern: 1. the overall development of the local cases and the transnational network(ing); 2. how... More
This report provides a very short summary of a full case-study report that includes in-depth case studies of the Credit Unions network, including two of its local manifestations FEBEA and FIARE. Both, the full case reports and this summary, were guided by four empirical research questions based upon a preliminary conceptual framework of the TRANSIT-project. The four questions concern: 1. the... More
This report provides a very short summary of a full case-study report that includes in-depth case studies of the DESIS Network. Both, the full case reports and this summary, were guided by four empirical research questions based upon a preliminary conceptual framework of the TRANSIT-project. The four questions concern: 1. the overall development of the local cases and the transnational... More
This report provides a very short summary of a full case report that includes in-depth case studies of the FabLabs network and its local manifestations in Amersfoort, the Netherlands, and Argentina. Both, the full case reports and this summary, were guided by four empirical research questions based upon a preliminary conceptual framework of the TRANSIT-project. The four questions concern: 1. the... More
This report provides a very short summary of a full case report that includes in-depth case studies of the Tamera Ecovillage. Both, the full case reports and this summary, were guided by four empirical research questions based upon a preliminary conceptual framework of the TRANSIT-project. The four questions concern: 1. the overall development of the local cases and the transnational... More
This report provides a very short summary of a full case report that includes in-depth case studies of the Ecovillage of Schloss Tempelhof (TH). Both, the full case reports and this summary, were guided by four empirical research questions based upon a preliminary conceptual framework of the TRANSIT-project. The four questions concern: 1. the overall development of the local cases and the... More
This report provides a very short summary of a full case report that includes in-depth case studies of the Global Ecovillage Network (GEN). Both, the full case reports and this summary, were guided by four empirical research questions based upon a preliminary conceptual framework of the TRANSIT-project. The four questions concern: 1. the overall development of the local cases and the... More
This report provides a very short summary of a full case report that includes in-depth case studies of Hackerspaces. Both, the full case reports and this summary, were guided by four empirical research questions based upon a preliminary conceptual framework of the TRANSIT project. The four questions concern: 1. the overall development of the local cases and the transnational network(ing); 2. how... More
This document provides a very short summary of a full case study that includes in-depth case studies of (1) the global Impact Hub network, (2) the Impact Hub Amsterdam, (3) the Impact Hub Rotterdam, and (4) the Impact Hub São Paulo. Both the full case reports and this summary, were guided by four empirical research questions based on our preliminary conceptual heuristic. These questions... More
This report provides a very short summary of a full case-study report that includes indepth case-studies of the International Network for Sustainable Energy (INFORSE) and two of its local manifestations - Vedvarende Energi (VE) in Denmark and the Association pour la Promotion des Energies Renouvelables (APERe) in Belgium. Both, the full case reports and this summary, were guided by four empirical... More
This report provides a very short summary of a full case-study report that includes in-depth case studies of the Living Knowledge Network and two of its local manifestations - Science Shop DTU and InterMEDIU Romania. Both, the full case reports and this summary, were guided by four empirical research questions based upon a preliminary conceptual framework of the TRANSIT project. The four... More
This report provides a very short summary of a full case-study report that includes in-depth case studies of the Intercontinental network for the promotion of the Social and Solidarity-based Economy (RIPESS). Both, the full case reports and this summary, were guided by four empirical research questions based upon a preliminary conceptual framework of the TRANSIT project. The four questions... More
This report provides a very short summary of a full case study report that includes in-depth case studies of Timebanking. Both, the full case reports and this summary, were guided by four empirical research questions based upon a preliminary conceptual framework of the TRANSIT-project. The four questions concern: 1. the overall development of the local cases and the transnational network(ing); 2.... More
This report provides a very short summary of a full case-study report that includes in-depth case studies of Transition Movement. Both, the full case reports and this summary, were guided by four empirical research questions based upon a preliminary conceptual framework of the TRANSIT project. The four questions concern: 1. the overall development of the local cases and the transnational... More
This document includes the bookmarks of websites which we visit to keep up to date. This list is not comprehensive and it is continuually updated. Please let us know: mailto:communication.transit@ihs.nl if you think we have missed something. More
TRANSIT uses a methodology which combines deductive and inductive processes in order to put together the meta-theoretical discussion with ground-based insights. This deliverable 4.2 is a major output from the empirical research efforts. This report gives an overview and a comparative analysis of the findings from the 12 first case study reports in TRANSIT about aspects of transformative... More
The Guide begins with an overview of the history and thinking behind this new process. This is followed by a detailed set of step-by-step, practical recommendations for the design and delivery of a Social Innovation Lab. The final sections of this guide hold a collection of relevant resources that include overviews of complexity and social innovation concepts to help develop a common... More
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The purpose of this deliverable (D3.2) of the TRANSIT research project is to report on the development of a ‘first prototype’ of a middle-range theory of transformative social innovation. The ‘prototype’ is presented here in the form a framework for Transformative Social Innovation, which at this point (in the research process) consists of a theoretically-grounded... More
As part of the TRANSIT project, an embedded case study approach is used to ground and test the emerging middle-range theory on transformative social innovation (TSI). This approach combines both qualitative, in-depth case-study analysis, as well as quali-quantitative comparative metaanalysis. In WP4, the focus is on grounding the theory through in-depth case study work. The aim... More
This first deliverable of Work package 5 describes the main steps that needed to be taken to move from a roughly defined research design to guidelines for meta analysis. In outlining not only the set-up for meta-analysis but also the methodological choices that led towards it, the deliverable serves two purposes. Firstly, it provides all WP5-researchers - both... More
Social Innovation is very high on the political agenda, not only as new way of addressing social issues often overlooked either by the private sector or the public sector, but also as a chance to respond to the multiple social, economic and environmental crises that are faced by societies all over the world. In Europe, austerity, budget cuts, unemployment, ageing, migration, and climate change... More
