Social innovation

For the purposes of this portal social innovation is defined as new strategies, concepts, ideas and organisations that meet social needs. Activities as diverse as micro-financing, the reformulation of the arts sector as ‘creative industries’ and the introduction of community development workers are regarded as social innovations.

Generally speaking social innovation takes place within society or the non-profit sector, but can also take place within government and private companies. The documents related to social innovation and policy in this section are aimed at supporting rigorous approaches to policy formulation.

Policy briefs

• From Evidence to Action: a newsletter of the Policy > Action Network 
  
  Issue 4 of the newsletter focuses on the issue of violent crime in South Africa. The newsletter aims to stimulate debate around evidence-based policy-making. To contribute to future editions plesae send your submissions to pan@hsrc.ac.za­.
  Policy > Action Network, August 2011
• From Evidence to Action: Issue three: Child-centred policy 
  
  Issue Three of the PAN newsletter focuses on the interface between child-centred evidence and related policy. It features a range of resources that illustrate how child-focused data and research evidence can contribute to and inform better outcomes for children when formulating social policy.
  Human Sciences Research Council and the Programme to Support Pro-Poor Policy Development, June 2011
• Identity, politics and public policy 
  
  Aims to understand what new evidence can reveal about some important public policy questions that involve issues around identity.
  Institute for Public Policy Research, April 2010
• Innovation in response to social challenges 
  
  Argues that the mechanisms for stimulating social innovation need to be investigated in a systematic way through a programme of practice-based research. Also read other policy briefings from NESTA
  National Endowment for Science Technology and Arts, 2008
• Ready or not?: taking innovation in the public sector seriously 
  
  An account of innovation in the public sector, with an innovation checklist, and six elements of an innovative public sector. Also read other provocations from NESTA.
  National Endowment for Science Technology and Arts, April 2007
• Using emergence to take social innovation to scale 
  
  Reviews the influence of networ­ks on social innovation initiatives.
  Impact Alliance, February 2007
• Vacancy: Head: Research Use and Impact Assessment (RIA) (Deputy Executive Director) 
  
  The Research Use and Impact (RIA) programme at the HSRC wishes to appoint a suitable candidate to lead the programme. The successful candidate will be based in Pretoria on a 5 year contract. The closing date for applications is 18 November 2011.­­
  Human Sciences Research Council, November 2011

Research reports & papers

• Call for papers: Social movements, civil society and transitional justice 
  
  The International Journal of Transitional Justice invites submissions for its 2011 special issue, with a 1 April 2011 deadline.­
  Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation, January 2011
• Co-operatives for development  
  
  Views on cooperatives as instruments that provide a stake in major economies for communities and create incentives for social cohesion.­
  South African Civil Society Information Service (Sacsis), January 2011
• Towards better use of evidence in policy formation: A discussion paper 
  
  A report intended as an initial high-level paper to stimulate discussion amongst New Zealand policy advisors and policy makers.­
  Gluckman, P., May 2011
• African innovation outlook 2010  
  
  The first document mapping activities in science, technology and innovation in African countries, for the formulation of policies for science development and the promotion of knowledge-based socio-economic development.
  NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency, May 2011
• Assessing progress in Africa toward the Millennium Development Goals 
  
  Highlights policy innovations including expanded social protection programmes in Africa that are facilitating progress toward at­tainment of the Millennium Development Goals.
  United Nations Development Programme, September 2010
• At arm's length - the relationship between research & policy in arts & culture 
  
  Examines how the SA­ Department of Arts and Culture and some provinces have conceived of and used research in the formulation of arts and culture policy since 1994.
  Deacon, H., October 2009
• Citizens' engagement in policymaking and the design of public services 
  
  Citizen participation in policymaking and service design has been debated or attempted, but too infrequently realised. Considers current reform initiatives in the Australian Public Service (APS) and examines the implications of citizen-centric ideals for the processes and structures of government agencies.­
  Australian Public Service (APS), July 2011
• Connecting ideas: Collaborative innovation for a complex world 
  
