Digital transformation continues to accelerate change in all aspects of modern life. This book examines when, where, how, and why artificial intelligence and digital change can boost innovation and transform the economy, society and democracy. It provides a holistic approach to the promotion of the knowledge economy, knowledge society and knowledge democracy. The book is developed based on the Cyber-D4 nexus, which is a conceptual framework of Cyber-Defense, Cyber-Development, Cyber-Democracy, and Cyber-Diplomacy, and it adopts a Quadruple/Quintuple Innovation Helix (Q2IH) approach. This nexus ties new national and industrial cyber strategies, including business strategies for smart cities and the Internet of Things, with the local, national, regional, and global security and economic objectives. Academics, policy makers, practitioners, researchers and students in combined fields of science, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship, digital transformation, artificial intelligence and the future of industry will appreciate the lens through which the chapter authors explore both the minutiae and expansive influence of digital transformation.

Providing an extensive comparative and international study of water innovations and the issues that arise in their implementation, David Lewis Feldman analyses the technical, economic, health and environmental impacts of water innovations and their policy implications. Discussing desalination, rainwater harvesting, wastewater reuse, and demand-side innovations as well as emerging cyber-infrastructure issues, The Governance of Water Innovations analyses the historical and contemporary challenges involved in water innovations. With a global reach, exploring water innovations across The Americas, Asia, Australia and Europe, chapters consider potential areas of contention involving land use, aesthetics, recreational impacts, user costs, and environmental quality. Illuminating the importance of these challenges and determining the most effective and equitable ways of meeting them, Feldman advises how innovations should be deployed, governed and implemented democratically in ways that harbour public acceptance, trust, and engagement for a water resilient future. A comprehensive study of the governance of water innovations, this book will prove invaluable to students and scholars of public policy, environmental and water studies and geopolitics. With its pioneering analysis of adaptive governance, it will also prove an essential reference guide to practitioners, professionals and policymakers working in water governance and management, including water agency officials and water resource legislators.

This ground-breaking book specifically focuses on the leadership of innovation and entrepreneurship in healthcare by providing a detailed step-by-step framework for effective leadership in the challenging and dynamic healthcare environment. Taking a fresh approach, it utilizes resources within healthcare organizations and the creative abilities of their people to provide a long-term solution to address key global issues, including the aging population, rising costs and long waiting lists, together with the challenges of staff recruitment and retention. Claudine Kearney offers in-depth insights into what is required to achieve success in the development of innovation. Chapters also demonstrate how to lead innovation, entrepreneurship and design thinking in healthcare as well as how to achieve results with a future oriented mindset. Visionary in its approach, the book examines both internal and external healthcare environment, addressing the key elements such as organizational strategy, culture and structure to overcome challenges. It also provides a thought-provoking analysis on the significant global challenges experienced within healthcare following the Covid-19 pandemic. Highlighting key learning points, this book will be an excellent resource for postgraduate students and scholars with a specific focus on medical and scientific innovations as well as those responsible for management within healthcare.

This pioneering work explores both the theory and practice of business and technology incubation and acceleration over the past six decades as an approach to new venture creation and development. With a global scope, the Handbook examines incubation concepts, models, and mechanisms, providing a research-based analytical foundation from which to understand the emerging role of modern incubators, accelerators, science parks, and related support tools in building modern entrepreneurship ecosystems for promoting targeted economic development. Featuring contributions from internationally renowned scholars and practitioners, the Handbook covers four major themes: understanding incubation and acceleration; incubation mechanisms and entrepreneurship ecosystem development; national and regional incubation policy studies; and incubation practice and assessment. Chapters investigate the expanding importance of newer models and novel modes of new venture support such as smart launching through focused training, mentoring, and financing. This Handbook will help to equip policy makers, facility and program managers, investors, and entrepreneurs with the knowledge to handle support for future business and technology ventures more confidently and effectively. It also provides a deeper understanding of the incubation approach for researchers and scholars of entrepreneurship, innovation, and economic development.

