scholarly journals Challenges of impact assessment in Social Innovation: A qualitative study from two European rural regions

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 35-50
Author(s):  
Marina Novikova ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Social Innovation ◽  
Local Development ◽  
Uniform Method ◽  
Levels Of Analysis ◽  
Rural Regions ◽  
Innovation Activities ◽  
Innovation Projects ◽  
Positivist Approach ◽  
Action Groups

Over recent years, various approaches to assessing the impacts of social innovation (SI) have developed without a uniform method having arisen. There are some issues around how impacts can be assessed, connected with the questions on the nature of impacts, the levels of analysis and effects of a purely positivist approach to impact assessment. While attempting to assess such impacts, various SI initiatives face the diversity of challenges. To this end, the aim of the article is to investigate the experience of said initiatives promoting social innovation related to impact assessment of social innovation. The paper is based on an empirical study conducted with the local development associations and local action groups involved in social innovation projects in two rural regions of Austria and Portugal. The results indicate that, despite recognising the importance of impact assessment regarding social innovation activities and the opportunities it provides, local organisations in question face many challenges in assessing the impacts of social innovation, including conceptual and practical difficulties.

scholarly journals Local Development Initiatives as Promoters of Social Innovation: Evidence from Two European Rural Regions

2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 43-53
Author(s):  
Marina Novikova ◽  
Maria de Fátima Ferreiro ◽  
Tadeusz Stryjakiewicz
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Social Innovation ◽  
Local Development ◽  
Academic Discourse ◽  
Urban Context ◽  
Rural Regions ◽  
Existing Problems ◽  
Extensive Body ◽  
Action Groups

AbstractSocial innovation entered the academic discourse several decades ago and has since been seen as a way of tackling existing problems in various contexts. Although an extensive body of research has been conducted into the role of social innovation in urban context, there is still a gap when it comes to studying the role of social innovation in the development of rural areas. In this paper, an attempt is made to look at the role of Local Action Groups (LAGs) and Local Development Associations (LDAs) as promoters of social innovation in rural areas in Austria and Portugal, aiming to understand the role of such organisations and the challenges faced by the latter in promoting social innovation.

scholarly journals Possible Actors in Local Foodscapes? LEADER Action Groups as Short Supply Chain Agents—A European Perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 2080
Author(s):  
Csaba Ruszkai ◽  
Ilona Pajtók Tari ◽  
Csaba Patkós
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chains ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Social Innovation ◽  
Local Development ◽  
Local Action ◽  
Short Supply ◽  
National Differences ◽  
Local Product ◽  
Action Groups

In recent decades, alongside industrialized agriculture and food-supply systems, an alternative, network-based framework has evolved supporting local development, social innovation and sustainability objectives. Short supply chains are in the focus of the new era. At the same time, from the 1990s a new, bottom-up, spatially bound rural development method, the Liaison Entre Actions pour le Development de l’Economie Rurale (LEADER) approach, has arisen. The purpose of this study is to examine the involvement of LEADER local action groups in the management of alternative food systems in Europe. After a literature-based, detailed theoretical review, a quantitative analysis concerning the content of the official websites of action groups was conducted. A local product promoting quantitative index was created from the qualitative characteristics of the sites. From the collected data, using basic statistical analysis and thematic mapping connections were searched between local action group general characteristics and their short supply chain support activities. The results indicate notable national differences between Western and Eastern European and Mediterranean LEADER groups, supporting previous literature. It may be concluded that local action groups as potential hubs of social innovation, can be crucial actors in local foodscapes, mainly in less developed areas where other non-profit or for-profit organizations are unable to manage supply chains.

scholarly journals Effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability in local rural development partnerships

2012 ◽  
Vol 6 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 31-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krisztián Kis ◽  
József Gál ◽  
Antal Véha
Keyword(s):  
Rural Development ◽  
Development Policy ◽  
Local Development ◽  
Local Area ◽  
Rural Regions ◽  
Policy Compliance ◽  
Institutional System ◽  
Rural Development Policy ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Action Groups

Due to the ever-increasing role the LEADER approach is playing in realizing rural development policy, Local Action Groups (LAGs) have become key actors in the institutional system of rural development. Through their activity in supporting and improving local development, they represent a spatial organizing force in rural regions. Their operation can effectively contribute to the competitive and sustainable development of their local area, within the framework of European rural development policy. Compliance with this role requires the active and conscientious work of the LAGs, both in the process of programming and implementation. In this paper, we aim to present the impact mechanism of the operation of LAGs and its determinant factors. Based on expert evaluations, we investigate the experiences of the implementation of the LEADER approach for rural development from the viewpoints of effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability.

