Social Innovation Development Research Articles

Entrepreneurial Passion: A Key Driver of Social Innovations for Tourism Firms

Abstract Small and medium tourism enterprises (SMTEs) play a vital role in the sustainability and innovation of tourism destinations. Although their role in the sustainability of destinations has received much attention, research focusing on the antecedents of their social innovation practices remains limited. Drawing on theories on entrepreneurship and social innovation, this study contributes to the body knowledge through an empirical analysis of the factors that drive the social innovations of tourism entrepreneurs. For this purpose, a mixed method approach is conducted which includes an e-survey of tourism entrepreneurs (analysed using PLS-SEM, NCA and IPMA) followed by in-depth interviews to gain additional insights. The results showed that 68 % of the SMTEs pursue social development objectives, and 44 % seek opportunities to improve the social conditions of the community in which the firm operates. The results also reveal that entrepreneurial self-efficacy, community attachment and entrepreneurial passion positively influence social innovations, however, entrepreneurial passion is a ‘necessary condition’ for achieving social innovation outcomes. Research also found that ‘opportunity perception’ has an indirect effect on social innovations that is mediated by entrepreneurial self-efficacy. The results provide important insights for the development of social innovation in the context of tourism entrepreneurs, with practical implications for local governments and destination authorities in supporting entrepreneurship and sustainability.

Articulation Between Collective Skills Development and Social Innovation: An Analysis in Non-Profit Civil Society Organizations in the Jequitinhonha nd Mucuri Valleys, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil

Objective: This study aims to analyze the relationship between the development of collective skills and social innovation in Non-Profit Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) located in the Middle and Lower Jequitinhonha and the Mucuri Valley, Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Theoretical Benchmark: Theoretical approaches to CSOs, social innovation and collective skills were carried out. Method: To do so, the application of online survey and in-depth case studies in OSC of the said field was carried out. The data from the first stage were analyzed using descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis and multiple linear regression, and those from the qualitative stage were analyzed via content analysis. Results and Conclusion: The results indicated that some of the CSOs studied carry out actions considered as socially innovative and that the collective competences related to cooperation are those that have a significant influence on social innovation. In addition, it was observed that the CSOs studied, by engaging in socially innovative actions, created spaces and conditions conducive to the development of collective skills, enabling social interactions, which are fundamental for cooperation, knowledge sharing and social learning of those involved. Thus, there is a dialectical relationship between the collective skills constructs and social innovation, the development of some of them may reflect in a virtuous cycle in which the practice impacts on collective capacity development and this development in the improvement of new practices, or vice versa. Research Implications: The findings emphasize the need for university extension practices and interventions that facilitate cooperation practices, as well as the sharing of knowledge and commitment in the context of CSOs, which can contribute more effectively in the search for the development of socially innovative actions. Originality/value: This study presents an original and valuable approach when analyzing the relationships between collective skills development and social innovations in CSOs, revealing significant insights on good practices in this field.

The social innovation profile in students as a transformation strategy: structural equation modeling

The development of social entrepreneurship competencies in university students favors the generation of proposals for solutions to different social problems, thus promoting a positive social impact capable of transforming people’s living conditions. This study aims to analyze the relationship between the dimensions of social entrepreneurship competence: entrepreneurial management, social value, leadership, effective communication and social innovation. A total of 408 higher education students from 13 countries and six different disciplinary areas participated in the study, ranging in age from 18 to 58 years (M = 22.4, SD = 6.0). The social entrepreneurship instrument was used, which is composed of 28 items grouped into five dimensions. A structural equation model was calculated. The findings indicate that entrepreneurial management, social value, and leadership are directly and positively related to personal competencies and social innovation. These results prove the importance of social entrepreneurship training in the development of social innovation in students, it is important that educational institutions in general carry out a review of their curricula and programs that take into account the development of social innovation competence as a factor that can enhance social change.

