Abstract
This study aims to analyze how the actions of a non-profit association from Portugal have impacted on development and promotion of social innovations. The literature review discusses origins, concepts and processes of this type of innovation, including criteria for evaluation of its results. The analyses were based on triangulation of semi-structured interviews, direct observation and documentary research data. Results show that, despite not being the focus of the association, actions towards the community quality of life enabled the development of processes and products regarded as social innovations. The main obstacles were financial dependence on state and local subsidies, ingrained habits and customs of the local population, and low levels of active participation from those involved in proposing innovative ideas. However, the association succeeded by relying on creativity, inspiration, engagement and support from its main leaders and on the alignment and support of its human resources in the implementation of strategy.
Highlights
Resumen: Este trabajo analiza cómo las acciones de una asociación portuguesa impactaron el desarrollo y promoción de innovaciones sociales
Many of these studies, which are mostly case-based, include the definition of concepts and the various meanings of social innovation, alternative approaches, processes or steps for their development and dissemination. This type of innovation has been promoted to a larger extent, and the experiences of Nonprofit Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) have been highlighted
It has become common to use the term social innovation interchanged with terms like social economy, social enterprise and third sector (Montgomery, 2016)
Summary
There is a focus on models and programs with social impact and replicability potential in other contexts Other authors, such as Klein and Moulaert (2013), McCallum and Hillier (2013), approach that concept by referring mainly to innovation processes: besides their social objectives, social innovations results from activities undertaken by CSOs towards vulnerable people, intervention methodology, and enablement and empowerment of processes. They reinforce the need for partnership between small organizations, groups and individuals – which are characterized by high creativity, mobility and speed – and large organizations, including governments, companies and large NGOs – which are less creative, but have high capacity for implementation, financial resilience, and scale to make things happen These innovations are associated with "solving social problems, usually left aside by public policies and the actions of society in general"
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