![Social innovation in cities [URBACT II Capitalisation]](/content/hub-thumb/171 URBACT SI in cities 2015.jpg)
This publication looks at social innovation from the point of view of cities. Social innovation is intended here to mean innovative solutions, new forms of organisation and new interactions to tackle social issues. In particular, it focuses on innovative solutions in terms of the governance of cities : new forms of collaboration between the city administration, citizens and local stakeholders... More
![Case study : Amer(s)foort : designing a collaborative city administration [URBACT II Capitalisation]](/content/hub-thumb/170 cs-03a_si-amersfoort-f4 2015.jpg)
The case study on Amersfoort (The Netherlands) is one of the concrete results of the URBACT workstream ‘Social innovation in cities’, after collection of data, a study visit, and interviews with local stakeholders. It explores the practice the city put in place to engage with citizens and optimise. More
This paper introduces a methodological framework to develop dimensions for measuring social innovation capacities of spatial units. The framework is designed to ensure the compatibility of these dimensions with theoretical concepts as well as innovative practices. Therefore, theoretical top-down strategies have been combined with an empirical bottom-up strategy. From the top-down perspective, we... More
This short video provides a brief introduction to the EU-funded Transformative Social Innovation Theory (TRANSIT) project including interviews with some of the researchers. More
This study explains what kind of role social innovations play in Chile. Considered as one of the most developed countries in Latin America, at the same time, Chile is known for great social and economic inequalities as well as massive environmental problems. In recent years this also has led to increasing social conflicts. Against this background, the study shows how social innovations can... More
The term of “innovation” has become increasingly frequent as people begin to recognize both the need for fundamental change in human beings’ relationships with each other and their environment. This paper wants to bring up also the complexity theory matter in order for us to be able to build a connection between innovation and complex adaptive social systems. The critical... More
This paper was presented at the 6th International Sustainability Transitions (IST) Conference, Sustainability Transitions and Wider Transformative Change Historical Roots and Future Pathways, 25th – 28th August 2015, Brighton, University of Sussex Campus (Falmer), UKSPRU Working Paper Series (ISSN 2057-6668). There are numerous social innovation networks and initiatives worldwide with the... More
This paper has been presented at the Pressure Cooker Workshop “Theories of change in sustainability transitions” University of A Coruna, 10-11th of September 2015. It has also been accepted for presentation at the SCORAI/TRANSIT Workshop “Beyond Transitions” Vienna, Austria, November 17th, 2015. It is a slightly adapted version from the one that features in the upcoming... More
This TRANSIT brief addresses the governance and politics of transformative social innovation. Social innovation means new social relations, involving new ways of doing, organizing, knowing and framing. Social innovation is ‘transformative’, when it moves beyond a single local innovation towards significantly challenging the social context. In our research... More
Interest in social innovation continues to rise, from governments setting up social innovation 'labs' to large corporations developing social innovation strategies. Yet theory lags behind practice, and this hampers our ability to understand social innovation and make the most of its potential. This collection brings together work by leading social innovation researchers globally, exploring the... More
This research report on ecovillages starts with a chapter on the methodology that has been used to study Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) and the two local ecovillages. It is followed by three main chapters. Chapter 3 presents the ecovillage movement and the GEN network. Chapter 4 presents the German case study Schloss Tempelhof, and chapter 5 the Portuguese case study Tamera. Each of these... More
This paper develops a critical accounting framework to inform the development and operationalization of a range of social innovation metrics that will be used elsewhere in the Creating Economic Space for Social Innovation (CRESSI) project. The ultimate purpose of this work is to help shape appropriate and effective methodologies and indicators by which the empirical material in CRESSI can be... More
This report investigates the current state of the art of measuring innovation. In order to elaborate indicators that describe social innovation impact, this task investigates existing innovation indicators with regard to technological and social innovations. The goal is to provide an overview of current indicators on both technological and social innovations. Initially a critical overview of... More
Despite the presence of a range of policy instruments that have some bearing on the capacity and character of social innovation in the UK, there is no common conceptual or applied understanding of the term in political or policy discourse. Social innovation is used interchangeably to refer to a range of related, but discrete, domains of activity such as social entrepreneurship, social impact,... More
![Case study : Gdańsk : initial steps towards responsibility sharing [URBACT II Capitalisation]](/content/hub-thumb/258 cs-03b_si-gdansk-f3.jpg)
The case study on Gdańsk (Poland) is one of the concrete results of the workstream ‘Social innovation in cities’, after collection of data, a study visit, and interviews with local stakeholders. It explores the practice the city put in place to engage with citizens and optimise public services, actions implemented, achievements and challenges, success factors, and conditions for ... More
This document describes the concept of and operational requirements for a database on Critical Turning Points in Transformative Social Innovation processes. More
This In-depth Report from Science for Environment Policy presents an overview of research into social innovation, with special consideration for its environmental implications. In the report, case studies illustrating how social innovation has taken place in real-world settings are presented, from urban beekeeping in Copenhagen to pedal-powered distribution in Paris and community farming in... More
During a 2-day academic workshop at the Erasmus University of Rotterdam, 25 scholars from across the world gathered to discuss the role of ‘game-changers’ in transformative social innovation processes, from the perspective of various inter-disciplines and world regions. This workshop was part of the research project TRANsformative Social Innovation Theory (TRANSIT), which seeks... More
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Consists of the programme of the Synthesis workhop : the role of Game-changers in Transformative Social Innovation held in Rotterdam from 01-02 September, 2014. More
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Includes the abstracts of the ten papers presented at the Synthesis Workshop : the role of Game-changers in Transformative Social Innovation [Rotterdam, 01-02 September 2014]. More
This is the first paper of TRANSIT oriented to understand the processes of transformation related to social innovation. The paper discusses transformative social innovation, conceptualised as the process through which social innovation contributes to societal transformation. A conceptual heuristic is introduced that proposes five foundational concepts to help distinguish between different... More
