Abstract
The guiding idea of this analysis concerns the development of social innovation theory on the paradigmatic basis of the social interaction concept. The aims of the discussion are three-fold. First, the central task is to elaborate on a multidimensional concept of social innovation, defined as organized social change. Second, the development of the social innovation concept is used to evaluate the heuristic potentials of the sociological paradigm of social interaction. Third, the paradigm of social interaction and its capacities to guide the structuration, functioning and development of knowledge about social innovations are put under close scrutiny. The conclusion is that the suggested disciplinary paradigm of sociology and the new concept of social innovation facilitate the explanatory approach to relevant social phenomena, the overcoming of theoretical and methodological dilemmas in sociology and the systematic building up of cumulative sociological knowledge.
Highlights
Any deviations from the regularities typically stem from the initiative of an individual or collective actor to define an existing, potential or imaginary social or cognitive problem whose resolution requires organized social change
The life cycle of all four innovations under scrutiny started with the identification of a social problem to be resolved by a social innovation, with decisions for action, implementation of the decision and analysis of the results to follow
The decomposition was achieved by simultaneously analysing typical social innovations and the emerging explanatory framework of the theory of social innovations
Summary
The relevant questions are formulated by using generalized concepts which can be applied in the study of all types of social structures and processes in problematic situations. Any deviations from the regularities typically stem from the initiative of an individual or collective actor (innovator) to define an existing, potential or imaginary social or cognitive problem whose resolution requires organized social change.
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