Systemising social innovation initiatives and their regional context in Europe
René Wintjes, Nordine Es-Sadki & Ad Notten
#2019-050
Social innovation can be seen as new combinations of social, economic
and political capital (resources and capabilities)1. In social
innovation initiatives actors with different capabilities cooperate and
function as systems of innovation. The various actors (from the social,
economic and/or political domain) contribute and benefit in different
tangible and intangible ways. As producers and users of solutions for
societal problems they co-create value for society. The paper aims for
insights in the economic outcomes of social innovation. We argue that
social innovation can be seen as an investment, rather than a cost. For
55 social innovation initiatives across Europe we identify economic
outcomes for the various actors, and the sustainability of the
initiative. Since social innovation is context-dependent, and because
the regional situation concerning social innovation differs across the
EU, we also systemise the regional context in which the social
innovation initiatives have emerged. The results support the idea that
social innovation generates economic as well as complementary social
benefits. Four types of regional systems of social innovation can be
identified. It helps explain why regions as different contexts induce
different social innovation initiatives and economic outcomes.
Keywords: social innovation, indicators, outcome, regions, measurement, innovation systems
JEL Classification: O31, 035, I31