This deliverable focuses on the topic of transformative social innovation (TSI) governance and contains (1) a workshop report (2) practical implications and proto-type TSI tools and (3) position paper on TSI governance. More
This deliverable focuses on the topic of game-changers and transformative social innovation, and consists of 4 part: (1) working paper, (2) discussion paper on policy insights (input for policy brief), (3) discussion paper of facilitation tool (input for proto-typing tools), (4) workshop report. More
These methodological guidelines are directed at the researchers who conduct in-depth case studies within the TRANSIT project. They describe how the TRANSIT researchers should conduct the in-depth case study work through different types of research activities to allow for rich exploration, description and analyses. More
This deliverable is the first version of the web-based resource hub, as described in the Description of Work and Deliverable 6.1. The web-based resource hub is meant for policymakers, practitioners, academics and a wider audience and aims to provide resources that contribute towards understanding if so and how social innovation (dis)empowers actors and transforms society. More
This report examines the policy measures the European Commission has taken to promote social innovation since 2009. A key approach taken by the Commission has been to support Member State governments to promote social innovation as a matter of public policy. In this report we look specifically at welfare reform (Chapter 3), cohesion policy and the structural funds (Chapter 4) and measures to... More
This position paper is aims to explore the governance challenges of transformative social innovation. More
Social innovation is a term used globally to describe and identify quite different activities. While it’s a term that everyone likes to use, what it refers to not clear . This paper explores different definitional approaches or intentions – legitimating, theoretical, action-reflection, broad and distinctive – and considers why a definition of social innovation is important and... More
This is Deliverable 6.3. It outlines our emergent thinking on the development of training tools and contains the first training tool (a module and an online canvas). It has the following sections: 1. Part I: Towards Developing a ‘Toolbox’ and ‘Training Programmes’ in TRANSIT; 2. Part II: General Introduction to 1st Training Tool ‘Five Shades of Change? Relations... More
Social innovation is once more an increasingly popular notion circulating as an apparent means to solve the Grand Challenges of the 21st Century. But this common-sense idea of social innovation is based on a quasi-concept, where processes of innovation are absent. To restore some academic rigour to this important concept, we argue more attention need be paid to these innovation processes in... More
As the first thematic deliverable of EU SI-DRIVE project, this report provides a multidisciplinary literature review of existing theoretical and conceptual strands on social innovation and its relationship to social change. Against the background of this review, multidisciplinary hypotheses, research foci and questions have been formulated. These in particular will be used to inform the upcoming... More
This report suggests a number of approaches which policy makers can take, drawing on examples taken from around the world. Firstly, governments are the principle creators of public value and can be a source of innovation themselves (see chapter 1). In recent years we have seen the emergence of innovation teams, which help government departments use innovative methods to form and deliver policy.... More
The TEPSIE consortium identified eight inter-related areas which subsequently became the work packages of the research programme. Overview of Work Packages WP1: Overview of the system of social Innovation; WP1 offers an overview of the field of social innovation, providing the theoretical underpinnings of the broader TEPSIE programme, a content and methodological framework as well as ensuring... More
This short guide is aimed at practitioners – those currently or considering engaging with social innovations. Even though the term social innovation is becoming more widespread, there remains significant confusion about what it is and what the term means. This guide aims to provide an overview of what social innovation is, who does it and why it’s important. The report presents a... More
Social innovations, which are emerging all over the world, are still small in scale, but they are being echoed by changes in thinking and are delivering more and more effective and relevant solutions. The notion has gained ground that social innovation is not only about responding to pressing social needs and addressing the societal challenges of climate change, ageing or poverty, but is also a... More
![State of the art on social innovation in cities [URBACT II Captilisation]](/content/hub-thumb/169 urbact_state_of_the_art_socinn 2014.jpg)
This is the first output of a bigger capitialisation initiative set by the URBACT programme for 2014-2015 aiming to present to cities local good practices covering: New urban economies; Jobs for young people in cities; Social innovation in cities and Sustainable regeneration in urban areas. This report is a brief review of literature, policies, projects and practices at EU level about citizen... More
This report in Dutch aims to explore the types of studies about Social Innovation and in particlar the methods used by academics within Tilburg University. Sub questions included: How do they define social innovation? What research methods do they employ? How was the research financed? and In what ways was the research linked to education (or vice versa)? [Translation of introduction]. More
The publication analyzes trends internationally for developing innovative projects that have a social mission in Latin America and maps the main actors of the ecosystem. Two cases of social innovation in the region are highlighted, which have been supported by MIF: Socialab (Chile) and Compartamos with Colombia (Colombia). The document provides a guide to academic debate on the meaning, scope and... More
This paper was part of TRANSIT Deliverable D2.1 Game-changers & Transformative Social Innovation. Working paper, policy insights, lessons for facilitation tools and workshop report. Earlier versions have been presented at the TRANSIT Synthesis Workshop on “The role of Game-changers in Transformative Social Innovation” (1-2 September 2014, Rotterdam) as well as at the “5th... More
The paper is a position paper on governance, a transversal research theme in the TRANSIT project. It was written to stage a discussion during a workshop on institutionalization of social innovation, held October 27th in Brussels, Belgium. The paper highlights that social innovation, whether transformative or not, is a collective process involving diverse social actors. Social innovation proves... More
Social Innovation is becoming an increasingly important topic in our global society. Those organizations which are able to develop business solutions to the most urgent social and ecological challenges will be the leading companies of tomorrow. Social Innovation not only creates value for society but will be a key driver for business success. Although the concept of Social Innovation is discussed... More
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This is an updated inventory of social innovation research projects funded under Framework Programmes 5, 6 and 7 poduced by the FP7 Socio-economic Sciences and Humanities Programme. This version of the inventory also has projects that started in 2013. More
