Urban and social regeneration: coworking Gottifredo case study

Why does the progress of civilisation require social innovations?

Between the state and citizens: Changing governance of intermediary organisations for inclusive and sustainable urban regeneration in Seoul

Az MTA és a Magyar Nemzeti Vidéki Kutatóhálózat (MNVH) közötti kutatási megállapodás keretében az egyik részkutatás témája a Társadalmi és gazdasági innováció, valamint a vidéki térségeink innovációt befogadó képessége címet viselte. A kutatás célja kettős volt, egyrészt a vidéki innováció fogalmának és összetevőinek elemzése, másrészt a társadalmi és gazdasági innovációt befogadó tér és társadalom jellemzőinek feltárása egy helyzetkép bemutatásán keresztül. A tanulmányban a fogalmak tisztázását követően az innovációs esetek empirikus vizsgálatának eredményeit mutatom be, majd meghatározom a rurális innováció földrajzi, társadalmi és gazdasági térre vonatkozó tulajdonságait az interjúk tapasztalatain keresztül. A vizsgálat rámutatott arra, hogy a befogadó közeg nagymértékben függ a társadalom, a gazdaság nyitottságától és a humán tőkétől. A tanulmány a társadalmi és gazdasági innováció egymásra hatását is vizsgálja, és eseteken keresztül mutatja be, hogyan képesek erősíteni egymást és magát az innovációra való hajlamot is. Végül elemzem a rurális innováció területi specifikumait és az innovátorok tulajdonságait.

PurposeCoworking spaces provide coworkers significant opportunities to connect, share knowledge, learn from each other and innovate. Yet, there is hardly any research literature on how coworking spaces support this. This paper examines how coworking spaces can promote knowledge sharing among coworkers to support innovation and develops a conceptual framework for the same.Design/methodology/approachThis paper brings together literature from the fields of coworking spaces, communities of practice, identification and knowledge sharing to develop a conceptual framework.FindingsCoworking space managers can drive specific activities to promote a sense of community among coworkers. This can create identification with the coworking community and with the coworking space, leading to higher propensity to collaborate, share knowledge and work together to innovate.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper proposes a conceptual framework that can be further examined through qualitative and quantitative research.Practical implicationsThis paper suggests specific activities which coworking space managers can undertake to promote learning and innovation – important motivations for people to use coworking spaces. This will also help coworking spaces to make a strong business case and differentiate themselves from competitors.Originality/valueSince coworking spaces bring together people from varied backgrounds who belong to diverse organizations and work on varied domains, nudging them to share knowledge is difficult. This paper is one of the first attempts at developing a framework to promote knowledge sharing in coworking spaces.

Coworking in the digital economy: Context, motivations, and outcomes

In a world with pressing social issues that require the collaboration of multiple stakeholders to solve them, this research sought to find out through the views of interior design practitioners how social innovation might be integrated into interior design for socially responsible design. The research sought to find out from the perceptions of the participants whether social innovation practices could be integrated into interior design as an ethos for professional practice, rather than fragmented, erratic projects. The research postulates that interior design practices are similar if not complementary to those of social innovation. Both interior design and social innovation focus on the human dimension and understanding of human behaviour to construct realities that people occupy and offer an enhanced human experience. The aim was to establish whether interior design practitioners saw social innovation as a tool for more socially responsible design and whether they have engaged in social innovation and socially responsible design in their practice. The research followed an exploratory qualitative research approach positioned in the interpretive paradigm. The research used semistructured participant interviews and thematic analysis to explore in-depth insights into the perspectives and experiences of 13 Durban-based interior designers and their perceptions of social innovation integration for socially responsible design. Through a literature review, the researcher studied social innovation, design for social innovation, socially responsible design, interior design's social compact and interior design's value proposition. The conceptual framework put forward a plausible sequence of activities that can be carried out for interior design to interact with social innovation for socially responsible design. Doing so could contribute to the interior design social compact. The thematic analysis was employed to structure the research and explore the current level of understanding and engagement of interior designers in social innovation for socially responsible design. What emerged were challenges and opportunities for integrating social innovation for socially responsible design as an interior design ethos. Guided by the conceptual framework in the research, five themes emerged in the data analysis guided by the conceptual framework: Social Problem Identification, Interior Design Process, Social Innovation Process, Socially Responsible Design Process and Social Value. The findings revealed that the selected interior designers were largely unaware of social innovation and last interacted in a socially responsible design during a once-off university project. Although the participants' comprehension was at times muddled, the aggregate of their perceptions demonstrated a general grasp of what social innovation and socially responsible design are. It was interesting to note how difficult it was for interior designers to conceptualize the terms "social," "social innovation," and "socially responsible design." The majority of participants distinguished between social innovation and socially responsible design as differing concepts. Even with a basic knowledge of social innovation, most participants expressed confidence in implementing and leading teams based on socially responsible and socially innovative programs. The participants believed that their potential could only be constrained by finances, personal security, a lack of education and expertise in the cultural context of the social innovation project. The designers believed that social innovation for socially responsible design should be required in interior design and monetization, professional body, education and the other components of socially responsible design are crucial in doing so. Of the advantages of integrating social innovation for socially responsible interior design communicated by the participants, the most significant was the change of collective expectations of interior design by the general public and other business professionals. The participants shared that social innovation would favour the discipline by demonstrating to the public and other practitioners that it was about more than shallow design aesthetics. Interior design is, however, about substance and complicated problem-solving. The participants shared their challenges and methods, which could help integrate social innovation into interior design for socially responsible design.

