Social goals versus business necessity: The nature and determinants of innovation in financial inclusion

Author(s):  
Pål Vik ◽  
Morven G. McEachern ◽  
Joanna Curtis ◽  
Kevin Kane ◽  
Karl Dayson

Purpose: This study aims to explore the extent to which social innovation is prioritised among a sample of organisations promoting financial inclusion through the provision of affordable credit, advice and financial education. Additionally, we seek to understand the nature of the adopted innovation process and how this is perceived as influencing social change (if at all). Methodology: This exploratory study uses a combination of qualitative, semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with 35 managers in 29 different organisations and three focus groups with 16 practitioners and stakeholders.Findings: Innovation processes are in the main, largely incremental as opposed to radical with organisations focusing on process-led innovations. More notably, most organisations found that they often lacked the required social capital capacity, economic and technological resources and the necessary skills to develop, implement and capitalise on innovations, thus limiting the more radical forms of innovations.Implications: To enhance the capacity of smaller organisations promoting financial inclusion, there is significant potential to engage in more open, co-creational projects/partnerships to deliver greater social impact to vulnerable populations.Contribution: We contribute to the under-researched literature on social innovation by highlighting the extent to which social innovation is given precedence within the sector promoting financial inclusion. Given the contextual and organisational diversity of the sector, highlighting these behavioural practices and circumstances, enable researchers to theoretically advance social innovation theory further and provide more practice-based guidance for organisations to successfully shape social change.

Author(s):  
José Hernández-Ascanio

La innovación social se ha constituido en uno de los ámbitos de estudio más activos no sólo en el campo de investigación sobre la innovación, sino de las ciencias sociales en general. Desafortunadamente, ese interés no ha conducido al desarrollo de una teoría de la innovación social. En la actualidad es posible identificar un intenso debate teórico en torno a tres áreas de interés fundamentales: la formulación de definiciones y conceptos sobre qué es la innovación social, la identificación de las etapas a partir de las cuales discurren los procesos de innovación social y, por último, el intento de elaborar modelos integradores sobre dichos fenómenos. Se pueden constatar diferentes esfuerzos de articulación de estos elementos focales. Uno nuevo que se abre es la reflexión sobre el carácter praxeológico de la innovación social, más allá de un conjunto de metaasunciones, elementos explicativos u objetivos de investigación. En la innovación social se reconocen significativos paralelismos con los modelos investigación participativa y de sociopraxis, de tal forma que se hace necesario elaborar la pregunta acerca de si es posible considerar la innovación social como un método propio de este tipo de metodología de indagación colectiva. El presente trabajo propone una discusión en este sentido, utilizando para ello una estrategia hermenéutica aplicada a una revisión sistemática e integrativa de la bibliografía especializada. En el desarrollo disciplinar en torno al fenómeno de la innovación social es posible identificar fundamentos epistemológicos que permiten caracterizarlo como un método propio de investigación participativa y de sociopraxis social específica para la generación de productos culturales de alto impacto social. Sin embargo, la dispersión y la debilidad conceptual y metodológica en torno a la innovación social se presentan como principal obstáculo para la consolidación de la misma como método.Social innovation has become one of the most active fields of study not only in the field of research on innovation but also in the social sciences in general. Unfortunately, that interest has not led to the development of a theory of social innovation. Currently, it is possible to identify an intense theoretical debate around three fundamental areas of interest: the formulation of definitions and concepts about what social innovation is, the identification of the stages from which social innovation processes run and, finally, the attempt to elaborate integrative models on these phenomena. Different articulation efforts of these focal elements can be verified. A new one that is opening is the reflection on the praxeological character of social innovation, beyond a set of meta-assumptions, explanatory elements or research objectives. In social innovation, significant parallels are recognized with the participatory research and sociopraxis models, in such a way that it is necessary to elaborate the question about whether it is possible to consider social innovation as a method of this type of collective inquiry methodology . The present work proposes a discussion in this sense, using a hermeneutical strategy applied to a systematic and integrative review of the specialized bibliography. In the disciplinary development around the phenomenon of social innovation, it is possible to identify epistemological foundations that allow it to be characterized as its own method of participatory research and specific social sociopraxis for the generation of cultural products with high social impact. However, the dispersion and conceptual and methodological weakness around social innovation are presented as the main obstacle to consolidating it as a method. 