Este video es parte de una serie elaborada en el marco del Proyecto "Raúl Prebisch y los desafíos del desarrollo del Siglo XXI", realizado por la Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL) con el apoyo del Centro Internacional de Investigaciones para el Desarrollo de Canadá (IDRC, por sus siglas en inglés). La iniciativa trata de... More
The document focused on the following questions, to which central answers and recommendations are outlined: What are the main funding schemes for social innovations? What are the pros and cons of different forms of funding? What forms of non-monetary support are required by social innovators? What support structures are needed both by innovators and investors? How can characteristics and... More
Solutions to the grand societal challenges faced by the knowledge society of the early 21st century will necessarily involve systemic change. This in turn implies a need to understand the ways in which social innovation can be ultimately transformative (creating the conditions for systemic change). This paper addresses the question “how can social innovation be analysed in relation to... More
Addressing society's complex problems means fundamentally challenging systems and their economic, social and environmental dimensions. Current measurement tools and evaluation approaches are grounded in conventional accounting practices, and thus tend to a focus on the outcomes of products and services, mainly evaluating economic performance. This presents a particular challenge when it comes to... More
This paper sets out the current approaches to assessment of social innovation as a field in itself; and the effects of social innovations that are implemented through programmes, projects and enterprises. The authors examine metrics to support policy development; approaches that support investment decisions; metrics to support the growth of social innovations; and actions that can support... More
A pesar de tratarse de un concepto emergente en la literatura de las ciencias sociales, y de considerarse una fuente importante de la solución de los problemas sociales, la innovación social carece de una definición generalmente aceptada y de un modelo explicativo de su funcionamiento. En un contexto de crisis en que los desequilibrios sociales de un mundo globalizado y en... More
La investigación que aquí se presenta, promovida conjuntamente por la División de Desarrollo Social y el Instituto Latinoamericano y del Caribe de Planificación Económica y Social (ILPES) de la CEPAL tiene por objetivo responder ¿cuál es el impacto de las experiencias socialmente innovadoras sobre el desarrollo económico local de los... More
El Instituto de Innovación Social de ESADE (IIS), como grupo de investigación dedicado a la investigación y desarrollo de la amplia gama de temas relacionados con la innovación social, se halla en una posición ideal para aportar a la comunidad una plataforma donde compartir conocimiento. Nuestro objetivo es proporcionar una antena, receptiva a las señales... More
La publicación, fruto del análisis de los expertos del Future Trends Forum, tiene como argumento de partida identificar las estrategias a seguir para lograr un modelo de organización social y económico que contemple los valores éticos y el desarrollo sostenible. Este modelo fomenta un progreso equilibrado en todo el mundo, lo que se llama... More
El trabajo que a continuación se presenta pretende ser un punto de partida orientado a la delimitación del concepto de innovación social, realizando una primera aproximación a su aplicación en el ámbito de los servicios sociales, y a la formulación de hipótesis en relación a aquellos aspectos o factores que la posibilitan o la... More
Hay quien define la innovación social como nuevos procesos, prácticas, métodos o sistemas para llevar a cabo procesos tradicionales o tareas nuevas que se hacen con participación de la comunidad. Así los beneficiarios de cada acción son al mismo tiempo actores de su propio desarrollo, fortaleciendo así el sentimiento de ciudadanía”. De... More
This Handbook covers many aspects of the scientific and socio-political debates on social innovation today. The contributors provide an overview of theoretical perspectives, methodologies and instructive experiences from all continents, as well as implications for collective action and policy. They argue strongly for social innovation as a key to human development. The Handbook defines social... More
The introduction to the book provides information about the coordinates and intentions of the Challenge Social Innovation Conference that took place in September 2011 in Vienna. This conference was the principal background and framework of the book presented here. The introduction highlights the focal points of the authors invited to contribute to this book [author's abstract]. More
Over the past few years there has been a growing interest on the part of the scientific community (and, more recently, of policymakers) in the concept of social innovation. The notion of social innovation is particularly appealing in light of the difficulties facing traditional welfare systems and, more broadly, a development model that is finding it increasingly difficult to meet the growing and... More
This paper describes ten sets of theoretical sources that have either influenced social innovation or provide useful insights. It argues that although the field has been led by practice rather than theory it now needs stronger theoretical foundations in order to progess. The theoretical sources described include: theoretical perspectives on social plasticity and change; evolutionary theories;... More
Current European Commission policies are guided by the "Europe 2020" strategy paper under which the "Innovation Union" forms one of the mayor policy flagship initiatives for the years to come. These policies are led by the Commissioner of Research and Innovation. The Innovation Union document understands innovation in a much broader sense than it was traditionally the case with seeing innovation... More
This report is about the many ways in which people are creating new and more effective answers to the biggest challenges of our times. Key findings: Social innovation has moved centre stage over the last decade, as existing structures and policies have found it impossible to crack some of the most pressing issues of our times. Social innovation is distinct from other forms of... More
Spurred by the recent global economic crisis, Social Innovation (SI) has gained increasing attention in the European Commission (EC) agenda. However it remains a heterogeneous and ill-defined concept, whose boundaries are unclear. Presently within EC discussions, it encapsulates a variety of concepts from social enterprises to societal change. Adopting an ethnographic methodology, this analysis... More
Spurred by the recent global economic crisis, Social Innovation (SI) has gained increasing attention in the European Commission (EC) agenda. However, it remains a heterogeneous and ill-defined concept, whose boundaries are unclear. Currently, within EC discussions, it encapsulates a variety of concepts from social enterprises to societal change. Adopting an ethnographic methodology, this analysis... More
From a social problem-solution springboard, this paper develops a framework to capture the breadth and fluidity of social innovation within the contemporary landscape of innovation. The social innovation continuum advanced in the paper reconciles incremental, institutional and disruptive social innovations that vary in their scalability and impact. A novel notion of hybrid innovation extends the... More
Social innovation discourses see in social challenges opportunities to make societies more sustainable and cohesive through inclusive practices, coproduction and pro-active grassroots initiatives. In this paper we are concerned first that the concept has been stretched in so many directions that it is at breaking point. We illustrate this by documenting the varied uses of social innovation in... More
