Improving Existing Forms of SI

Background

Capitalises on the idea that social innovation should not be solely observed in its evolutionary pathways, or supported at the policy level, but should and can be designed, a applying a «designerly approach» is most suitable to improve social innovation practice. It is about defining the value proposition, underpinned business model, systematic mapping of the stakeholders, the channels and the modes of interaction with users.

Objectives

By connecting social innovation solutions with alternative economically underpinned business models, tools suitable to improve existing forms of social innovation will be elaborated.

Methodology

To verify economically successful social innovations two dialogue workshops will be held. Based on the identified specifics, drivers and barriers of social innovation, the first workshop will discuss consequences and possible approaches for the application of appropriate principles to upscale social innovation in an economically underpinned way resulting in social and economic impact. Cards and interaction tools mainly coming from the interaction design field will be adopted to stimulate the generation of new ideas. The workshop will be documented and the results for business models re-elaborated and discussed in the consortium, and permuted into a first version of the business toolbox to be used at the strategic level of the single social innovation. Moreover the results will inform the development of Go to WP6public policy instruments. The second workshop will, next to the consortium partners, involve external experts and stakeholders, with the aim of verifying, assessing and improving the applicability of the toolbox.

To broaden the critical review of the models elaborated, ASHOKA's crowdsourcing platform Go to Website«changemakers» will be utilised to collect views from practioners on «business models» and «scaling of social innovations» through organisational growth.

Basic Information

  • Coordinator
    POLIMI
  • Contact
    Alessandro DESERTI
  • Involved Partners
    IAT, SIN, NORD, UEF, UM-MERIT
  • Start date
    10/2015

Glossary

  • 1

    Business Model

    In general, the business model concept offers a consistent and integrated picture of a company and the way it generates revenues and profit. However, for social innovation business models cannot be based on simply replicating conventional for-profit business models. New value propositions and new value constellations are necessary so as to match into a positive profit equation (socially and economically).