2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-75
Author(s):  
Mariann Veresné Somosi ◽  
Krisztina Varga

Abstract The study defines a process-oriented framework for measuring social innovation. Social initiatives focus on meeting the needs of the community and solving their problems The local, community-based innovative ideas have a significant role. During the systematic operation of innovation, the starting point (expression of local needs) and the definition of short and long term goals as induction factors are involved in the innovation process. The starting conditions are widening in the transformation with incentive and inhibiting factors, while the stakeholders of the innovation process are also determined. As a result of the transformation, territorial-specific results will be created complementing the economic and / or social impact of the given innovation. Indicators that help measure social innovation initiatives can be identified as prerequisites, conditions of implementation and sustainability criteria, defining the structured conditions of the innovation process per phase. In addition, several levels of social innovation efforts are possible. Measuring macro-level social innovation, it is necessary to examine regional contexts, with the method of analysis of the connection network, and also with a systematic approach. Regional social innovation measurement can be used to analyze local and regional cooperation and initiatives. The study analyzes the conditions and measurement possibilities of micro-level social innovation, their generating potential and investigates the speed of organizational innovation. An example of good practice in the municipality is presented as a case study, defining the conditions that help to evaluate social innovation by determining a process-oriented framework.


Author(s):  
Chris Fox ◽  
Kevin Albertson

A major innovation in public sector commissioning in recent years is the recourse of the state to so called ‘Outcomes-based Contracts’ particularly Payment by Results (PbR) in the UK. A PbR contract contains three elements, a commissioner, a service provider and an outcomes metric. The outcomes metrics is designed, in theory, to align the incentive structures of the commissioner and the service delivery agency so as to achieve efficient results. Thus, PbR is theorised to allow public commissioners to pay a provider of services on the basis of specified outcomes achieved rather than the inputs or outputs delivered. A related innovation is that of Social Impact Bonds (SIBs). SIBs are distinguished from PbR contracts in that they supposedly allow financiers to contribute to the social innovation process by providing working capital. The return on the SIB is calculated using PbR methodology. Compared to a PbR contract, the SIB contract seeks to align the incentive structures, not only of commissioners and providers, but also financiers through an appropriate metrics-based payments scheme. PbR and SIBs have been referred to as key tools for delivering change. In this chapter we set out the theoretical and practical challenges arising from the development and application of PbR and SIBs and consider the evidence of their efficacy or otherwise.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (18) ◽  
pp. 102-114
Author(s):  
Aline M. Callegaro ◽  
Carla S. Ten Caten ◽  
Carlos F. Jung ◽  
Leandro M. Tonetto ◽  
Flávio Sanson Fogliatto

This research aimed to develop an affordable device for the elbow and forearm rehabilitation to be used in Brazilian hospitals, clinics, physician’s offices, and residences. The Brazilian government made investments in technology development for social change, demanding innovative rehabilitation products manufactured with lower cost, compared to the current imported alternatives. Using research through design, we present the development of a module that allows continuous passive motion (CPM), which is a physical therapy resource indicated mainly for post-traumatic and post-surgical rehabilitation. This paper describes all design phases that resulted in this technological device with an important social impact on health care, making CPM treatment accessible to a broader range of patients. The module’s design fully contemplated Stakeholders’ needs, resulting in a working prototype. It was validated with users, producing the intended effects. The product is fully manufactured in Brazil and costs a fraction of the equipment currently used. The design presented in this paper opens a number of future research possibilities in the field of social innovation through health technology.


