A conceptual framework for using social innovation as an approach to local economic development

Pontso Chomane,Maréve I Biljohn

doi:10.4102/apsdpr.v9i1.565

Abstract

Background: Approaches such as social innovation were visible during many of the responses that public-sector organisations, civil society, communities, and the private sector collaboratively implemented to address the issues of unemployment and the impact of economic challenges during the global COVID-19 pandemic. The use of social innovation as an approach to local economic development by South African municipalities, however, reveals a research gap in terms of a conceptual framework for enabling such use.Aim: This article explores a conceptual framework for using social innovation as an approach to local economic development by South African municipalities.Setting: Conventional top-down local economic development approaches by South African municipalities have become inadequate for dealing with contemporary local economic development challenges. Such inadequacy calls for municipalities to rethink and adapt their approach to dealing with economic challenges and to developing and implementing their local economic development strategies.Methods: Through an interpretivist paradigm, the adopted methodology is underpinned by a qualitative research approach. Content analysis was performed of relevant research documents concerning social innovation and local economic development. From this content analysis, a conceptual framework was developed through an inductive approach.Results: The findings illustrate that the praxis for using this conceptual framework is vested in the interconnected nature of its attributes, antecedents, and consequences, which will contribute to the achievement of certain local economic development outcomes.Conclusion: This article suggests that a conceptual framework could contribute to stimulating future research concerning the phenomenon and can serve as an impetus and direction for research inquiry.

Highlights

The local economic development (LED) programmes of local governments have in recent years evolved to include strategies for promoting the survival and growth of existing businesses, encouraging the development of new businesses, organising training for small, medium and micro enterprises (SMEs), and taking action to ensure that disadvantaged community members have access to decent livelihoods (United Cities and Local Government [UCLG] 2014:4)
The research question posed is as follows: What could a conceptual framework for using social innovation (SI) as an approach to LED by South African municipalities look like? Through a qualitative research approach, a content analysis was done of relevant research documents concerning SI and LED to address this gap
This article explored how SI could be used as an approach to LED by South African municipalities

Summary

Background

The use of social innovation as an approach to local economic development by South African municipalities, reveals a research gap in terms of a conceptual framework for enabling such use. Aim: This article explores a conceptual framework for using social innovation as an approach to local economic development by South African municipalities. Setting: Conventional top-down local economic development approaches by South African municipalities have become inadequate for dealing with contemporary local economic development challenges. Such inadequacy calls for municipalities to rethink and adapt their approach to dealing with economic challenges and to developing and implementing their local economic development strategies

Methods

Conclusion

Introduction