BRIEF GUIDE
A short guide to the theory of
managerial innovation
managerial innovation
Social innovation is a new form of interaction between people, communities, and NGOs that solve socially significant problems, even without the introduction of technology. Introduced by Mulgan (2006) in the field of public innovation, it is a broad cross-sectoral concept aimed at meeting the social needs of vulnerable groups and addressing the root causes of public problems (Voorberg, Bekkers & Tummers 2015).
Digital innovation is the use of digital technologies (software, applications, AI, platforms, blockchain, IoT, etc.) to improvements to processes, services, or user interactions
Institutional innovation is a change in norms, procedures, rules, management structure, or coordination mechanisms between organizations; a new way, method, or format for performing tasks within an organization, closely related to the redesign of operational routines (De Vries, Bekkers, & Tummers 2016).
Technological innovation is the introduction of a new technical solution or product, physical or hardware, NOT digital.
Service innovation – innovations in the provision of public services to citizens. A new service can be offered to an existing group of users (Walker 2008). At the same time, extending the old service to a new target audience is also considered a service innovation (Osborne 1998).
Management innovation. Introduces new mechanisms for stakeholder engagement, citizen participation, and increases transparency and accountability in the public sector (De Vries et al. 2015).
Conceptual innovation. It is "the development of new worldviews that challenge the assumptions underlying existing services, processes, and organizational forms" (Windrum 2008, p. 9).
Digital innovation is the use of digital technologies (software, applications, AI, platforms, blockchain, IoT, etc.) to improvements to processes, services, or user interactions
Institutional innovation is a change in norms, procedures, rules, management structure, or coordination mechanisms between organizations; a new way, method, or format for performing tasks within an organization, closely related to the redesign of operational routines (De Vries, Bekkers, & Tummers 2016).
Technological innovation is the introduction of a new technical solution or product, physical or hardware, NOT digital.
Service innovation – innovations in the provision of public services to citizens. A new service can be offered to an existing group of users (Walker 2008). At the same time, extending the old service to a new target audience is also considered a service innovation (Osborne 1998).
Management innovation. Introduces new mechanisms for stakeholder engagement, citizen participation, and increases transparency and accountability in the public sector (De Vries et al. 2015).
Conceptual innovation. It is "the development of new worldviews that challenge the assumptions underlying existing services, processes, and organizational forms" (Windrum 2008, p. 9).
Innovations can be implemented at one of 4 levels, depending on the scale of the problem that the new solution is aimed at.:
The range of impact of innovations on spheres of life is extremely extensive and often simultaneously affects several areas at once, such as transport, healthcare, ecology, housing, education, culture, citizen participation, social protection, public services, economy and employment, and security. This is because modern innovations rarely exist in isolation. They are often systemic or network-based, creating chains of change. New technologies, approaches, or management models implemented in one area inevitably generate needs, opportunities, or consequences in related ones. For example, smart transport solutions reduce harmful emissions, which affects the health of citizens, change the labor market and requirements for urban infrastructure.
Thus, the interconnectedness of modern social and technological systems means that any significant innovation triggers a domino effect or creates synergy, affecting many aspects of society and the state at the same time.
- Municipal/Local;
- Regional;
- National/State;
- International.
The range of impact of innovations on spheres of life is extremely extensive and often simultaneously affects several areas at once, such as transport, healthcare, ecology, housing, education, culture, citizen participation, social protection, public services, economy and employment, and security. This is because modern innovations rarely exist in isolation. They are often systemic or network-based, creating chains of change. New technologies, approaches, or management models implemented in one area inevitably generate needs, opportunities, or consequences in related ones. For example, smart transport solutions reduce harmful emissions, which affects the health of citizens, change the labor market and requirements for urban infrastructure.
Thus, the interconnectedness of modern social and technological systems means that any significant innovation triggers a domino effect or creates synergy, affecting many aspects of society and the state at the same time.
Socio-economic challenges: worsening social issues (for example, deepening inequality, population aging, and climate risks). Innovations allow us to solve these problems quickly and at the lowest cost.
The evolution of society's values: There is a growing demand for citizen participation in decision-making and the formation of a culture of inclusive and sustainable governance.