The solar photovoltaic sector is moving forward very fast, both in terms of its own technological advancement and its standing among global renewable energy technologies. Rapid increases in solar cell efficiencies, fast technical change in solar batteries and solar glass, and economies of scale in production fuel its rapid adoption and it is becoming clear that existing forecasts about its adoption need to be updated extensively. This timely and distinctive examination of the economic side of the field takes into account solar PV's recent and growing lead among renewable energies competing to replace fossil fuels. The Revolution in Energy Technology examines the birth of this technology in the United States, where the main innovators are still located, the emergence of China as a main production hub, and new and growing contributions to the innovation cascades from other countries including Germany, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. The participation of universities as investors and the role of venture capital are discussed, and particular emphasis is given to the domination of the sector by large firms. The book is interesting for both academics and graduate students as well as policy makers, technicians, engineers and companies involved in the field.

What causes one system to break down and another to rebound? Are we merely subject to the whim of forces beyond our control? Or, in the face of constant disruption, can we build better shock absorbers--for ourselves, our communities, our economies, and for the planet as a whole?
Reporting firsthand from the coral reefs of Palau to the back streets of Palestine, Andrew Zolli and Ann Marie Healy relate breakthrough scientific discoveries, pioneering social and ecological innovations, and important new approaches to constructing a more resilient world. Zolli and Healy show how this new concept of resilience is a powerful lens through which we can assess major issues afresh: from business planning to social develop-ment, from urban planning to national energy security--circumstances that affect us all.
Provocative, optimistic, and eye-opening, Resilience sheds light on why some systems, people, and communities fall apart in the face of disruption and, ultimately, how they can learn to bounce back.

Elgar Research Agendas outline the future of research in a given area. Leading scholars are given the space to explore their subject in provocative ways, and map out the potential directions of travel. They are relevant but also visionary. Within the span of a generation, innovation and entrepreneurship have emerged as two of the most vital forces in the economy and in society. This Research Agenda highlights new insights and approaches to guide future thinking, research and policy in the area. To accomplish this, the editors have brought together a group of accomplished scholars spanning economics, management, public policy and finance. Drawing on the experiences and insights of leading scholars this Research Agenda covers a broad array of rich and promising topics, including entrepreneurial ecosystems, finance and the role of universities. Focusing on the intersection and overlap between the two disciplines, the Research Agenda begins by establishing the theoretical basis between the two topics, before exploring impact, context, academic entrepreneurship, start-ups, policy and corporate governance. The book concludes with three provocative chapters: Friederike Welter highlighting the power of words and images, Sameeksha Desai discussing the role of artificial intelligence and Mark Casson presenting a case for radical change to how entrepreneurship is studied. Presenting the most salient findings and themes in current literature, A Research Agenda for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is essential for researchers in innovation, as well as policy makers at both the local and national levels influenced by the increasing importance of entrepreneurship and innovation.

This book addresses the question: how effective are countries in promoting the innovation needed to facilitate an energy transition? Chapters explore energy policy and institutions, innovation policy in general, as well as energy innovation in key countries, including the US, Germany, the UK, China, Japan and Korea, and the EU. At the heart of Energy Innovation for the 21st Century is a fascinating set of international empirical case studies covering supply and demand side technologies at different levels of maturity. These are set within an analytical framework encompassing the functions of technological innovation systems and innovation metrics. The book explores energy, science and technology policies, contextualising the case studies to aid the assessment of the overall performance of innovation systems. Drawing together lessons for energy innovation policy and institutional design, this book is a much-needed resource for sustainability and innovation scholars and researchers. Policy-makers and practitioners will also benefit from the practical advice offered in this timely volume.

