Social Innovation: Integrating Micro, Meso, and Macro Level Insights From Institutional Theory

Abstract

Social innovations are urgently needed as we confront complex social problems. As these social problems feature substantial interdependencies among multiple systems and actors, developing and implementing innovative solutions involve the re-negotiating of settled institutions or the building of new ones. In this introductory article, we introduce a stylized three-cycle model highlighting the institutional nature of social innovation efforts. The model conceptualizes social innovation processes as the product of agentic, relational, and situated dynamics in three interrelated cycles that operate at the micro, meso, and macro levels of analysis. The five papers included in this special issue address one or more of these cycles. We draw on these papers and the model to stimulate and offer guidance to future conversations on social innovations from an institutional theory perspective.

Inovação Social E Sociedade Civil: Conteúdo, Processos E Empoderamento

“…Dentro do conceito de inovação social, insere-se respostas às necessidades ou problemas sociais, impactos sociais positivos e criação de valor social (Assogba, 2010;Caulier-Grice et al, 2012;Howaldt & Schwarz, 2016;van der Have & Rubalcaba, 2016;van Wijk, Zietsma, Dorado, de Bakker, & Martí, 2018). As necessidades sociais não são consideradas um dado, mas uma co-construção real da sociedade civil, em um processo de baixo para cima, caracterizado como democrático.…”

“…São tomadas novas formas locais de governança, flexíveis e sensíveis, envolvendo uma relação não mercantil para identificar e satisfazer às necessidades locais (Guyon et al, 2013;van Wijk et al, 2018). Desse modo, o desenvolvimento da inovação social acontece quando se é concebido de acordo com esta governança e suas relações marcadas pela diversidade, cultura e valores.…”

“…Outro fator relevante é a conscientização e a capacitação dos atores locais no processo de resolução de problemas, uma vez que são considerados como agentes de mudança autônomos e os principais responsáveis por diagnosticar as necessidades sociais pela resolução de problemas (van Wijk et al, 2018). O modo como os atores interagem e coordenam o desenvolvimento de uma inovação social gera um potencial nos indivíduos, por meio de um processo de aprendizagem para aquisição dos conhecimentos, mudança de representações, novos aprendizados e um sistema de cooperação.…”

Social innovation and its contemporary evolution

“…Yet as the shift in entrepreneurial thinking started to occur, coupled with a desire to scale impact, a similar move in the social innovation literature can be observed, towards processes and systems and away from the cult of individual personalities (Elkington and Hartigan, 2008). It has also shifted from market-oriented approaches to innovation and entrepreneurship (and consequently only market-based solutions to social problems) to a greater focus on cross-sector collaborations and broader institutional change (Seelos and Mair, 2017;Van Wijk et al, 2018).…”

Introduction: the aim and structure of the book

“…It's a term often associated with responses to large-scale social and wicked problems, and transformation or systems change; 'Social innovation is creating capacity to respond to grand challenges' (Benneworth and Cunha, 2015, p. 510;Voltan and De Fuentes, 2016). Others suggest social innovation describes 'the agentic, relational, situated, and multilevel process to develop, promote, and implement novel solutions to social problems in ways that are directed toward producing profound change in institutional contexts' (Van Wijk et al, 2018). Regardless of whether you think social innovation is going to get us to a 'better' version of capitalism or believe that it's more hype than substance, social innovation 'is focused on a set of issues that matter to a shared future'.…”