SI LIVE Closing Session - Jurgen Howaldt on German Declaration

Sozialforschungsstelle DortmundZentrale 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



“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)

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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.

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Social Innovation: The core of Social ChangeDevelopment of new Alliances / Cross Sector Fertilization / Open Innovation

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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

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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 innovationMore resources (incl. research programmes) to foster/promote social innovationEstablish a multi-national evidence base of promising practices for inclusion and integration

Vienna Declaration: The most relevant topics in Social Innovation Research

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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

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Voluntary commitment of stakeholders from business, science and civil society

Declaration: Social Innovation for Germany



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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

Voluntary commitment of stakeholders from business, science and civil society




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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

Public Policy/Government



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

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High-Tech Strategy Federal Government – Innovations for Germany

„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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“You can resist an invading army; you cannot resist an idea whose time has come.”Victor Hugo

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Thank you for your attention!

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Presentations & Public Speaking

SI LIVE Closing Session - Jurgen Howaldt on German Declaration