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An Evolutionary View on Social Innovation and the Process of Economic Change. WWWforEurope Working Paper No. 43

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  • Andreas Reinstaller

    (WIFO)

Abstract

The concepts of social innovation and social entrepreneurship have gained considerable attention both in different fields of academic research and in the context of the development of economic and social policies. However, despite its wide-spread use there does not exist a unique or at least widely accepted agreement among scholars on its relevance and meaning. The principal aim of this paper is to work out a general framework for the analysis of social innovations borrowing key concepts from institutional economics, evolutionary (game) theory and the capabilities approach to welfare economics. Using these approaches we specify the elements that are core for the analysis of social innovation as well as secondary elements that are in the context of this concept and specific to particular manifestations of the phenomenon. While this attempt to clarify the concept of social innovation is necessarily incomplete, we consider it to be a first necessary step to make them more operational for empirical research in social sciences but also for the design, implementation and assessment of policies to support social innovation. The final part of the paper discusses how social innovation contributes to social and economic progress in general, and its potential contribution to industrial change.

Suggested Citation

  • Andreas Reinstaller, 2013. "An Evolutionary View on Social Innovation and the Process of Economic Change. WWWforEurope Working Paper No. 43," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 47018.
    • Handle: RePEc:wfo:wstudy:47018
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    Cited by:

    1. Karl Aiginger & Kurt Kratena & Margit Schratzenstaller-Altzinger & Teresa Weiss, 2014. "Moving Towards a New Growth Model. WWWforEurope Deliverable No. 3," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 47247, March.
    2. Karl Aiginger, 2014. "Industrial Policy for a Sustainable Growth Path. WWWforEurope Policy Paper No. 13," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 47261.
    3. Mikayla Novak, 2021. "Social innovation and Austrian economics: Exploring the gains from intellectual trade," The Review of Austrian Economics, Springer;Society for the Development of Austrian Economics, vol. 34(1), pages 129-147, March.
    4. Susanna Ulinski, 2015. "Corporate Social Innovation as a Driver of Performance and Welfare. WWWforEurope Policy Paper No. 25," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 58500, March.
    5. Paul Windrum & Doris Schartinger & Luis Rubalcaba & Faiz F. Gallouj & Marja Toivonen, 2016. "The co-creation of multi-agent social innovations," Post-Print halshs-01322603, HAL.
    6. Dachs, Bernhard, 2017. "The impact of new technologies on the labour market and the social economy," MPRA Paper 90519, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Thomas Sauer & Susanne Elsen & Stefan Kuhn & Stephanie Barnebeck & Cristina Garzillo & Yannick Kalff & Judith Schicklinski, 2015. "Cities: Places of New European Prosperity – Compendium of Case Studies on the Socio-ecological Transition of Urban Commons. WWWforEurope Deliverable No. 6," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 58160.
    8. Del Giudice, Manlio & Garcia-Perez, Alexeis & Scuotto, Veronica & Orlando, Beatrice, 2019. "Are social enterprises technological innovative? A quantitative analysis on social entrepreneurs in emerging countries," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    9. Edwards-Schachter,Mónica & Wallace,Matthew, 2015. "âShaken, but not stirredâ: six decades defining social innovation," INGENIO (CSIC-UPV) Working Paper Series 201504, INGENIO (CSIC-UPV).
    10. David Bailey & Lisa de Propris & Jürgen Janger, 2015. "Industrial and Innovation Policy as Drivers of Change. WWWforEurope Deliverable No. 9," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 58412.
    11. Michael Böheim & Anna Strauss-Kollin & Teresa Weiss, 2015. "Moving Towards a New Growth Model – Policy Options. WWWforEurope Deliverable No. 10," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 58556.
    12. Harald Badinger & David Bailey & Lisa de Propris & Peter Huber & Jürgen Janger & Kurt Kratena & Hans Pitlik & Thomas Sauer & Renaud Thillaye & Jeroen C.J.M. van den Bergh, 2016. "New Dynamics for Europe: Reaping the Benefits of Socio-ecological Transition – Part II: Model and Area Chapters. WWWforEurope Deliverable No. 12," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 58792, March.
    13. Georg Licht & Bettina Peters & Christian Köhler & Franz Schwiebacher, 2014. "The Potential Contribution of Innovation Systems to Socio-Ecological Transition. WWWforEurope Deliverable No. 4," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 47502, March.
    14. Karl Aiginger, 2014. "Industrial Policy for a Sustainable Growth Path," WIFO Working Papers 469, WIFO.

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