Investigating the Impact of Social Capital, Cross-Sector Collaboration, and Leadership on Social Innovation in Rural Social Enterprises

Objectives: This study aims to investigate empirical evidence regarding the relationship between social capital, cross-sector collaboration, leadership, and the development of social innovation in Indonesian villages with rural social enterprises, Badan Usaha Milik Desa (BUMDes). Methods/Analysis: The study employed a mixed approach, combining a quantitative survey, non-participative observation, and in-depth interviews. Data were collected from 280 BUMDes directors, communities, and village governments in the West Java province, Indonesia. The quantitative data were analyzed by structural equation modeling (SEM), and the hypotheses were tested against the variables investigated. The results were strengthened through in-depth interviews with five key informants. Findings: The findings reveal a significant positive effect of cross-sector collaboration and leadership on social innovation in BUMDes. However, social capital was found to have no significant effect on social innovation. Additionally, the study revealed a decline in community trust in rural Indonesia. Novelty/Improvements: This research provides empirical evidence on the influence of social capital, cross-sector collaboration, and leadership on social innovation in the context of rural social enterprises in developing countries. It makes a significant contribution to existing theory and has the potential to influence the development of rural social enterprise and social innovation, which has not been sufficiently researched to date. From an empirical perspective, this study provides evidence from West Java, Indonesia, regarding the relationship between these variables and indicators in the context of rural social enterprises in developing countries, where the sector is still at a developmental stage. Doi: 10.28991/HEF-2024-05-01-09 Full Text: PDF

PROSPECTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL INNOVATIONS IN THE CONTEXT OF INNOVATIVE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTRY

The article examines current issues and prospects for the development of social innovations in modern conditions of rapid changes and innovative progress in society. The author analyzes the impact of social innovations on the formation of a sustainable andinclusive society, highlighting their impact on various spheres such as education, health, social protection and the economy. The article is based on the results of empirical research, providing readers with an overview of current projects and initiativesin the field of social innovation. Special attention is paid to assessing the effectiveness and sustainability of social innovations in the context of innovative development of the country, as well as identifying factors contributing to or hindering theirsuccessful implementation. The author concludes that social innovations play an important role in shaping a society capable of adapting to the challenges of modernity. The results of the study can be useful for the development of public policy strategies in the field of social innovation aimed at the sustainable and harmonious development of society.

Determining the eastern European non-governmental organisations sustainability under crisis conditions, as well as during social and technological transformations

The object of this study is the stability of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) of Eastern Europe during crisis phenomena with signs of social and technological transformations. The subject of research is the processes of transformations in the external and internal environment of the activities of non-governmental organizations, which have an impact on sustainability. The sustainability of non-governmental organizations is examined through the Civil Society Organization Sustainability Index (CSOSI). CSOSI allows measuring the impact of global crisis phenomena on the sustainability of an NGO based on the analysis of a number of components. The research was aimed at solving the task to find influencing factors on the activities of non-governmental organizations during the manifestation of crises of various directions. During the study, influencing factors were identified: organizational capacity, society's perception of the organization, and sectoral infrastructure. It is noted that the realm of technological development belongs to the sectoral infrastructure. On the one hand, the imperfection of technology can cause a crisis. On the other hand, technological innovations allow non-governmental organizations to overcome crises. It has been proven that NGO access to new technologies serves as a basis for ensuring the sustainability of the organization. A regression analysis of the influence of factors on the CSOSI index was carried out. An economic-mathematical model was built on this basis. The model proved the significance of the studied indicators, as their p-value remains below 0.05 (p≤0.05). As a result, this has made it possible to propose an improved model for the development of social innovations under conditions of crisis and uncertainty. The reported results could be used by the founders of NGOs, analytical and consulting companies to construct forecasts of the development of society

Digital social innovation based on Big Data Analytics for health and well-being of society

BackgroundAny nation's health policy aims to properly care for its citizens and the society's quality of life. Since in the healthcare system, the population's health is the essential component of national wealth, health is treated as a public good and a social value. Therefore, in recent times, in addition to traditional instruments for promoting healthy lifestyles, health policy has increasingly turned to information instruments and digital technologies.AimsThe paper aims to recognize the role of Big Data Analytics (BDA) in developing Digital Social Innovation (DSI) in the healthcare field. The proposal of the author's Individual Health Plan Platform (IHPP) solution is presented as an example of Digital Social Innovation.Material and methodsThe research is based on a critical analysis of the literature, followed by a Focus Group study aimed at determining the potential of Big Data Analytics, including especially analysis based on data from wearables, to help manage one's health and improve the society's well-being. The focus research also included verification of the research model presented in the article and evaluation of the proposed solution, the Individual Health Plan Platform, including the possibilities of its implementation as a solution to complement healthcare provided by medical facilities in Poland.ResultsThe results of the focus group interviews show that analysing data from wearables and the proposed IHPP could be helpful in managing one's own health and helping to level important problems in healthcare.ConclusionOne of the goals of this paper was to determine the role of BDAs in the development of social innovations in healthcare. From the analysis of the literature, results of the focus group study and discussion, it was concluded that Big Data Analytics has the potential to develop social innovation in healthcare.