In light of the increasing importance of social innovation, this study looks at the theoretical concepts, areas of empirical research and observable trends in the field of social innovation. This trend study starts with an overview of the current situation and the perspectives of socio-scientific innovation research that have greatly contributed to the development and spread of an enlightened... More
The European Commission, in particular the DG for Regional and Urban Policy together with the DG for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, published this guide in the context of Europe 2020 Strategy. It offers a European definition of social innovation and then provides advice for public bodies on how they can support and enable it, highlighting that social innovation can be an essential... More
Key note speech Frances Westley gave at the social frontiers conference on the 14th November 2013, in which she talked about the history of social innovation. More
This policy review provides a systematic overview of research findings of 17 comparative European projects in the area of social innovation. The review focusses on how these projects address ‘social innovation’ in terms of theory, methodology, policy areas, actors and level of analysis with the aim of bringing the results to the attention of policy-makers, wider groups of stakeholders... More
This report has been written in response to a request from the President to produce an analysis of suggestions received from participants in a workshop on social innovation organised by the Bureau of European Policy Advisers in January 2009.This workshop considered some leading experiments in the social field, and made recommendations for EU action to stimulate and monitor the use of innovative... More
This paper set s out the current posit ion, policies, programmes and future option s f or promoting social innovation in Europe. Its primary focus is on innovations in services rather than products or technologies. It looks at innovations in all sectors that are achieving high impact and productivity, particularly in relation to goals of better health, education, employment or the environment,... More
Gopi Kallayil works at Google on the marketing of Google Plus and is based out of the Googleplex in Mountain View, CA. Earlier he worked on marketing the Company's flagship advertising product, AdWords, in the Americas and Asia Pacific. Gopi also led the marketing team for AdSense, Google's publisher‐facing product. More
The intention of this paper is not to close discussions but rather to put a stake in the ground, setting out an understanding of social innovation that will provide parameters for the TEPSIE research project. This paper begins with a literature review of the term social innovation and its use. Drawing on extensive research, the author’s then provide a working definition of social... More
This purpose of this report is to review the literature relevant to the question of how social innovations spread. Although there is little research explicitly focused on growing social innovations per se, literature that is relevant to the process of growing and spreading social innovations is potentially limitless, covering much of the political and social sciences. This study covers: ... More
The issue of social innovation measurement has become a significant priority for European states and for the Union as a whole. Measurement efforts on the macro level are complemented by an intensified discussion about social innovations on the organisational (micro) level and their impact. Combined micro and macro level views are reflected in the field of technological innovation measurement,... More
In this publication the authors’ present a range of measurement approaches which are relevant for measuring social innovation. They have focused on two areas : Established metrics that are directly connected to innovation measurement in private or public sector organizations or measurement systems that are dedicated to topics, which are related to innovation like the one of... More
The project entitled “Welfare innovation at the local level in favour of cohesion” (WILCO), was given a double task: finding models, features and trends in local social innovation in support of social cohesion that appear across Europe despite national/local differences; looking at local contexts and welfare systems: what are key factors for diffusion and upgrading... More
This document (in Dutch) of the Science and Technology Policy Advisory Council (AWT) describes how the policy and the debate on social innovation in the Netherlands has been focussing on social innovation in the sense of innovation of processes in organizations (working smarter). It has been largely focused, if it does go on, on what the AWT describes in this paper as 'Workplace Innovation'. AWT... More
A conference paper on public innovation - which can be described as social innovation - in the public sector for the EGPA 2013 conference 2013 at Edinburgh, 11-13 September, 2013. Aims to provide a literature review of the relevant drivers and barriers in the innovation process. More
This report aims to help social innovators think through the best scaling options for them. It looks at how others have developed their scaling strategies, reflects on the benefits and challenges of different options, and shows how social innovators have tackled these in reality. The point of departure for this report was In and Out of Sync, a NESTA publication from 2007. They have built on the... More
Defines and develops a new set of variables to determine the best conditions for effective social innovation; Useful for governments, academic centres, foundations and entrepreneurs interested in measuring the potential of social innovation; Builds on social entrepreneurship research at ESADE Business School; and Explores four inspiring cases [Publisher’s abstract] More
This article discusses localised forms of social innovation in social services in relation to social policy and welfare issues. It draws upon research findings from the EU project ‘Welfare Innovations at the local Level in favour of Cohesion’ (WILCO), which takes in social innovations in twenty European cities. First, we argue why there is currently a significant gap between the... More
This article analyses whether and how social innovations can be implemented in a Conservative/Bismarckian welfare regime and society such as Germany. It examines the transferability and the relevance of this discourse and practice, and argues that, due to existing institutional structures and cultures, innovation by public sector intrapreneurship is more significant in Germany than through social... More
This article assesses how social innovations in the field of local domiciliary long-term care are shaped and implemented. It proposes a mapping of innovations in terms of two structuring discourses that inform welfare state reforms: a libertarian and a neo-liberal discourse. It then provides an analysis of the concrete trajectories of three local innovations for elderly people in Hamburg... More
The UK Government has recently implemented large-scale public-sector funding cuts and substantial welfare reform. Groups within civil society are being encouraged to fill gaps in service provision, and ‘social innovation’ has been championed as a means of addressing social exclusion, such as that caused by worklessness, a major impediment to citizens being able to access money, power... More
Social innovation (SI) is an increasingly prominent but contested issue in discussions of social policy reform. Although not yet a familiar concept, nor widely understood (least of all by policy makers), it has entered mainstream policy discourses. However whether SI marks a significant departure in either theory or in practice, or merely in rhetoric, remains to be determined. This Review... More