Managerial: social innovations can be used as a driving force of the development process and as a means to promote the sustainable development of territories.
Political: social innovations will be able to solve not only local problems, but also systemic and structural ones, as they maintain a certain level of social well-being, combat marginalization and initiate transformative changes through collective action.
Community empowerment and bottom-up innovation.
The evolution of society's values: There is a growing demand for citizen participation in decision-making and the formation of a culture of inclusive and sustainable governance.
Managerial: social innovations can be used as a driving force of the development process and as a means to promote the sustainable development of territories.
Political: social innovations will be able to solve not only local problems, but also systemic and structural ones, as they maintain a certain level of social well-being, combat marginalization and initiate transformative changes through collective action.
Community empowerment and bottom-up innovation.
First, barriers are existing or potential obstacles to the creation, development, implementation, implementation, and application of innovations. There are 4 key types of barriers (Baker, 2017, Wilson, Mergel, 2022):
Secondly, the risks. The involvement of citizens may result in a dangerous concentration of responsibility on individuals, or the proclaimed mechanisms of participation may be fictitious or completely controlled from above (Bragaglia, 2020).
- Financial barriers;
- Organizational and human barriers;
- Technical and technological.
- Barriers to perception and support.
Secondly, the risks. The involvement of citizens may result in a dangerous concentration of responsibility on individuals, or the proclaimed mechanisms of participation may be fictitious or completely controlled from above (Bragaglia, 2020).
1. A conceptual framework of Social Innovation based on institutional and structuration theories (Cajaiba-Santana, 2014)
Core idea: Social innovations are created through a reflecting agent (government, business, civil society) that analyzes the social context and operates within the framework of institutional conditions.
The process involves the formation of new social practices at three levels:
2. The Social Innovation Spiral (Murray et al., 2010)
Stages of implementation:
3. A Model of Social Innovation Ecosystems and Collaborative Platforms (Andion et al., 2019)
Core idea: Creation of collaborative platforms for solving urban problems through collective intelligence.
Centers of collective intelligence and creativity that contribute to solving urban problems, creating new ways of development and strengthening democracy in cities.
The structure consists of four interrelated components:
1. Territorial and institutional research.
2. Cartography of the ecosystem.
3. Ethnography in public arenas.
4. Reconciliation of macro, meso, and microscales.
4. Digital Social Innovation (DSI) Research Framework (Qureshi et al., 2021)
Digital Social Innovation (DSI) refers to the use of digital technologies in the development and implementation of innovative products, services, processes, and business models.
Key Stages:
Core idea: Social innovations are created through a reflecting agent (government, business, civil society) that analyzes the social context and operates within the framework of institutional conditions.
The process involves the formation of new social practices at three levels:
- Intra-group innovation (changing norms and values within the group).
- Intergroup innovation (collaboration/competition between groups).
- Macro-level (transformation of social systems).
2. The Social Innovation Spiral (Murray et al., 2010)
Stages of implementation:
- Diagnosis of the problem (identification of social challenges).
- Generation of ideas (development of solutions).
- Prototyping and testing (pilot projects, feedback).
- Institutionalization (integration into everyday practices).
- Scaling (spreading innovation).
- Systemic changes (transformation of laws, infrastructure, thinking).
3. A Model of Social Innovation Ecosystems and Collaborative Platforms (Andion et al., 2019)
Core idea: Creation of collaborative platforms for solving urban problems through collective intelligence.
Centers of collective intelligence and creativity that contribute to solving urban problems, creating new ways of development and strengthening democracy in cities.
The structure consists of four interrelated components:
1. Territorial and institutional research.
2. Cartography of the ecosystem.
3. Ethnography in public arenas.
4. Reconciliation of macro, meso, and microscales.
4. Digital Social Innovation (DSI) Research Framework (Qureshi et al., 2021)
Digital Social Innovation (DSI) refers to the use of digital technologies in the development and implementation of innovative products, services, processes, and business models.
Key Stages:
- Embedded agency (involvement of agents).
- Identify problems and opportunities.
- Structuring innovations (product/service design).
- Scaling the social impact.
- Systemic changes (transformation at the level of society).
