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. This insightful Research Agenda offers unique perspectives into the different strands of social innovation research, covering the history and theory of this ever-growing research field. Chapters show the range and depth of the social advances that characterize this vibrant and contested subject, and analyse the strong increase in political and public interest in social innovation. Exploring the potential influence of social innovation on important social factors, the Research Agenda looks at education, poverty reduction, environmental policies, and health and social care. Contributors examine the approaches and successful initiatives that illustrate the strengths of social innovations in manifold areas and in establishing sustainable patterns of consumption, while coping with demographic change. Possible future research pathways are outlined and new topics such as social innovation ecosystems, epistemic diversities and sustainable development are examined in detail. This discerning and innovative Research Agenda will be an ideal read for social innovation researchers, policy-makers and innovation-policy stakeholders. It will be a welcome addition to the literature for innovation practitioners and entrepreneurs looking for theoretical insights into this influential subject.

In recent years, social innovation has experienced a steep career. Numerous national governments and large organisations like the OECD, the European Commission and UNESCO have adopted the term. Social innovation basically means that people adopt new social practices in order to meet social needs in a different or more effective way. Prominent examples of the past are the Red Cross and the social welfare state or, at present, the internet 2.0 transforming our communication and cooperation schemes, requiring new management concepts, even empowering social revolutions. The traditional concept of innovation as successful new technological products needs fundamental rethinking in a society marked by knowledge and services, leading to a new and enriched paradigm of innovation. There is multiple evidence that social innovation will become of growing importance not only concerning social integration, equal opportunities and dealing with the greenhouse effects but also with regard to preserving and expanding the innovative capacity of companies and societies. While political authorities stress the social facets of social innovation, this book also encompasses its societal and systemic dimensions, collecting the scientific expertise of renowned experts and scholars from all over the world. Based on the contributions of the first world-wide science convention on social innovation from September 2011 in Vienna, the book provides an overview of scientific approaches to this still relatively new field. Forewords by Agnes HUBERT (Member of the Bureau of European Policy Advisers (BEPA) of the European Commission) and Antonella Noya (Senior Policy Analyst at OECD, manager of the OECD LEED Forum on Social Innovations)

In recent years, social innovation has experienced a steep career. Numerous national governments and large organisations like the OECD, the European Commission and UNESCO have adopted the term. Social innovation basically means that people adopt new social practices in order to meet social needs in a different or more effective way. Prominent examples of the past are the Red Cross and the social welfare state or, at present, the internet 2.0 transforming our communication and cooperation schemes, requiring new management concepts, even empowering social revolutions. The traditional concept of innovation as successful new technological products needs fundamental rethinking in a society marked by knowledge and services, leading to a new and enriched paradigm of innovation. There is multiple evidence that social innovation will become of growing importance not only concerning social integration, equal opportunities and dealing with the greenhouse effects but also with regard to preserving and expanding the innovative capacity of companies and societies. While political authorities stress the social facets of social innovation, this book also encompasses its societal and systemic dimensions, collecting the scientific expertise of renowned experts and scholars from all over the world. Based on the contributions of the first world-wide science convention on social innovation from September 2011 in Vienna, the book provides an overview of scientific approaches to this still relatively new field. Forewords by Agnes HUBERT (Member of theBureau of European Policy Advisers (BEPA) of the European Commission) and Antonella Noya (Senior Policy Analyst at OECD, manager of the OECD LEED Forum on Social Innovations)

Innovationen in Kooperativen Dienstleistungssystemen - so unsere These - lassen sich kaum noch trennscharf in technologische und soziale Innovationen unterteilen. Kooperative Dienstleistungssysteme verweisen auf neue Formen der menschlichen Zusammenarbeit, die gemeinsame Interessen oder Problemstell- gen bearbeiten, und die dafur neue Technologien einsetzen und weiterent- ckeln, um die eigenen Kooperationsprozesse zu unterstutzen. Naturlich haben sich technische Innovationen und soziale Veranderungen schon immer wechselseitig beeinflusst. Gleichwohl scheint sich das Verhaltnis von technologischer und sozialer Innovation heute in neuer Form zu prasent- ren. Die wohl bemerkenswertesten Veranderungen lassen sich gegenwartig dort ablesen, wo klassische Organisations- bzw. Systemgrenzen verschwimmen und wo wir so etwas wie kundenbasierte Innovationsprozesse ( user driven innova- on') beobachten. Die aktive Einbeziehung bzw. das Eindringen von Kunden, Burgern, Betroffenen oder Patienten in vormals abgeschottete Innovationssys- me verweist auf tiefgreifende Verschiebungen in den Strukturen, wie und wo Innovationen entstehen. Naturlich gibt es auch Grenzen: Ein Verkehrsflugzeug lasst sich nicht uber Open Innovation' entwickeln und produzieren. Denn wo Innovationen erst durch kapitalintensive Strukturen ermoglicht werden, finden Innovationen meist im Umfeld von abgrenzbaren Institutionen und Organisationen statt. Wo Inno- tionen aber in erster Linie durch wissensintensive Strukturen ermoglicht werden, konnen sich neue Formen der menschlichen Zusammenarbeit herausbilden, fur deren Beschreibung wir den Begriff des Kooperativen Dienstleistungssystems vorschlagen."

Die Autoren dokumentieren die zentralen Ergebnisse des vom Bundesministerium fur Bildung und Forschung (BMBF) geforderten Forschungsprojektes cross company knowledge management (crosscomp). Ziel war die Erforschung und Erprobung neuer Konzepte und Methoden der Wissensgenerierung in organisationsubergreifenden Kooperationsnetzwerken entlang der Wertschopfungskette Wissen. Im Mittelpunkt stehen kleine und mittelgrosse Dienstleistungsunternehmen im Bereich Organisationsberatung und Multimedia/IT."

Wissenschaftler und Praktiker beschreiben die Chancen und Probleme der Arbeit
von Netzwerken und Kooperationsverbunden im Hinblick auf regionale und
betriebliche Innovationsprozesse."

Netzwerke, Kooperationen und Verbunde gewinnen zunehmend an Bedeutung, wenn es um die Sicherung des Unternehmenserfolgs und die Zukunftsfahigkeit von Unternehmen geht. Die Grundung von Kooperationen stellt an Unternehmen allerdings ungewohnte Anforderungen, die haufig Probleme bereiten. In dem Handbuch beschreiben erfahrene Netzwerkmanager und -betreuer die Grundlagen erfolgreichen Kooperierens und geben Einblicke in die Praxis branchen- und themenbezogener Kooperationen. Der Band enthalt Checklisten sowie einen ausfuhrlichen Serviceteil."