Mission Possible: How to Achieve It? Six Models for Advancing Social Innovation in Universities

Social innovation stands as a pivotal component in the implementation of the Third Mission. Universities worldwide are actively seeking pathways to innovate throughout the realm of all three missions, while keeping them in harmony. In this article, we delve into the various models of social innovation development within universities that can be currently identified. We will explore the criteria that set these models apart, presenting the author’s classification, which is derived from a comprehensive synthesis of existing experiences.

The role of HEIs of Ukraine in the Implementation of Social Innovations

The study is devoted to the analysis of university forms of social innovation, necessary during the war and for the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine. Methods. In the process of research the methods of theoretical search, historical, abstract-logical, comparative and descriptive were used. Results. An assessment of possible forms of development of social innovations on the basis of higher education institutions (HEIs) of Ukraine, namely social entrepreneurship, outreach activities of universities, and socially oriented models of education is given. An analysis of the rating higher education institutions of Ukraine regarding the implementation of social innovations in the scientific and educational process is carried out. Examples of the implementation of socially oriented learning outcomes that provide war-related societal demands are presented. Scientific and methodical recommendations for higher education institutions on improving the quality of the scientific and educational process with the help of social innovations during the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine have been developed. Conclusions. The results of the study demonstrate the increasing role of the HEIs in the implementation of social innovations as a method of post-war reconstruction of Ukraine and establishment of partnership relations with external participants, including at the international arena.

Vanguard Companies Pursuing Public Good: Towards A Model for Corporate Social Innovation Development

Vanguard Companies Pursuing Public Good: Towards A Model for Corporate Social Innovation Development

Spontaneous volunteers and the flood disaster 2021 in Germany: Development of social innovations in flood risk management

AbstractIn the response of the flood disaster in Germany 2021 a vast number of spontaneous volunteers (SVs) participated. They organized coordinating services, developed emergent forms of SVs and thus hold the potential to improve existing flood managing capacities. This raises the need for in‐depth knowledge about SVs and organization, the use of information and communication technologies (ICT), social and individual aspects. This article analyzed results of an online survey (n = 2636) with the aim to discuss challenges and potentials to develop SVs as social innovations in flood risk management. As a result, SVs are strong value‐based motivated, can be psychologically stressed and travel long distances, especially when they got aware of helping possibilities via social media. Disaster relief organizations rarely cooperate with or integrate SVs, but when they collaborate, SVs' satisfaction with authorities increases significantly. Based on the results, this article derives preplanning of useful concepts consider safety aspects, ICT utilization, foster mutual respect between SVs and authorities and supporting sense of community as key results for development of social innovations. Especially in light of pandemics, social crisis like refugee movements, and climate change‐related disasters, the requirement rises for engaging SVs.

Socio-Political Interaction of Citizens and Authorities in the Context of Transport Innovations (Reform of Kuzbass Cities)

Introduction. Currently there is a tendency of intensity of manifestation of social and political relations in the socio-political interaction of the population and government representatives. Citizens in the conditions of network reactive communications in the information field, are included in the stages of planning and implementation of territorial administration, demonstrate a request for innovative projects, products and practices of interaction in the urban area. The purpose of the study in to study the nature and features of the socio-political interaction of citizens with the authorities in the mode of mastering transport innovations. Materials and Methods. During the check, the method of content analysis was applied. It was possible to obtain separate units of measurement – estimates of the use of financial innovation resources in the cities of Kemerovo and Novokuznetsk. The analysis of news portals and publications of city events, as well as public pages of communities in social networks, revealed active, loyal and passive categories of users of transport services, discovered and associated with the development of social innovations, including strategies for attitudes and behavior towards the movement of residents of the region. Results. The experience of passenger transport reform has shown the presence of contradictory civic assessments and requests for innovation, the population is confidently involved in active and responsible, judging by the statements of many residents, participation in the development and filling of the urban environment with new communication practices. As a result of the research, we have found slightly different strategies for mastering innovations. In Novokuznetsk, the initiators of the innovation chose a more dynamic and transport-oriented strategy. The main corrective and mobilizing stages were carried out directly in a given time lag. In Kemerovo, a strategy (model) of consistent incorporation of transport innovations into the existing scheme of urban communications was applied. There are noticeable differences in the use of instrumental, economic, cultural and social resources within the framework of the introduction of transport innovations. Discussion and Conclusion. According to the results of the research, it was possible to find the following areas that require the attention of researchers and managers: the relevance of network communications in relation to urban problems (“digital policy”); social communications of the urban population and the authorities in the conditions of reactive relations; transport passenger communication of the city (urban agglomeration). The study is of practical comparative interest in organizing innovative urban projects for sociologists, researchers of the territory, administrative and political managers.

