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Purpose: This article reviews the literature on social innovation, also focusing on Latin American production, identifying how the contents dialogue with the reality of initiatives in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Design/methodology/approach: Qualitative research mapped 53 social innovation initiatives with some digital use and analyzed 20 of these initiatives. Using a descriptive exploratory methodology, the study was conducted in Ave stages: (1) review of the literature, (2) mapping of the initiatives, (3) the selection of 20 initiatives, (4) interviews and analysis, (5) a discussion workshop on the results. Findings: The results indicate that the researched initiatives differ a little in relation to the literature. More specifically, this analysis helped perceive that in the city, (1) social innovations occur almost exclusively through the movement of civil society actors, (2) there is little to none, or only indirect articulation with governments and public policies, and (3) digital use and management remain reactive rather than strategic and are almost exclusively centered on social networks, both as a communication and management tool. Research limitations/implications: This study cannot be generalized for the city since the sample was identified by voluntary adherence of the initiatives to an internet call. Originality/value: This study contributes to knowledge on social innovations in the city of Rio de Janeiro, providing elements for debate by public and private decision makers, in addition to academic interest and shows the need for knowledge production for management rooted in the local context and reality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social innovation is gaining attention for its potential for system transformations. It is often initiated by grassroots collectives, which can become successful through support from other actors and through certain game-changing events or developments. We highlight how transformative social innovation is a highly dispersed, coproduced process of changing social relations. This coproduction is unfolded through a case of interacting interventions in the socio-spatial structure of the city of Rio de Janeiro. Frequently referred to as a "broken city," the city suffers from various social challenges related to the socio-spatial cleavages between the welldeveloped and the marginalized areas, the favelas. Following a nested-case approach, we describe two policy measures and three social innovation initiatives intended to reconnect the broken city. We analyze their effects as well as their various interactions. The findings give reasons for considering the policy measures as "game-changers" that allow new courses of play. Still, the key observation about these intertwined socio-spatial interventions is that the broken city is undergoing more dispersed game-changing. Further observing how the reconnections constitute different kinds of changing mobility, we conclude with reflections on mobility-related game-changing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]