This study explores the crucial role of religion in social innovation and community development, focusing on how religious values can be optimized to create positive and sustainable social change. Using a qualitative approach and a literature review method, this research analyzes various studies that demonstrate the unique capabilities of faith-based organizations in providing social services, supporting vulnerable groups, and creating innovative solutions to address social challenges. The findings indicate that religious communities tend to have high social solidarity, which enables them to effectively organize relief efforts, especially in crisis situations. While the potential of religion in social innovation is significant, there are still conceptual and practical challenges in integrating religious values into development policies and programs. The study recommends the need for interfaith dialogue and cross-religious cooperation to reduce social tensions and create a more inclusive and equitable society. Overall, this research affirms that religion can serve as a catalyst for positive and sustainable social change.

This article explores social innovation as a tool for the promotion of place-based sustainable development. The literature highlights the satisfaction of basic needs and situations of crises as two major drivers of socially innovative actions. We use these insights to explore the conditions under which social innovation can lead to social transformation and sustainable place making. We also recognise that social processes occur through, and are shaped by, the material forms that constitute and are constituted in place-specific settings. This highlights the deep interconnections that exist between place making and the resources, attributes and characterises – the materiality (such as rivers, soil, trees) – that exist within that locality. It is here that a close tie can be discerned between understanding the adaptive process in complex socio-ecological systems and the role of social innovation in such adaptation. Socially innovative initiatives at the community level can also be scaled upwards through the co-ordinating role of the state, while at the same time act as a pressure for more participatory forms of governance. Governance processes that enhance the role of both economic and social actors in the steering of social change help to infuse more open, democratic practices into social steering. With social, economic and state actors co-mingling as agents of social change, social innovation can come to play a key role in enhancing sustainable human–environment interactions.

This study explores sustainable wellness approaches through the implementation of passive design strategies in coworking spaces, aiming to provide a healthy workplace for occupants. Focusing on qualitative approach on three existing coworking spaces in Golden Triangle of Kuala Lumpur, the research employs a comparative study to evaluate the effectiveness of these design strategies in enhancing occupant well-being, utilizing checklist and observation as the main instruments. Coworking space, shared work environments where individuals from diverse backgrounds, such as freelancers, remote workers, and small businesses, operate independently while sharing resources and networking opportunities, known to blend flexible, dynamic work environments with a focus on community, health, and well-being. It has been perceived as ideal selection of workspaces as it often incorporates sustainable design principles and environmental wellness, in line with passive design strategies, which leverage natural environmental elements such as lighting, ventilation, noise, and thermal comfort, in creating sustainable and health-promoting indoor environments. This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on sustainable workplace design by highlighting the importance of passive design strategies in working environments and how these strategies are integrated into coworking spaces to benefit the occupants of the space. It provides practical insights on the implementation of these strategies through the recommendations on creating healthier and more sustainable workplaces, especially in the post-pandemic era.

The proliferation of digital connectivity and mobility is having a profound impact on collaboration practices and coworking spaces in urban environments. This chapter focuses on nomadic patterns of designers, freelancers, hackers, and creative professionals, and seeks to map the urban spaces that they occupy and navigate in order to go about their work practices. After a brief introduction on the use of office space and recently emerged city bound working practices, we first review previous studies and current literature about the impact of digital connectivity and mobility on collaboration and coworking spaces. Two cases (the Centre for Social Innovation in Toronto, Canada, and The Edge, a digital culture centre at the State Library of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia) will be introduced as examples of social practices in, and uses/employments of coworking and collaboration spaces. The subsequent discussion of best practices and future designs of collaboration and coworking spaces will focus on three distinct themes: First, the tension between universal vs specialised demands on space; second, the need for perpetual messiness, and; third, the unfolding urban ecology of work spaces. Finally, we will conclude with some considerations on the configuration and promotion of collaborative working practices especially with regards to urban planning.