This Companion provides a comprehensive, state-of-the-art overview and critical evaluation of existing conceptualizations and new developments in innovation research. Arguing that innovation research requires inter- and trans-disciplinary explanations and methodological pluralism at various levels, it draws on multiple perspectives of innovation, knowledge and creativity from economics, geography, history, management, political science and sociology. The Companion provides the definitive guide to the field and introduces new approaches, perspectives and developments. The Companion systematically analyzes the challenges, problems and gaps in innovation research. Leading scholars reflect upon and critically assess the fundamental topics of the field, including: innovation as a concept innovation and institutions innovation and creativity innovation, networking and communities innovation in permanent spatial settings innovation in temporary and virtual settings innovation, entrepreneurship and market making innovation governance and management. Innovation researchers and students in economics, economic geography, industrial sociology, innovation studies, international business, management and political science will find the Companion to be an essential resource. It will also appeal to practitioners in innovation and policy makers in economic development, public policy and innovation policy. Contributors include: H. Bathelt, N. Bradford, T. Burger-Helmchen, M. Callon, U. Cantner, P. Cohendet, D.H. Cropley, L. D'Adderio, P. Desrochers, U. Dewald, G. Dosi, D. Dougherty, J.Y. Douglas, J.R. Faulconbridge, M.P. Feldman, M. Ferrary, D. Foray, N. Geilinger, E. Giuliani, J. Gluckler, B. Godin, F. Golfetto, G. Grabher, M. Granovetter, S. Haefliger, I. Hamdan-Livramento, A.B. Hargadon, A. Hatchuel, S. Henn, J.-A. Heraud, A.J. Herod, C. Hussler, O. Ibert, A. Lagendijk, P. Le Masson, S. Leppala, D. Leslie, S. Lhuillery, P. Li, N. Lowe, B.-A. Lundvall, E.J. Maelecki, L. Marengo, S. McGrath-Champ, J. Merkel, S. Ogawa, F. Pachidou, G. Parmentier, J. Penin, G. Pickren, A.C. Pratt, J. Raffo, A. Rainnie, A. Rallet, N.M. Rantisi, D. Rinallo, J. Roberts, R.G. Shearmur, L. Simon, B. Sinclair-Desgagne, B. Spigel, J. Szurmak, A. Torre, B. Truffer, A. Van Assche, W. Vanhaverbeke, S. Vannuccini, C. Vellera, E. Vernette, G. von Krogh, B. Weil, D.A. Wolfe

This major textbook provides a comprehensive yet accessible introduction to the economics of innovation, written for students with some basic knowledge of economics. G.M. Peter Swann contends that innovation is one of the most important economic and business phenomena of our time and a topic of great practical and policy interest, with widespread implications for our economy and society. This book engages with the reader to explore some of the key economic issues concerning innovation. Bridging a gap in the literature, this timely textbook addresses critical questions such as: How should different aspects of innovation be described and classified? What are the incentives to innovate? How should firms organize themselves to promote innovation? What are the effects of innovation on the economy? Do governments have a role in supporting and guiding innovation? Introducing the student to a broad range of issues surrounding the economics of innovation, this text will prove invaluable to students on a variety of courses including economics, business and management, innovation, and science and technology studies.

The emergence of platforms is a novel phenomenon impacting most industries, from products to services. Industry platforms such as Microsoft Windows or Google, embedded within industrial ecosystems, have redesigned our industrial landscapes, upset the balance of power between firms, fostered innovation and raised new questions on competition and innovation. Annabelle Gawer presents cutting-edge contributions from 24 top international scholars from 19 universities across Europe, the USA and Asia, from the disciplines of strategy, economics, innovation, organization studies and knowledge management. The novel insights assembled in this volume constitute a fundamental step towards an empirically based, nuanced understanding of the nature of platforms and the implications they hold for the evolution of industrial innovation. The book provides an overview of platforms and discusses governance, management, design and knowledge issues. With a multidisciplinary approach, this book will strongly appeal to academics and advanced students in management, innovation, strategy, economics and design. It will also prove an enlightening read for business managers in IT industries.

