Revealing the social face of innovation
Date
2015
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Academy of Science of South Africa
Abstract
Despite the introduction of social innovation in the 1996 White Paper on Science and Technology, the concept
of social innovation has not been actively implemented or even diffused outside of the policy arena in South
Africa. Perceptions about what the concept of social innovation should encompass are contested and range
from ideas of social welfare outcomes, public goods and a primary focus on the poor. More recently, the
emphasis has been on inclusive development that embraces and supports the poor as innovators and which
incorporates elements of social and economic development. While contestation in terminology persists,
evidence from South Africa’s rural areas suggests that although there may be limited state intervention,
hampered by structural constraints, and limited understanding of contemporary ideas about innovation and
social innovation, local actors practise a variety of forms of social innovation. In most instances, the purpose
is to improve social and economic well-being of the poor. Such innovation activities occur almost as widely
and as often as strictly commercially oriented innovation activities. However, it is unclear from observed
social innovation practices who should benefit from these practices (the poor or everyone), how (directly
or indirectly) and when (immediately or gradually). It is suggested that extensive use of the actor-oriented
sociological approach to understanding social dynamics in both science and development can provide a
means of understanding the subtleties involved in innovation practices and its use should be adopted to
address structural challenges within the National System of Innovation that mediate against the contribution
of innovations to the poor for inclusive development.
Description
CITATION: Hart, T.G.B., et al. 2015. Revealing the social face of innovation. South African Journal of Science, 111(9-10): 1-6, doi: 10.17159/sajs.2015/20140126.
The original publication is available at http://www.sajs.co.za
The original publication is available at http://www.sajs.co.za
Keywords
Social innovation -- South Africa, Social problems -- South Africa, Community development -- South Africa, South Africa -- Social policy, Social planning -- South Africa
Citation
Hart, T.G.B., et al. 2015. Revealing the social face of innovation. South African Journal of Science, 111(9-10): 1-6, doi: 10.17159/sajs.2015/20140126