The future of social innovation

1. Sozialforschungsstelle Dortmund
Zentrale wissenschaftliche Einrichtung
Prof. Dr. Jürgen Howaldt
Jürgen Howaldt
Future of Social Innovation in Europe
12-13th November Lisbon, SI LIVE
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The Power of Social Innovation
Creating an Ecosystem for Social Innovation

2. Sozialforschungsstelle Dortmund
Zentrale wissenschaftliche Einrichtung
“There is nothing more difficult to plan, more doubtful
of success, nor more dangerous to manage than the
creation of a new order of things… Whenever his
enemies have the ability to attack the innovator, they
do so with the passion of partisans, while the others
defend him sluggishly, so that the innovator and his
party alike are vulnerable.”
Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince (1513)
Prof. Dr. Jürgen Howaldt
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3. Sozialforschungsstelle Dortmund
Zentrale wissenschaftliche Einrichtung
Key question
We need to understand the conditions under
which social innovations develop, flourish and
sustain, and finally lead to social change.
We have to create an ecosystem for social
innovation.
Prof. Dr. Jürgen Howaldt
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4. Sozialforschungsstelle Dortmund
Zentrale wissenschaftliche Einrichtung
Social Innovation: The core of Social Change
Development of new Alliances / Cross Sector Fertilization / Open Innovation
Prof. Dr. Jürgen Howaldt
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5. Sozialforschungsstelle Dortmund
Zentrale wissenschaftliche Einrichtung
 Combine the potential of social innovation in the social economy, civil society,
business firms and the state (multi-level governance)
 Promote alliances between universities, companies and the state around social
innovation
 Open the process of innovation to society including all stakeholders in the
development and diffusion of innovation
 Empower and include people: citizens, clients, social movements, communities
in the process of social innovation
 Innovate „bottom up“: learning from experiences of innovation research and
business and public service innovation
Vienna Declaration: The most relevant topics in Social Innovation Research
Prof. Dr. Jürgen Howaldt
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6. Sozialforschungsstelle Dortmund
Zentrale wissenschaftliche Einrichtung
We have to put social innovation at the top of the political agenda
Multi-level governance and receptivity of governments to social innovations
Incentives from government to promote social innovation
More resources (incl. research programmes) to foster/promote social innovation
Establish a multi-national evidence base of promising practices for inclusion and
integration
Vienna Declaration: The most relevant topics in Social Innovation Research
Prof. Dr. Jürgen Howaldt
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7. Sozialforschungsstelle Dortmund
Zentrale wissenschaftliche Einrichtung
Declaration: Social Innovation for Germany
Business
Integration of corporate social responsibility activities in business strategies
Development and implementation of co-creation strategies
Building up of regional and sectoral cooperation between business and other
stakeholders to foster regions and sectors
Use of potentials of new sectors such as the creative industry
Prof. Dr. Jürgen Howaldt
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Voluntary commitment of stakeholders from business, science and civil society

8. Sozialforschungsstelle Dortmund
Zentrale wissenschaftliche Einrichtung
Voluntary commitment of stakeholders from business, science and civil society
Prof. Dr. Jürgen Howaldt
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Declaration: Social Innovation for Germany
Science
Research on social innovations and impulses
for social change processes
Integrating social innovation into teaching
Involving (civil) society stakeholders at an
early stage in research and transfer and
increasing the innovation potential for SI in
society
Civil society
Stronger focus on long-term promotion of SI
and infrastructures
Structured promotion of entrepreneurial
activities in civil society organisations through
welfare institutions
Fostering of initiatives and institutions that
promote a social innovation culture and
infrastructure

9. Sozialforschungsstelle Dortmund
Zentrale wissenschaftliche Einrichtung
Declaration: Social Innovation for Germany
Public Policy/Government
Prof. Dr. Jürgen Howaldt
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 Inclusion of SI in the major research programmes of BMBF (Federal Ministry of Science
and Education) and further development of the Hightech Strategy to a broad innovation
strategy
 (Further) development of political activities to support SI
 Involvement of experts from business, science and civil society (Expert Advisory Board)
 Improvement of financing models for social innovation and adjustment of the legal
framework

10. Sozialforschungsstelle Dortmund
Zentrale wissenschaftliche Einrichtung
Science the Endless Frontier
“The Government should accept new responsibilities for
promoting the flow of new scientific knowledge and the
development of scientific talent in our youth. These
responsibilities are the proper concern of the
Government, for they vitally affect our health, our jobs,
and our national security.”
Vannevar Bush, 1945
Prof. Dr. Jürgen Howaldt
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11. Sozialforschungsstelle Dortmund
Zentrale wissenschaftliche Einrichtung
High-Tech Strategy Federal Government – Innovations for Germany
Prof. Dr. Jürgen Howaldt
„We employ a comprehensive term of innovation which covers not only
technological but also social innovations, and we include society as
main actor.“
„Especially, we need technological and social innovations leading to new
services for new markets and which are characterized by societal
benefit. Services require distinct patterns of innovation.“
„Social innovations can contribute to overcoming the challenges of
societal and regional change.“
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12. Sozialforschungsstelle Dortmund
Zentrale wissenschaftliche Einrichtung
“You can resist an invading army; you
cannot resist an idea whose time has
come.”
Victor Hugo
Prof. Dr. Jürgen Howaldt
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13. Sozialforschungsstelle Dortmund
Zentrale wissenschaftliche Einrichtung
Thank you for your attention!
Prof. Dr. Jürgen Howaldt
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