This comprehensive handbook explores the interactions between the practice, policy, and theory of innovation. The goal is twofold: to increase insight into this dynamic process, searching for options to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of both policy and innovative practice, and to identify conceptual or empirical lacunae and questions that can guide future research. The handbook is a joint project from 24 prominent scholars in the field, and although each chapter reveals the insights of its respective authors, two overarching theoretical perspectives provide unique coherence and consistency throughout. This original reference work will not only provide valuable insights for scholars and students on innovation studies, but also to policymakers and practitioners. Contributors: A. Bergek, K. Blind, P. Boekholt, B. Carlsson, C. Chaminade, S.E. Cozzens, B. Dankbaar, P. den Hertog, J. Edler, C. Edquist, L. Elg, S.J.H. Graham, D.H. Guston, M. Hekkert, S. Jacobsson, S. Kuhlmann, B.R. Martin, J. Molas-Gallart, D. Sarewitz, P. Shapira, K. Smith, R. Smits, M. Teubal, R. van Merkerk, G. Vissers

This major textbook provides a comprehensive yet accessible introduction to the economics of innovation, written for students with some basic knowledge of economics. G.M. Peter Swann contends that innovation is one of the most important economic and business phenomena of our time and a topic of great practical and policy interest, with widespread implications for our economy and society. This book engages with the reader to explore some of the key economic issues concerning innovation. Bridging a gap in the literature, this timely textbook addresses critical questions such as: How should different aspects of innovation be described and classified? What are the incentives to innovate? How should firms organize themselves to promote innovation? What are the effects of innovation on the economy? Do governments have a role in supporting and guiding innovation? Introducing the student to a broad range of issues surrounding the economics of innovation, this text will prove invaluable to students on a variety of courses including economics, business and management, innovation, and science and technology studies.

Cooperative networks have gained a tremendous amount of attention over the last several years because of their existence not only in biological, social and economic arenas, but because of direct applications in many more areas such as communications, robotics and military sciences. This volume reflects a cross-fertilization of ideas from a broad set of disciplines and creativity from a diverse array of scientific and engineering research.While the benefits of networks in general have been recognized for quite some time, the idea of cooperative networks has several novel implications. Because distributed processing by heterogeneous nodes promises significant increases in system capability, performance and efficiency, research has intensified with a breadth of promising applications. Topics in this volume include networks of unmanned vehicles in uncertain environments, networks subject to eavesdropping and jamming, optimal node task-allocation, network complexity analysis, cooperative search involving multiple unmanned vehicles, and cooperative communications in ad-hoc networks, optimal control and optimization in man-in-the-loop scenarios. A broad array of readers, including faculty, graduate students and researchers interested in optimization, computer science, engineering, the social and behavioral sciences and related applications in cooperative systems will find this volume of great value.

Foresight has emerged as a key instrument for the development and implementation of research and innovation policy. The main focus of activity has been at the national level. Governments have sought to set priorities, to build networks between science and industry and, in some cases, to change their research system and administrative culture. Foresight has been used as a set of technical tools, or as a way to encourage more structured debate with wider participation leading to the shared understanding of long-term issues. In this comprehensive and critical Handbook, cross-cutting analytical chapters explore the emergence and positioning of foresight, common approaches and methods, organisational issues, and the scope for policy transfer and evaluation. Leading experts and practitioners contribute chapters analysing experiences in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the USA, Japan, China, Latin America, small European nations, Nordic countries and selected developing countries. The book concludes with consideration of the future of foresight itself. This fascinating Handbook will appeal equally to those wishing to apply foresight to their policy or strategy-making activities, and to those studying the theory and practice of foresight. The Handbook will be vital reading for policymakers considering, commissioning, or using foresight, companies eager to use public foresight, as well as academics and researchers in foresight, futures and STI policy and management communities.

The convergence of technology-based competitive capabilities among the world's economies has drastically altered the required economic growth strategies in industrialized nations. Based on a variety of corporate and government investment trend data and comparisons among national growth strategies, Gregory Tassey examines how this convergence has created an imperative for new growth models and strategies. In particular, he analyzes the major policy mechanisms for stimulating R&D investment and improving R&D efficiency over technology life cycles, detailing the needed changes. In the 65 years since Joseph Schumpeter's classic characterization of the 'creative destruction' process of industrial technological change, the role of technology in economic growth has grown relentlessly. The author provides the first detailed assessment of underinvestment in R&D and the two major R&D policy response mechanisms - tax policy and direct funding. The policy models and analyses presented are based largely on US economic experience, but the resulting prescriptions are relevant for all existing and emerging technology-based economies. The author's ultimate message is that the industry-centric Schumpeterian model must be expanded to one in which competition among governments is as important as it is within the private sector. This cutting-edge study will be of interest to science and technology policy researchers and analysts, economists focusing on the impacts of technological change, government managers of science and technology programs, and industry managers from high-tech firms.