Social Innovation in Taiwan

Abstract Taiwan began to systematically introduce social innovation as a tool for social reform after the 2008 financial crisis. Although most research on social innovation in Taiwan focuses on problem-solving methods based on the utilitarian perspectives of the public and private sectors, an analytical framework from the societal perspective is proposed in this article. We classify social innovation conducted by the public, private, and civil society sectors as either incremental or radical. This article seeks to provide an overview of the development of social innovation in Taiwan and to answer two main questions. First, how do Taiwan’s government and the private sector mainstream incremental social innovation, and what is its influence? Second, how does a radical approach emerge under this influence? This article illustrates how political and social contexts shape the development of social innovation and uses deliberative democracy in practice as a case study to show how radical social innovation emerges and develops.

Social Entrepreneurship as Driver for Increasing Social Innovation

Introduction. One of the directions of strengthening the social component in the context of sustainable development is the spread of social innovations. The processes of generation and production of innovations should be considered through activating social development, innovating activity of enterprises, and social entrepreneurship that primarily focuses on achieving a social effect in society.Problem Statement. It is expedient to activate the development of social innovations based on a detailed study of the prerequisites through regional programs to support social entrepreneurship, taking into account the resource capabilities and peculiarities of the functioning of the regions. Social entrepreneurship generates economic, environmental, and social values.Purpose. Research the prerequisites, problems, and prospects for the development of social entrepreneurship as one of the drivers of the activation of social innovations in the conditions of modern geopolitical and socioeconomic challenges.Material and Methods. There have been used the methods of analysis, synthesis, comparison, structural, functio nal, system, statistical analysis, and integration.Results. The results of monitoring the activities of social enterprises in the EU countries have been analyzed. The prerequisites and trends of the development of innovative and social entrepreneurship in Ukrainian territories have been studied based on the proposed integral index of the ability of regions to do social entrepreneurship and socially responsible and innovating business.Conclusions. The importance of social entrepreneurship in solving social needs in the country and activating social innovations has been proven. Geopolitical, socio-economic, and institutional challenges of recent years have become a powerful impetus for the activation of social entrepreneurship in Ukraine.

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AS A TOOL FOR ENSURING SOCIO-ECONOMIC SECURITY AND SOCIAL INCLUSION

Considers the evolution of corporate social responsibility and the formation of the modern paradigm of its development. It was revealed that the modern paradigm of social corporate responsibility defines it as a managerial practice of improving business efficiency based on a balancing of profit and social welfare, an integral element of the organization's development strategy, a factor of its competitiveness and investment attractiveness. It is substantiated that corporate social responsibility is an ethical, legal, ecological, social, philanthropic context of the organization's functioning, which is reflected in long-term participation in CSR-projects that contribute to the improvement of social welfare and increasing the efficiency of sustainable development. The article considers the general trends in the development of modern CSR are: philanthropic support of small businesses, CSR is consistent with stakeholders' values (consumers, employees, managers, owners, investors, suppliers), development of volunteering for employees and virtual volunteering, development of social innovations, development of new approaches for evaluating the effectiveness of CSR-initiatives, development of green technologies, improvement of labour policy, improvement of the non-financial reports of CSR. It was determined that the development of corporate social responsibility will be determined by the digitalization of CSR-activities, the growth of employee engagement, the glocalization of the CSR business model, the full supply chain accountability, the inclusion of CSR in the crisis management system, CSR as a tool for ensuring social equality and social inclusion.