The proliferation of digital connectivity and mobility is having a profound impact on collaboration practices and coworking spaces in urban environments. This chapter focuses on nomadic patterns of designers, freelancers, hackers, and creative professionals, and seeks to map the urban spaces that they occupy and navigate in order to go about their work practices. After a brief introduction on the use of office space and recently emerged city bound working practices, we first review previous studies and current literature about the impact of digital connectivity and mobility on collaboration and coworking spaces. Two cases (the Centre for Social Innovation in Toronto, Canada, and The Edge, a digital culture centre at the State Library of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia) will be introduced as examples of social practices in, and uses / employments of coworking and collaboration spaces. The subsequent discussion of best practices and future designs of collaboration and coworking spaces will focus on three distinct themes: First, the tension between universal vs specialised demands on space; second, the need for perpetual messiness, and; third, the unfolding urban ecology of work spaces. Finally, we will conclude with some considerations on the configuration and promotion of collaborative working practices especially with regards to urban planning.

Coworking spaces: Understanding, using, and managing sociomateriality

The study is a critical analysis of the evolution of democratic local governance in South Africa since the introduction of the White Paper on Local Government nearly three decades ago. It evaluates the extent of progress made, highlights enduring challenges, and considers future opportunities for consolidating local democratic practices. The study adopts a qualitative research approach and utilises a case study strategy while data was collected through interviews. Data are analysed through document analysis and thematic analysis of the legislative and policy frameworks. The study findings reveal that legislative reform reshaped the institutional architecture of local governance in South Africa. Findings also indicate that legislative reforms lead to the increased autonomy of municipalities and their developmental mandate. Notwithstanding these advances, significant challenges remain, notably inconsistent implementation, institutional capacity constraints, and limited responsiveness to community needs. These shortcomings have undermined the transformative intent of the White Paper, particularly its objective of fostering inclusive and participatory forms of governance. In response, the study advocates for the reinforcement of accountability frameworks to enhance transparency and improve municipal responsiveness. Strengthened oversight arrangements, supported by rigorous performance monitoring systems, are indispensable in mitigating maladministration and enhancing the effectiveness of service delivery. Equally important is the expansion of meaningful public participation as a means of reinvigorating local democratic practice. This requires the formal entrenchment of participatory mechanisms, the strategic utilisation of digital technologies to facilitate citizen engagement, and the cultivation of governance approaches grounded in co-production. The study concludes that although substantial advances have been achieved through legislative reform, the long-term viability of democratic local governance is contingent upon confronting entrenched systemic deficiencies and consolidating participatory and accountability-driven practices. Such interventions are essential to advancing the developmental objectives articulated in the White Paper and to enabling communities to function as active and empowered stakeholders in governance processes.

Collaborative places nurture creativity and efficiency of cultural and creative industries. Research in collaborative places revealed they are essential for networking and cooperation in the creative ecosystem. The results of studies focusing on competitiveness of coworking spaces and their effect on boosting entrepreneurship are rather vague. Furthermore, an awareness of how coworking spaces stimulate coworkers to engage in urban regeneration through local community initiatives is limited. Hence, this study seeks to provide an insight into coworking spaces from the organizational perspective devoted to entrepreneurship and competitiveness. Simultaneously, the paper aims to reveal synergies between creative communities and local development. The method of data gathering consists of semi-structured in-depth interviews with managers and entrepreneurs from selected countries of the EU applying the grounded theory for their analysis. The results suggest that coworking spaces indicate a boosting of the entrepreneurship of the creative class through collective projects. These activities tend to stimulate knowledge creation and open innovation in the creative ecosystem that benefit local development. Coworking spaces also represent a driving force to initiate and maintain a dialogue between the creative ecosystem and local authorities for culture-led urban development.

Urban regeneration is a common challenge especially for post-industrial cities. Cultural and creative entrepreneurship is one possible option since culture-led urban development is a sustainable approach, involving different types of communities, increasing social cohesion, and cultural dynamism. The paper aims to understand how knowledge exchange is connected to social innovation and urban regeneration, analysing several situations in Romania. Several dimensions are considered, such as the role of the policy framework and public administration, the dynamics of the relationship between the actors involved, knowledge sharing processes, innovation drivers and the impact of cultural and creative initiatives on the urban, physical and mental fabric.