Author(s):  
Ray Brescia

This book identifies a series of “social innovation moments” in American history. Through these moments—during which social movements have embraced advances in communications technologies—the book illuminates the complicated, dangerous, innovative, and exciting relationship between these technologies, social movements, and social change. It shows that, almost without fail, developments in how we communicate shape social movements, just as those movements change the very technologies themselves. From the printing press to the television, social movements have leveraged communications technologies to advance change. In this moment of rapidly evolving communications, it is imperative to assess the role that the Internet, mobile devices, and social media can play in promoting social justice. But first we must look to the past, to examples of movements throughout American history that successfully harnessed communications technology, thus facilitating positive social change. Such movements embraced new communications technologies to help organize their communities; to form grassroots networks in order to facilitate face-to-face interactions; and to promote positive, inclusive messaging that stressed their participants' shared dignity and humanity. Using the past as prologue, the book provides effective lessons in the use of communications technology so that we can have the best communicative tools at our disposal—both now and in the future.


2017 ◽  
Vol 107 (03) ◽  
pp. 189-193
Author(s):  
M. Röhm ◽  
T. Prof. Bauernhansl ◽  
T. Schrodi

Für eine marktgerechte Produktentwicklung gibt es in Anlehnung an das Technologie-Reifegradmodell eine Vielzahl von Ansätzen, die den Entwicklungsstand von Technologie und Markt bewerten. Um im Innovationsprozess produktionsstrategische Lücken rechtzeitig aufzuzeigen, müssen Entwicklungsprozesse von Technologie, Markt und Produktion jedoch ganzheitlich betrachtet werden. Hierfür werden unterschiedliche Reifegradmodelle gegenübergestellt, Korrelationen aufgezeigt und erfolgsentscheidende Entwicklungsstufen abgeleitet.   Based on the technology maturity model, there is a variety of approaches describing the maturity of market demand and technology in order to combine technology push and market pull perspectives. However, to be able to show strategic gaps during the innovation process, development processes of technology, market and manufacturing skills have to be viewed holistically. For this purpose, the authors present different degrees of maturity models, show correlations and derive critical fields of action.


2008 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 26-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Owen ◽  
Alexia Papageorgiou

Aim: This small−scale, exploratory, qualitative study was conducted to investigate how the experiences of having a stoma and subsequent stoma reversal affected the lives of the participants.Method: Five participants were interviewed about their experiences. Manual thematic analysis, using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), was employed to interpret the data. Results: Common themes were identified as emerging from the data. Themes before reversal were: acceptance and coping; social impact; and anticipation of returning to normal. Post−reversal themes were: returning to normal; interference with anticipated return to normal; and ongoing social impact. Conclusion: This exploratory study provides a rich account of the experiences of stoma patients who underwent reversal operations. It enhances our understanding of the transition encountered when changing from a person with a stoma into someone without one. This research has found that the anticipated return to normal can be hampered by a mix of physical and psychological processes.


2013 ◽  
Vol 17 (06) ◽  
pp. 1340016 ◽  
Author(s):  
JUSTYNA DĄBROWSKA ◽  
IRINA FIEGENBAUM ◽  
ANTERO KUTVONEN

Open innovation holds great potential for improving the efficiency of companies' innovation processes, but also presents substantial risks. A key issue in innovation management is finding the right balance of openness, i.e., determining how open companies should be in their innovation activities. However, academics and business practitioners hold conflicting notions of what constitutes open innovation practice and of how "open innovation companies" are defined. In this paper, we present three in-depth case studies of global R&D-intensive companies, where we find that the firms' perception of their openness differs from their actual situation (as determined by the innovation practices that they apply), and that each company has a different view as to what constitutes open innovation. We claim that resolving conceptual ambiguity and differentiating between openness (as a philosophical aspect) and open innovation (as a way of structuring the innovation process) in research is critical in order to clarify the current state of open innovation research and enable the communication of results to practitioners.


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