In this report, the authors share some of the key learnings they drew from the workshops and stakeholders meetings, as well as our view on the trends that are shaping social innovation globally. The report offers three high level recommendations for strengthening the increasingly active social innovation field in Colombia. These fell under the following categories: Growing capacity and skills;... More
In this paper we provide an overview of the current practice.We look at the new and interesting approaches that are developing across the 27 EU member states and beyond and detail some of the new trends that we see emerging in the field. This is not designed to be a comprehensive and detailed review of social innovation activity around the world – such a task would be a vast research... More
This policy guide aims to add a perspective to the global conversation already under way about how we move beyond binary choices in crafting responses to social, economic, and environmental challenges. Fundamentally, it is about leveraging private enterprise and capital for public benefit. We refer to this as social innovation. So what role can and should government play to catalyse social... More
This report is based on an examination of 4,800 innovation experiences in Latin America and the Caribbean, gleaned by ECLAC and the W. K. Kellogg Foundation from five annual competition cycles. Twenty-five winners were chosen as being the most innovative and having the greatest impact on the region’s social development. This publication aims to place these innovations and, above all, their... More
The Experiences in Social Innovation project is developed by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) with support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation since 2004. It aims at identifying, analyzing and disseminating innovative social development initiatives that contribute to the advancement of the Millennium Development Goals.This approach is developed in the areas of... More
The world is filled with pressing social challenges that cry out for solution. On one side are issues related to natural resources, such as global climate change and adequate food supplies. On the other are problems with Service systems, exemplified by issues with the cost and quality of healthcare as well as difficulties with transportation and improvements in education. Studying the social innov... More
This is European Social Innovation was launched by Euclid Network in partnership with The European Commission, Social Innovation eXchange (SIX lead partner) and the Bilbao Social Innovation Park, to identify 10 large-scale successful examples of socially innovative initiatives, with the aim of raising the profile of social innovation across Europe and creating an impact beyond the established... More
Social innovation, or at least innovation to provide answers to social needs, seems to be at the heart of the fast developing literature around ‘Social Enterprise concepts’. So it makes sense to question more deeply the actual links which may exist between the corpus of social enterprise research and the social innovation dynamics as defined in this book’s introduction through... More
In the wake of the global crisis, the role of the financial markets is being questioned and new forms of social innovations focusing on stakeholder governance and cooperation are being experimented. This paper looks into one such social innovation: Coopérative d'Activité de d'emploi. Part 1 explains the problem and why conventional solutions do not work. Part 2 describes the... More
In the social innovation field it has been recognized the need for infrastructures to support the flourishing of social innovation: intermediaries that should facilitate the connections between diverse stakeholders and resources. Design research has contributed to the idea of intermediaries by developing the concept of enabling platforms. These are situated systems of human and non-human actors,... More
With a growing and especially fragmented body of literature on social innovations, the demand for categorizing the field increases. This study analyzes the current use of the concept social innovation. Following a systematic conceptual literature review methodology, the authors reviewed articles and books. The elements were then grouped in coherent categories. The authors found seven categories... More
This dissertation consists of three studies that collectively examine the genesis and dynamics of collaborative cross-sector partnerships between non-profit and for-profit organizations. The overarching question that frames the papers is how cross-sector partnerships organize across sectoral interfaces to advance social innovation. This thesis makes three contributions: 1) the standpoint of the... More
This study proposes a conceptual framework for understanding Social Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation Cluster. First, it presents a structural analysis of the emerging processes of social entrepreneurship in Japan, and then shows how social enterprises establish organizational strategies and promote social innovation. In analyzing the emergence of social entrepreneurship, we have reviewed... More
Citizen engagement is widely regarded as critical to the development and implementation of social innovation. What is citizen engagement? What does it mean in the context of social innovation? The authors discuss the importance as well as the implications of engaging the ground. [Adapted from authors’ text]. More
The Social Innovation Resource Guide is provided by Georgetown University Law Center. Social innovation—defined as “a novel solution to a social problem that is more effective, efficient, sustainable, or just than existing solutions and for which the value created accrues primarily to Society as a whole rather than private individuals”—is drawing widespread academic... More
This is a toolkit on how to invent, adopt or adapt ideas that can deliver better results. It’s quick to use, simple to apply, and designed to help busy people working in development. It draws on a study of many hundreds of tools currently being used - here the compilers have included only the ones which practitioners found most useful. More
This study investigated whether socially produced knowledge in social ventures in Brazil has promoted social innovation and local development. The research is exploratory and descriptive, and was developed in two stages. At first, the sample group was composed of 378 projects selected from the mapping of Solidarity Economic Enterprises, conducted by the National Secretary of Solidarity Economy... More
This paper examines the social construction of social innovation in the European Union (EU) context, with a particular focus on how unintended and undesirable consequences of social innovation are addressed within this context. A wide range of meanings have been attributed to social innovation. It is not rare to read that social innovation is a relatively new field of research and policy (for... More
The research seeks to contribute to developing our theoretical understanding of and furthering the practice of social innovation in urban neighbourhood re-vitalisation strategies. A network of 8 partner research institutions from 5 countries will critically evaluate existing practices of and literature on territorial innovation, integrated area development and social economy initiatives in 9... More
Participative processes and citizens’ empowerment are considered crucial aspects of social innovation (SI), involving collaborative activities between the private, public, and third sectors. This article discusses the principal trends in the literature on the concept of SI, its aims and differential characteristics related to the identification of people's needs, citizen participation... More