Sustainable tourism planning in Bahía Solano, Colombia

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 165-176
Author(s):  
Gabriela Antošová ◽  
Ivan Dario Medina Rojas ◽  
Mauricio Peralta Mejía ◽  
Helmuth Yesid Arias Gómez
Keyword(s):  
Social Innovation ◽  
Local Development ◽  
Sustainable Tourism ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Tourism Planning ◽  
Tourist Attractions ◽  
Marine Area ◽  
Bird Watching ◽  
Enormous Amount ◽  
Water Sports

AbstractThe municipality of Bahía Solano possesses important tourist attractions. The majority of them consist of natural wonders such as whale, dolphin and bird watching. Its marine area offers diving courses, all types of fishing, surfing, other water sports etc. The enormous amount of natural wealth stands in contrast to the lack of local development and the high rate of poverty among its inhabitants. Bahía Solano has enviable tourist professions but a low level of competition. This research proposes a methodology of social innovation, elaborated by researchers, that involves nature, communities and tour operators, where a connection of surveys with the expectations and perceptions of the different entities (inhabitants, tourists, and tour operators) has been obtained.

scholarly journals What Are the Impacts of Social Innovation? A Synthetic Review and Case Study of Community Forestry in the Scottish Highlands

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 4359
Author(s):  
Carla Barlagne ◽  
Mariana Melnykovych ◽  
David Miller ◽  
Richard J. Hewitt ◽  
Laura Secco ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Community Forestry ◽  
Social Innovation ◽  
Local Development ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Social Dimension ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Study Approach

In a context of political and economic austerity, social innovation has been presented as a solution to many social challenges, old and new. It aims to support the introduction of new ideas in response to the current urgent needs and challenges of vulnerable groups and seems to offer promising solutions to the challenges faced by rural areas. Yet the evidence base of the impacts on the sustainable development of rural communities remains scarce. In this paper, we explore social innovation in the context of community forestry and provide a brief synthetic review of key themes linking the two concepts. We examine a case of social innovation in the context of community forestry and analyse its type, extent, and scale of impact in a marginalized rural area of Scotland. Using an in-depth case study approach, we apply a mixed research methodology using quantitative indicators of impact as well as qualitative data. Our results show that social innovation reinforces the social dimension of community forestry. Impacts are highlighted across domains (environmental, social, economic, and institutional/governance) but are mainly limited to local territory. We discuss the significance of those results in the context of community forestry as well as for local development. We formulate policy recommendations to foster and sustain social innovation in rural areas.

scholarly journals Women empowerment through social innovation in indigenous social enterprises

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 164-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARIO VAZQUEZ MAGUIRRE ◽  
GLORIA CAMACHO RUELAS ◽  
CONSUELO GARCIA DE LA TORRE
Keyword(s):  
Social Enterprise ◽  
Social Innovation ◽  
Local Development ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Willingness To Participate ◽  
Managerial Decision ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Political Empowerment ◽  
And Gender

ABSTRACT Purpose: To explore innovative enabler mechanisms for women's empowerment in a social enterprise and how they promote local development in a Zapotec indigenous community, the third largest ethnic group in Mexico. Originality/gap/relevance/implications: This paper contributes to the extension of social entrepreneurship literature from a gender perspective, exploring the mechanisms that allow women to succeed in highly marginalized indigenous communities. Key methodological aspects: This paper follows a case study methodology, inductive approach and qualitative methods mainly through 70 in-depth interviews. Summary of key results: Although the male-dominated culture slows down the democratic and political empowerment of women in the community, mechanisms such as job stability, low-interest microcredits and gender-equality policies in the organization have triggered economic empowerment. Key considerations/conclusions: The creation of empowering mechanisms within the social enterprise has allowed the Zapotec community to prosper and increase its general wellbeing. Women have been particularly benefited since the organization has given them the opportunity to work, empowering them to create micro-enterprises and changing the prevailing culture towards a more equalitarian society. Increasing control of their source of income has improved women's willingness to participate in political and managerial decision-making, inspiring more women in the community to work at the organization.

Joining a collaborative space: is it really a better place to work?

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 14-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ignasi Capdevila
Keyword(s):  
Social Innovation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Innovation Activities ◽  
Collaborative Spaces ◽  
Innovation Modes ◽  
Living Labs ◽  
Collaborative Space ◽  
Coworking Spaces ◽  
Innovation Approach

Purpose Collaborative spaces such as Fab Labs, Living Labs, coworking spaces, hackerspaces, makerspaces, etc. are localized spaces that offer open access to resources. The purpose of this paper is to explain what motivates participants in such spaces, according to different innovation logics. Design/methodology/approach The paper is based on qualitative studies of 43 collaborative spaces in Paris and Barcelona. Findings This paper proposes a typology of different collaborative spaces to understand what motivates their participants. The classification is based on the innovation approach of each type of space: methods and techniques of ideation, social innovation, open innovation and user-driven innovation. Research limitations/implications The classification of collaborative spaces clearly identifies different innovation approaches. However, it might result to be too simplistic and may not represent all spaces under the same denomination. Practical implications This paper provides some guidelines for managers who run or intend to open a collaborative space. In bottom-up innovation modes, to increase the commitment of the participants, managers should provide the tools and resources needed to successfully achieve the goals of the members’ projects. In top-down innovation modes, managers should rather focus on designing an attractive and rewarding process of ideation. Originality/value This paper contributes to the understanding of collaborative spaces; it shows that participants’ engagement is related to the nature of the innovation activities that take place in collaborative spaces, and it compares different types of spaces to explain their differences and similarities.

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