The Asia Pacific has emerged as one of the most dynamic regions in the world, presenting a variety of social and economic experiences and responses to global pressures. In this book twelve country case studies explore the ways in which national science, technology and innovation policies are evolving in response to globalization. The editors argue that the national innovation system (NIS) perspective is driving policy regimes toward new approaches in policy intervention. Underlying the new policy agenda is a concern with reframing the role for science, technology and innovation institutions including higher education and integrating local community, national and global technology objectives. Presenting a broad analysis, the book will be of great interest to policy analysts and practitioners concerned with science, technology and innovation policy. It will also appeal to academic and postgraduate students concerned with innovation and industrial development, as well as scholars and practitioners engaged in regional development and international business in the Asia pacific region.

This unique study investigates the path of innovation in the electrical, electronics and communications engineering industries. It presents a holistic, multi-disciplinary analysis of innovation based on case studies of paradigm-changing inventions - spanning two hundred years - which altered the course of the global economy. The stimuli and constraints which control the dynamics of these innovations are pin-pointed in this book and applied to emerging technologies. Roger Cullis tests the analysis using a recent technology which underpins the embryonic information-based economy. He demonstrates that it is possible to use the hierarchical and time dependent nature of the stimuli and constraints he has identified to predict the likely success of a new technological invention. Considering the impact of all factors which contribute to the success of innovations, this unique book will be of great interest to inventors, patent attorneys and intellectual property practitioners and academics. It will also interest licensing executives and venture capitalists, innovation economists and government policymakers.

This Companion provides a comprehensive, state-of-the-art overview and critical evaluation of existing conceptualizations and new developments in innovation research. Arguing that innovation research requires inter- and trans-disciplinary explanations and methodological pluralism at various levels, it draws on multiple perspectives of innovation, knowledge and creativity from economics, geography, history, management, political science and sociology. The Companion provides the definitive guide to the field and introduces new approaches, perspectives and developments. The Companion systematically analyzes the challenges, problems and gaps in innovation research. Leading scholars reflect upon and critically assess the fundamental topics of the field, including: innovation as a concept innovation and institutions innovation and creativity innovation, networking and communities innovation in permanent spatial settings innovation in temporary and virtual settings innovation, entrepreneurship and market making innovation governance and management. Innovation researchers and students in economics, economic geography, industrial sociology, innovation studies, international business, management and political science will find the Companion to be an essential resource. It will also appeal to practitioners in innovation and policy makers in economic development, public policy and innovation policy. Contributors include: H. Bathelt, N. Bradford, T. Burger-Helmchen, M. Callon, U. Cantner, P. Cohendet, D.H. Cropley, L. D'Adderio, P. Desrochers, U. Dewald, G. Dosi, D. Dougherty, J.Y. Douglas, J.R. Faulconbridge, M.P. Feldman, M. Ferrary, D. Foray, N. Geilinger, E. Giuliani, J. Gluckler, B. Godin, F. Golfetto, G. Grabher, M. Granovetter, S. Haefliger, I. Hamdan-Livramento, A.B. Hargadon, A. Hatchuel, S. Henn, J.-A. Heraud, A.J. Herod, C. Hussler, O. Ibert, A. Lagendijk, P. Le Masson, S. Leppala, D. Leslie, S. Lhuillery, P. Li, N. Lowe, B.-A. Lundvall, E.J. Maelecki, L. Marengo, S. McGrath-Champ, J. Merkel, S. Ogawa, F. Pachidou, G. Parmentier, J. Penin, G. Pickren, A.C. Pratt, J. Raffo, A. Rainnie, A. Rallet, N.M. Rantisi, D. Rinallo, J. Roberts, R.G. Shearmur, L. Simon, B. Sinclair-Desgagne, B. Spigel, J. Szurmak, A. Torre, B. Truffer, A. Van Assche, W. Vanhaverbeke, S. Vannuccini, C. Vellera, E. Vernette, G. von Krogh, B. Weil, D.A. Wolfe