Empowerment and community participation have been recognized as means and outcomes of social innovations. In the last decade, these ideas have been reflected in the growing movement of formal and informal ‘Living Labs’ (LLs). They are emerging as a new model of organizing collaborative innovation processes with the participation of business, government and civil actors. LLs constitute... More
This study explores the progress of social innovation research in a public sector context by systematically analyzing its existing body of knowledge to identify areas of societal impact and reveal areas of limitations and potential further research. The findings revealed that most of the studies on social innovation in the public sector are conceptual in nature. The article presents propositions... More
Research on social innovation has gained momentum over the last decade, spurred notably by the growing interest in social issues related to management, entrepreneurship, and public management. Nevertheless, the boundaries of social innovation processes have not yet been completely defined, leaving considerable space for contributions to both theory and practice. To date, research on social... More
What is essentially innovation occurs at the level of social behavioural patterns, routines, practices and settings. An innovation is therefore social to the extent that, either conveyed by the market or the non-profit sector, it is socially accepted and widely diffused throughout the society or in certain societal sub-domains, transformed depending on circumstances and ultimately... More
This paper explores the strong link between innovation and uncertainty and it dwells on the difficulty of designing and implementing policies and strategies for innovation, and in particular on the issue of data uncertainty. More
Social innovation labs are ‘hallelujah-ed’ as the latest vehicles for transforming the way our cities, our schools, our welfare programmes, and even our economic systems run. Yet we, lab practitioners, encounter a lack of critical literature and struggle to find learning spaces to improve our practices and deepen our knowledge. This paper aims to move beyond the current lab hype and... More
The purpose of this article is that of analysing institutionalisation processes of professional activities linked to cognitive and cultural sectors in two different urban contexts: Milan and Barcelona. Similarities with and differences between respective outcomes will be underlined. The process is observed also in relation to the deep economic crisis that the two cities, and their national and... More
The publication is the result of the analysis carried out by the Future Trends Forum experts. Its starting point is to identify the strategies that will allow to achieve a social and economic organization model under ethical values and sustainable development. This model encourages balanced progress across the world, also known as "smart globalization”. If the "smart globalization" is the... More
La Comisión Europea, a través de la D.G. de Política Regional y Urbana y la D.G. de Empleo, Asuntos Sociales e Inclusión, ha publicado en el marco de la estrategia Europa 2020, la “Guía para la Innovación Social”. La guía, publicada en febrero, define en primer lugar el significado de la innovación social para luego dar claves a... More
Over the past few years, there has been a growing interest on the part of the scientific community (and, more recently, of policy makers) in the concept of social innovation. The notion of social innovation is particularly appealing in light of the difficulties facing traditional welfare systems and, more broadly, a development model essentially based on only two actors (the market and the state)... More
As a research group dedicated to the investigation and development of the wide range of issues related to social innovation, ESADE’s Institute for Social Innovation is ideally placed to provide a platform for knowledge sharing. Our aim is to provide an antenna, receptive to the newest and strongest signals coming from those at the forefront of social innovation. The antenna exposes the... More
Contains two forewards to the book. One by Agnès Hubert of the European Commission's Bureau of European Policy Advisors (BEPA) and the other by Antonella Noya of the OECD LEED Forum on Social Innovation. More
Most social entrepreneurs start their work on a local level; the goal is to tackle a certain social problem. When successful, they next work to “scale out” the initiative, disseminating it to other individuals, organizations or communities. However, over time the same social entrepreneurs discover that to reach their goal they need to change the system that created the problem in a... More
The paper reports the current results of analysis and interpretation – from the standpoint of social innovation – of a number of studies1 on the development of Distributed Microproduction (DM). A phenomenological reading of the new forms of small-scale production now developing in various disciplinary contexts – design, modern craft, ‘Make’ and DIY Culture –... More
Research on social innovation is generally conducted through case studies. This is explained by the unique character of innovations upon their emergence and by the fact that the concept of social innovation remains poorly codified. As a consequence, information on social innovation often remains isolated, restricting macro-sociological analysis of the social transformations that accompany these... More
Informal settlements are complex social ecosystems, characterized by their lack of basic services and by their particular social ties. Nowadays, several informal settlements are undergoing a phase of rapid change and new organizations and relationships are appearing. The paper discusses these transformations considering, in particular, if and how new services are emerging. This discussion is... More
With a view on the big challenges to societies, political and social systems in Europe, small entities have found increasing attention – social innovations (SIs). But what can they contribute? How to understand them properly? And how to establish a positive interaction between them and public policies for reform? In this field of concerns an EU-funded international research project, called... More
Colombia is currently facing important challenges that demand the incorporation of alternative and innovative mechanism into public policy strategies, in order to respond to them in a more efficient and sustainable way. Faced with this outlook, a need emerges to formulate and implement a national social innovation policy that incorporates new instruments and stakeholders into its development.... More
Intensified study of the subject of social innovation – which has been largely practice-driven – has revealed conceptual weaknesses which in turn demand a deeper (continued) social-theoretical foundation of social innovations as an independent innovation type within a micro-foundation of the social realm. To this end, this article attempts to use the social-theoretical approach of... More
Decades of neoliberal economics and politics have resulted in major shifts in the ways that policy and research communities now understand, shape and work to organise relations between civil society and the state and within civil society. Over the last 15 years, as neoliberalism clearly revealed its limits, these communities began to deploy a range of concepts. Social innovation is one. Other... More
The paper identifies key characteristics of social innovations in Central and Eastern European countries, and factors shaping them. The analysis is based on the database accumulated within the international prize SozialMarie, awarded annually to social innovations since 2005 by Austrian foundation Unruhe (Unrest) and on grant applications submitted in the first call explicitly targeting social... More
