Evolution Towards Social Innovation - Experiences of Polish Social Innovators

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to review the literature on the place of social innovations in innovation theory and to examine the social innovations implemented in Poland in recent years. The authors analyzed who the beneficiaries of the innovations are, the form in which the innovation was created, and who can disseminate it. They sought answers to the question of what distinguishes service-oriented social innovations and what conditions should be created for their development. Design/Methodology/Approach: The research used the method of document analysis and case study analysis. The analysis focused on social innovations from the Social Innovation Catalyst database in Poland. The study was conducted in 2024. Findings: The authors demonstrated that the innovations address key problems of major excluded groups, including people with disabilities and their caregivers/parents. They also observed consistency between the processes of creating social innovations and the processes of service delivery. Practical Implications: The consistency between the processes of creating social innovations and the processes of service delivery may be useful in developing models for assessing the effectiveness of social innovations in the long term. Originality/Value: The topic of social innovations is relatively new in the literature. It is still too early for a thorough evaluation of the impact of social innovations implemented in recent years on society and the economy. The paper suggests the possibility of combining elements of the social innovation model with the service innovation model.