This book investigates the antecedents and consequences of information technology adoption among small and medium sized enterprises.Following the well publicized 'Internet bubble', the rate of adoption of such technologies - especially of Internet-based solutions - has slowly changed among small firms, leading to a very mixed picture. Whilst a significant number of these small firms are still excluded from such technologies, others show very complex patterns of adoption and implementation. What is the reason for these differences, and do they explain performance heterogeneity among small firms? Andrea Ordanini addresses these questions by formulating various models of information technology adoption and its impact on marketing and procurement processes. The models are then tested on a sample of 700 small organizations. Their results provide various implications for managers and present suggestions for policy makers wishing to improve the effective use of information technologies within small firms. This book will strongly appeal to researchers, academics and students with an interest in business and management, entrepreneurship, technology and innovation. Entrepreneurs, managers, consultants and policy institutions interested in promoting technology diffusion among SMEs will also find the book to be of great interest.

This book suggests that the scope and breadth of regulatory reforms since the mid-1980s and particularly during the 1990s, are so striking that they necessitate a reappraisal of current approaches to the study of the politics of regulation. The authors call for the adoption of different and fresh perspectives to examine this area. The contributors to this volume analyse how regulatory regimes that were once peculiar to the US and a few industries have, in recent years, come to define the best practice of governance over the world capitalist economy and over numerous social and economic sectors. They go on to suggest various explanations for the expansion of regulatory institutions, addressing some of the most critical problems and offering new methodological techniques to enable further study. The contributions also provide distinct cross-national and cross-sectoral comparative approaches, and emphasise the changes in the economic and social context of regulation and the implications of these developments on the rise of the regulatory state. These changes, together with the general advance in the study of regulation, undoubtedly demand a re-evaluation of the theory of regulation, its methodologies and scope of application. This book is a perceptive investigation of recent evolutions in the manner and extent of governance through regulation. Scholars and students of comparative politics, public policy, regulation theory, institutional economics and political sociology will find it to be essential reading. It will also prove a valuable source of reference for those working or dealing with regulatory authorities and for business managers in private industries and services operating under a regulatory framework.

This book explores the innovation processes involved in the application and use of Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) at work and in everyday life. These are analysed through an unparalleled set of 23 European case studies, which, uniquely, address both the design/development and the implementation of ICT applications across the cultural, civic information and education sectors. The authors draw upon a range of analytical traditions - from sociology of technology and cultural and consumption studies, to computer systems design - to build an integrated, evolutionary understanding of the processes of innovation in ICT. Their social learning perspective addresses the collective learning and negotiation processes involved, highlighting the contribution of technology users, as well as designers and developers, in shaping innovation. The book will have an immediate readership amongst scholars of technology studies, as well as researchers and practitioners interested in computer system development and human computer interaction.

When is international patent law cooperation and harmonization welfare-enhancing? What is the role of international institutions - WIPO and the WTO - in furthering such harmonization? This book explores these questions from a global welfarist, rationalist perspective. It grounds its analysis in innovation theory and a examination of patent law and prosecution, incorporating the uncertainty of patent law's impact on welfare at a detailed level, dynamic changes, the skewed nature of patent value and the difficulty of textually capturing patent concepts. Using tools from new institutional economics, it explores future design implications for international institutions, analyzing grounds for international cooperation as collective action problems and applying historical, political and transaction cost analyses. Academics, students and practitioners interested in international economic law, specifically in respect of patents, innovation and intellectual property, the TRIPs Agreement, the WTO and WIPO will find this book essential. It will also prove insightful for researchers whose primary background is in international relations or international political economy, but are seeking an introduction to the patent and intellectual property field. Contents: Introduction Part I: Welfare-Enhancing Harmonization 1. Domestic Patent Law, Autarchic Analysis 2. The Value of Diversity: Relaxed Autarchy 3. Bases for Harmonization Part II: International Patent Law Institutions 4. History 5. International Patent Cooperation as Collective Action 6. Institutional Analysis: WIPO and the WTO Conclusions and Implications References