Inspired by concepts from the Participatory Design discourse such as the idea of design process as Things and the concept of agonistic democracy, the authors have engaged a community of over 7000 retired academics who are actively ageing on their university campus in China through a variety of methods since 2011. In this this a reflexive ethnographic study with these intelligent older people the... More
Social enterprises and mutual organisations that have spun out from the public sector are seen as an important new space for social innovation. Drawing on case study evidence from organisations in health and social care, innovations in four main areas are examined: (1) Organisational – new forms to facilitate democratic governance and decision making; (2) New treatments and therapeutic work... More
This paper introduces a new theory surrounding the process of social innovation using historical case studies. Using the particular example of the lifecycle of the intelligence test over the first half of the twentieth century in the United States, we discuss the hypothesis that the discovery/definition of new social phenomena (naturalistic, constructed, and technological expressions of what we... More
This paper provides an overview of a doctorate study that is exploring relationships between social innovation, local and regional development, and public policy and programmes. The study design reflects the ‘social plasticity’ orientation core to social innovation theory and practice. This is demonstrated, in part, through the exploration of a ‘language politics’ that... More
This paper presents and discusses an action format developed through design experiments aiming to make things happen. It brings to the already rich debate on social innovation a designer’s perspective mainly focused on action research and field actions. This action format of design for social innovation, the ‘Social Innovation Journey’, is structured on a non-linear sequence of... More
We explore the enabling role that experiential surfacing plays in helping to foster the capacity to initiate and sustain social innovation. Building from institutional theory in sociology, we argue that because systemic social patterns are embedded in everyday interactions, an experiential approach to organizing offers rich possibilities for understanding and ultimately transforming deep-seated... More
The paper tells the story of Sekem, an initiative that started in a small plot of desert land in Egypt that has transformed its surrounding natural and societal landscape. In addition to establishing a successful organic farming enterprises, Sekem has created a holistic development model that encompasses different aspects of life, from education to architecture, health and the arts. Focusing on... More
In recent years there is a growing interest in support for social innovations that aim at fixing social problems or satisfy social needs. Especially new financial instruments are debated that are about facilitating social innovators. Also in Germany there is a growing heterogeneity in financial instruments for social entrepreneurs available. But until today there is just a poor understanding of... More
Actors, the individuals or groups of individuals (organizations) who are able to influence outcomes and cause change, are in many ways the repositories of knowledge and skills for social innovation in a fast-changing environment where there is limited external, contemporary documentation. Because knowledge is spread across actors, interaction is required for the different knowledge types to mix.... More
Can ‘Collective Intelligence’ be used to produce social innovation? The advance of information and communication technologies in the 21st century seems to have unlocked the potential of collective intelligence, enabling us to mobilize large crowds to solve problems and produce novelty. However, despite early optimism, more recent scholarship suggests that collective intelligence has... More
It is widely recognized that public innovation is the intelligent alternative to blind across-the board-cuts in times of shrinking budgets, and that innovation may help to break policy deadlocks and adjust welfare services to new and changing demands. At the same time, there is growing evidence that multi-actor collaboration in networks, partnerships and inter-organizational teams can spur public... More
This paper develops the idea of “place difference” as a practical tool for supporting place-based social innovation. Originally developed by US sociologists, Harvey Molotch, William Freudenberg and Krista Paulsen, “place difference” provides a framework for thinking holistically about local context, change and innovation. The “place difference” model analyzes... More
The overall objective of TEPSIE project’s Work Package WP8 (using online networks to maximum effect) is to examine the extent to which, how and why, online networks and other digital tools are being used by, and having an impact on, social innovation. In this paper the overall term digital technology in social innovation is used, but this is often shortened to ICT in social innovation,... More
This deliverable constitutes Deliverable D 8.3 “Case study reports of online collaboration and networking tools for social innovation”, due on 30 September 2014. It reports on the empirical work of TEPSIE examining the use of online networks and other digital tools to support and/or enable social innovation. More
This report consists of two separate parts. Part 1 provides an overview of the links between the discourses on social innovation and the third sector within EU-level policies. Part 2 concerns the discourses on social innovation and the third sector in the domestic policy landscapes in each of the nine EU countries involved. [From authors' executive summary]. More
The philanthropic sector has been experimenting with innovative grantmaking in the hopes of triggering significant and sustainable change. This research report, collaboratively written with the Center for Evaluation Innovation, challenges grantmakers to explore the use of Developmental Evaluation when evaluating complex, dynamic, and emergent initiatives. More
This document intends to provide policy guidance on social innovation based on a series of social innovation case studies from each of the regions participating in the INNOVATE project and the proceedings of the project Conference on Social Innovation that took place in San Sebastian in February 2014. INNOVATE is a European project developed under the Atlantic Area Transnational Programme... More
The present paper identifies existing discourses on social innovation and analyses them in the context of the structures that both define and use them. As Moulaert and Hamdouch (2006) stress, the literature on social innovation deals mainly with agents (such as policy and strategy intermediaries, business services, public research institutions, universities), their motivations and roles.... More
This book is the result of a three-day Book Sprint, a collaborative writing session, and is intended as an introduction to Collective Awareness Platforms for Sustainability and Social Innovation (CAPS). The acronym is a working definition referring to an interdisciplinary research and action programme for social innovation. This programme aims at tackling societal challenges through innovative... More
Public and civic engagement activities are now widely seen as critical in building trust in public institutions, developing social capital and social cohesion in local communities, and lending great legitimacy to public decision making processes. In the context of social innovation, the idea that citizen engagement is critical to the development and implementation of new solutions is often... More
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