Quantitative approaches figure prominently in social accounting and auditing. This is because of the preference among many investors for simple and ostensibly robust and comparative metrics. Social Return on Investment (SROI), which produces a monetised value for social impact generated per unit of currency invested, has emerged as one of the dominant tools to generate such metrics. This article discusses the merits of this increasing orientation towards quantitative metrics in social accounting using SROI as an exemplar and drawing on an extensive review of social impact evaluations in microfinance. The microfinance sector represents an interesting and relevant case for social accounting because it has been strongly orientated towards quantitative and experimental methods to evaluate its non-financial performance. The article concludes that, despite using sophisticated methods, the microfinance sector struggles to credibly determine its impact on customers. Self-and MFI selection biases cast doubts on the merits of using national benchmark indicators or control groups. Consequently, it is argued that SROI is better viewed as a means of claiming symbolic legitimacy (as per Luke, Barraket, and Eversole 2013) than as a robust method for evidencing social impact or a tool for managers and investors.

The computer says no": the demise of the traditional bank manager and the depersonalisation of British banking, 1960-2010 This article examines the role of the British bank branch manager in the context of the transformation of banking since the 1980s and discusses its implications for British banking. The analysis was based on interviews with retired bank managers and suggests that they viewed their role as being was based on skill, authority and autonomy. The centralisation of authority and increasing targets deskilled and disempowered their profession. Drawing on Weber's theory of bureaucratisation, this article argues that the loss of agency of managers depersonalised service provision as they no longer could base their decisions on personal considerations.

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Purpose: This study aims to explore the extent to which social innovation is prioritised among a sample of organisations promoting financial inclusion through the provision of affordable credit, advice and financial education. Additionally, we seek to understand the nature of the adopted innovation process and how this is perceived as influencing social change (if at all). Methodology: This exploratory study uses a combination of qualitative, semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with 35 managers in 29 different organisations and three focus groups with 16 practitioners and stakeholders.Findings: Innovation processes are in the main, largely incremental as opposed to radical with organisations focusing on process-led innovations. More notably, most organisations found that they often lacked the required social capital capacity, economic and technological resources and the necessary skills to develop, implement and capitalise on innovations, thus limiting the more radical forms of innovations.Implications: To enhance the capacity of smaller organisations promoting financial inclusion, there is significant potential to engage in more open, co-creational projects/partnerships to deliver greater social impact to vulnerable populations.Contribution: We contribute to the under-researched literature on social innovation by highlighting the extent to which social innovation is given precedence within the sector promoting financial inclusion. Given the contextual and organisational diversity of the sector, highlighting these behavioural practices and circumstances, enable researchers to theoretically advance social innovation theory further and provide more practice-based guidance for organisations to successfully shape social change.

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