The interdependencies between politics, governance and technology have created a 'virtual state'. The author analyses this development within the framework of postmodernism in order to illustrate the importance of adopting a postmodern perspective to understand the theory and practice of public administration and politics. This book examines the special connections linking politics, administration and technology in the 'information society'. Paul Frissen describes recent developments both within public administration and in postmodernism and uses examples from Dutch public administration in order to emphasise the importance of the postmodern perspective. Finally, the author considers the role of politics in the virtual state. This book will prove to be invaluable to scholars of public and social policy, public administration and politics. The translation was funded by NWO, the Dutch Organization for Scientific Research.

'The challenges of poverty and social exclusion cannot be fully resolved through conventional public sector policies and market-led innovation. The case studies in this Handbook capture some of the key success factors of socially innovative action in different socio-economic contexts. This Handbook will inspire readers as it highlights the creativity and commitment of diverse enterprises and movements working for social innovation.' - Anna Kajumulo Tibaijuka, Minister for Lands, Housing and Human Settlements, United Republic of Tanzania, and retired UN Under Secretary General, immediate former Executive Director of UN-HABITAT 'Social innovation may not be a new idea but it is clearly an idea whose time has come, not least because the traditional models of innovation - narrowly framed technical models - have run their course and no longer resonate in a world of societal challenges. This Handbook has two great merits - it brings conceptual rigour to the debate and it provides compelling narratives of social innovation in practice.' - Kevin Morgan, Cardiff University, UK This enriching Handbook covers many aspects of the scientific and socio-political debates on social innovation today. The contributors provide an overview of theoretical perspectives, methodologies and instructive experiences from all continents, as well as implications for collective action and policy. They argue strongly for social innovation as a key to human development. The Handbook defines social innovation as innovation in social relations within both micro and macro spheres, with the purpose of satisfying unmet or new human needs across different layers of society. It connects social innovation to empowerment dynamics, thus giving a political character to social movements and bottom-up governance initiatives. Together these should lay the foundations for a fairer, more democratic society for all. This interdisciplinary work, written by scholars collaborating to develop a joint methodological perspective toward social innovation agency and processes, will be invaluable for students and researchers in social science and humanities. It will also appeal to policy makers, policy analysts, lobbyists and activists seeking to give inspiration and leadership from a social innovation perspective. Contributors: A. Abreu, J. Andersen, I. Andre, L. Arthur, A. Ashta, A. Bilfeldt, I. Calzada, S. Cameron, A. Carmo, K. Dayson, P. Debruyne, J. Defourny, K. Delica, A. Dubeux, S. Eizaguirre Anglada, V. Espinoza, A.C. Fernandes, J.-M. Fontan, L. Fraisse, M.S. Frandsen, M. Garcia Cabeza, R. Gera, J.K. Gibson-Graham, S. Habersack, A. Hamdouch, D. Harrisson, S. Hettihewa, J. Hillier, L. Hulgard, B. Jessop, J.-L. Klein, H. Konstantatos, N.V. Krishna, N. Kunnen, B. Levesque, D. MacCallum, F. Martinelli, A. Mehmood, A. Membretti, E. Midheme, F. Moulaert, A. Novy, M. Nyssens, S. Oosterlynck, C. Parra, T. Pilati, M. Pradel Miquel, G. Roelvink, B. Schaller, P.K. Shajahan, D. Siatitsa, P. Singer, C. Tornaghi, D.-G. Tremblay, D. Vaiou, P. Van den Broeck, B. Van Dyck, S. Vicari Haddock, T. Vitale, C. Wright, S. Young