Search

The SI-DRIVE report “Theoretical approaches to Social Innovation – A Critical Literature Review” delivers a comprehensive overview on the state of the art of theoretically relevant building blocks for advancing a theoretical understanding of social innovation. It collects different theoretical approaches which are conducive to a deeper understanding of social innovation. The chapters, focusing on (1) Theories of Social Change, (2) Social Innovation Studies and (3) Innovation and Management Studies, help to clarify the scientific concept of social innovation as a new combination or figuration of social practices. The report will guide the upcoming empirical research: the mapping of social innovation cases in the seven policy fields of SI-DRIVE as well as the deepening case study analysis. 1 Introduction 1 Theories of Social Change 2 Social Theory 9 2.1 Introduction 9 2.2 State of the art 10 2.2.1 Social innovation and social change 10 2.3 Social practise theory (SPT) 12 2.3.1 The relevance of Gabriel Tarde’ social theory 14 2.3.2 Approaches with recourse to the analytical programme of Gabriel Tarde 17 2.4 Institutions as ‘rule systems’ guiding social practise 21 2.4.1 Degrees of institutionalisation 23 2.4.2 Institutional design and institutional dynamics 25 2.5 Conclusion 25 3 Development Theory 33 3.1 Introduction and overview 33 3.1.1 Definitions of development 33 3.1.2 Development research and social innovation 33 3.1.3 The development challenge 34 3.1.4 Purpose and structure of this chapter 35 3.2 State of the art 35 3.2.1 Development theory and its relevance for social innovation 35 3.2.2 Innovation theories in development contexts 41 3.2.3 Concepts and approaches to social innovation in development contexts 44 3.3 Conclusion 47 Social Innovation Studies 4 Social Innovation Process and Social Entrepreneurship 58 4.1 Introduction 58 4.2 The social innovation life-cycle 58 4.3 Social enterprise and social entrepreneurship 61 4.3.1 Social enterprise and social entrepreneurship: unpacking schools of thought 61 4.3.2 The distinctive features of social enterprise 64 4.3.3 Social entrepreneurship and scaling 65 4.3.4 Social entrepreneurship and the relationship to transformative social change 68 4.3.5 Critical turn in social entrepreneurship scholarship 69 4.4 Conclusion 70 5 Social Innovation in the Social Economy and Civil Society 76 5.1 Introduction 76 5.2 Historical perspective 76 5.3 Social innovation in the social economy 77 5.3.1 Understanding the social economy concept 77 5.3.2 Social economy and its relation to social innovation 78 5.3.3 Contributions of social innovations in the social economy 79 5.3.4 Potentials for social innovations in the social economy 79 5.4 Social innovation in the civil society 80 5.4.1 Civil society 80 5.4.2 Empowerment 82 5.4.3 Social movements 83 5.4.4 Spatial development 84 5.5 Social innovation in the social economy and the civil society and its relationship to social change 85 5.6 Conclusion 86 6 Design Thinking 94 6.1 Introduction: Design thinking & social innovation 94 6.2 Innovation as practice in design thinking 95 6.3 Objectives of innovation & models of innovation dynamics 96 6.4 Drivers, barriers, capabilities and constraints of social Innovation 97 6.5 Conclusions 98 Innovation and Management Studies 7 Innovation Studies 102 7.1 Introduction 102 7.2 Building blocks and achievements on innovation studies in the light of the key dimensions of SI-DRIVE 103 7.2.1 Innovation systems 105 7.2.2 Innovation networks 107 7.2.3 Actors and functions of actors 107 7.2.4 Knowledge and innovation 108 7.2.5 Geographical context of innovation 109 7.2.6 Dynamics of innovation 110 7.3 Conclusion and relation to social change 111 8 Social Innovation related to Innovation in Management Studies 118 8.1 Introduction 118 8.2 From closed to open innovation 119 8.3 New organisations and ways of innovating: theories on management 121 8.4 Risk management 124 8.5 Policy and business innovation 132 8.6 Conclusion and discussion 1359 Conclusions 145 9.1 General remarks 145 9.2 Key lessons learned and research questions 145 9.2.1 Concepts and understanding of innovation 145 9.2.2 Objectives and social demands, societal challenges and systemic change addressed 146 9.3 Process dynamics 147 9.3.1 Processes of institutionalisation 147 9.3.2 Social change 147 9.4 Governance, actors, drivers and barriers 148 9.4.1 Governance 148 9.4.2 Actors 148 9.4.3 Drivers and barriers of social innovation 149 9.5 Resources, capabilities and constraints 150 9.6 Summary and outlook 151 9.6.1 Summary 151 9.6.2 Outlook 153

The project SI-DRIVE “Social Innovation: Driving Force of Social Change” includes a specific practice field within the policy domain of Employment, namely Workplace Innovation. Workplace Innovation can be positioned at the level of organisations and companies, where it has a significant effect on the participation of employees, the quality of their jobs, and the sustainable employability of the labour force.

The potential success and development of social innovations is dependent on their access to resources, and their dealing with constraints and capabilities. For social innovators, the use and access to these resources is somewhat different than for technological and business innovators. A clear understanding of these differences can guide social innovators in developing strategies to better deal with resources and developing capabilities that eventually result in social change. Achieving social change needs a specific, theoretically and empirically underpinned approach. Considering the success of social innovations, this chapter will look into this underpinning, thereby elaborating which resources, constraints and capabilities function as leverage factors, and in what way.

The Netherlands is catching up with social innovation. In the former century combating social problems was a task of public organisations and government, largely carried out top down. Today the responsibility to tackle social issues is partly shifting to public-private partnerships, social enterprises and communities.

ispartof: Atlas of Social Innovation – New Practices for a Better Future. pages:96-98 edition:1st ispartof: pages:96-98 edition:1st edition: 1st status: published