Unpacking social innovation by nonstate service providers in the challenging social work practice

Nonstate service providers in the form of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) play an important role in the delivery of social services and the development of social work practice, in particular in fragile and conflict-affected countries. In such challenging settings, NGOs also mobilize various resources, implement novel activities or service delivery models that may induce the development of social innovation; however, such perspectives have been overlooked in the social work literature. This study outlines a framework for understanding how social innovation generates by nonstate service providers in a challenging social work context. By analyzing 15 interviews from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the study identified three interrelated key mechanisms that drive social innovation by local NGO service providers: a) transcopy, b) coactive novelty and c) knowledge construction. The processes underlying these mechanisms include transnational networking, copying and adapting, contextual modification, relationship-building, pioneering novel solutions, knowledge production and transfer. This study offers new insights into the role of nonstate service providers in the development of social innovation in a challenging social work context and has several implications for practice.

Social innovation: relationships with social and human capitals, entrepreneurial competencies and growth of social enterprises in a developing country context

PurposeThis study aims to examine capital and competency variables – human capital, social capital and personal entrepreneurial competencies – in relation to social innovation development and growth of social enterprises in a developing country with an emerging social enterprise sector: Thailand.Design/methodology/approachA hypothetical-deductive approach was adopted and a quantitative survey by questionnaire was applied to collect data from owners/top management of 103 social enterprises in Thailand. The data were used to test hypotheses and further analysed using partial least squares technique.FindingsThe results revealed that there were positive direct and indirect (mediating) relationships between human capital, social capital, personal entrepreneurial competencies and social innovation development and growth of Thai social enterprises. Skills and training were key determinants of human capital, whereas social interaction, trust, social identification and shared knowledge were key determinants of social capital which affected social innovation development. Goal orientation, information seeking, opportunity seeking, persuasion and self-confidence were key determinants of entrepreneurial competencies that also affected social innovation development. This study ultimately revealed the mediating effects of social innovation development on the relationships between capital and competency variables and the growth of social enterprises.Originality/valueThis study fills the research gap, from the theoretical perspective, by identifying capital and competency variables as well as their additional determinants that are divergent from previous literature, which can potentially influence the social innovation development of social enterprises, and where only limited research is evidenced. From an empirical perspective, this study attempts to investigate the associations between these variables and growth indicators in the context of social enterprises in a developing nation, where its sector is in its infancy. This study further helps to clarify the existence of the direct and indirect (mediating) effects of social innovation development in the context of the economic and social accomplishments of social enterprises.

Digital social innovation: how healthcare ecosystems face Covid-19 challenges

ABSTRACT By examining digital social innovation in healthcare ecosystems, this study aims to contribute to the ongoing discussion on ecosystems’ ability to change, adapt, transform, and/or restructure in response to unexpected crises. Drawing on the extant research on social innovation and ecosystems, an interpretative model has been applied to a real-world case study. Our model contributes to shedding new light on how digital platforms boost multi-actor interactions intended to digitally find innovative solutions to emergent and sometimes critical social issues. Our findings demonstrate the ecosystem's ability to reshape itself in the face of emergent crises, such as the COVID-19 epidemic and the resulting socio-economic transformations. This is one of the first attempts to empirically describe the co-creative network of interactions that led to digital social innovation development at the core of the ecosystem's ability to re-shape itself for facing unexpected crises.

Review of Digital Economy Research in China: A Framework Analysis Based on Bibliometrics

This article combs the present situation and future development trend of digital economy research in China by means of literature measurement. On the one hand, China's digital economy presents a framework system of industrial digitization, digital industrialization, digital governance, and data value. On the other hand, digital economics has gradually become a dominant science and is constantly challenging the traditional economic research framework. Data are no longer the traditional data, and the data-driven economic and social innovation development model is the future trend. Data privacy, data protection, data ethics, data assets, and so on will become the focus of academic research.

Bridging Social Innovation in Education and Organisational Learning

This article combines two research approaches so far not connected but mutually reinforcing each other: social innovation and organisational education. On the one hand, theoretical and practical development of social innovation in education is a growing research area. On the other hand, organisational education, through its outlined Research Memorandum Organizational Education, is strengthening research of organisations and learning processes, especially on learning in, by and between organisations. To unfold the potential of social innovation in education, new cooperation and governance structures are needed to integrate all the relevant stakeholders to solve educational demands and mismatches. This is a prerequisite for making the formal education system more receptive to social innovations. The organisational education approach is focusing on a yet neglected part of the social innovation process: the change of organisations by mutual learning processes within an innovation ecosystem bringing together stakeholders from education and research, economy, policy, and civil society. The article shows the connections between both approaches by drawing on examples in practice from different applied research projects.