  Argues that complex challenges confronting Australia require a shift in ­approaches to problem solving and innovation, drawing on all disciplines.
  Australian Institute for Social Research, University of Adelaide, May 2010
• Evidence for social policy and practice: Perspectives on how research and evidence can influence decision making in public services 
  
  Essays from organisations using different methodologies and approaches to generate evidence and influence policy and practice in a number of service areas including criminal justice, childrens' services and poverty reduction.
  NESTA, April 2011
• Forms of knowledge and modes of innovation 
  
  Contrasts two modes of innovation, and makes recommendations on their combined use for improved innovation outcomes.
  Research Policy, June 2007
• Implementing the APRM: Views from civil society  
  
  Assembled collaboratively over the past year by several South African civil society organisations (CSOs), this report scrutinises the country’s track record in fighting corruption, managing diversity, addressing xenophobia and racism, managing elections, consolidating democracy and upholding the rule of law, as well as confronting social exclusion and effective service delivery. ­­
  APRM Monitoring Project (AMP), June 2011
• In and out of sync: the challenge of growing social innnovations 
  
  Examines social innovations to find out how they grow and spread, and what can be done to achieve scale. Also read other reports from NESTA.
  National Endowment for Science Technology and Arts, September 2007
• In search of an effective innovation policy  
  
  Discusses barriers to the formulation of innovation policies and indicates what an effective policy should involve.
  INSEAD Innovation and Policy Initiative, May 2010
• Innovation and poverty reduction 
  
  Discusses the concept of innovation and how it can be applied to local solutions to reduce poverty.
  Caledon Institute of Social Policy, November 2003
• Innovation policies as social policies: on strategies for the pursuit of proactive equality in underdevelopment 
  
  Explores the theory that inequality can be reduced by connecting innovation policies with social needs.
  Universidad de la Republica, 2005
• Intellectual property and access to medicines: an analysis of legislation in Central America 
  
  How intellectual property provisions impact on medicines access in developing countries.
  Bulletin of the World Health Organisation, October 2009
• Investing in social innovation: harnessing the potential of partnership between corporations and social entrepreneurs 
  JF Kennedy School of Government, Harvard, 2006
• Knowledge, networks and nations: Global scientific collaboration in the 21st century 
  
  Reviews the changing patterns of science, and scientific collaboration, in order to provide a basis for understanding such ongoing changes. Aims to identify the opportunities and benefits of international collaboration, to consider how they can best be realised, and to initiate a debate on how international scientific collaboration can be harnessed to tackle global problems more effectively.
  Royal Society, March 2011
• Mass localism: A way to help small communities solve big social challenges 
  
  Proposes an approach by which central and local government can encourage local responses to social challenges.
  NESTA, February 2010
• OECD innovation strategy: getting a head start on tomorrow 
  
  Offers a cross-government approach to ­sustainable growth and improved social welfare. Offers rigorous data and evidence-based analysis for updating policies across government.
  OECD, May 2010
• Rediscovering social innovation  
  

  Argues that social innovation is a better vehicle for achieving social change than social entrepreneurship or social enterprise.

  Stanford Social Innovation Review, September 2008
• Research support to the Fagerberg Committee 
  
  A review of Norway's research system in preparation for possible reforms. Based on comparative data from Canada, Denmark, Finland, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, the United Kingdom and Norway.­
  technopolis, March 2011
• Right here, right now: Taking co-production into the mainstream 
  
  Argues that co-production, where public services are designed and delivered with users rather than ‘to’ and ‘for’ them, is the key to transforming public services.­­
  National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA), July 2010
• Social innovation in Canada: how the non-profit sector serves Canadians ... and how it can serve them better 
  Canadian Policy Research Networks, November 2004
• Social profits 
  
  Discusses the various dimensions of that sector of the economy in which business enterprises and economic activity seek both to generate revenue while advancing social goals.
  Caledon Institute of Social Policy, September 2008
• South African Development Index (SADI) 
  
  An initiative by the South African Institute of Race Relations which aims to track development trends in South Africa, and will be released on a quarterly basis. ­
  South African Institute of Race Relations, February 2011
• State of the cities report: Towards resilient cities 
  
  Assesses the progress made by South African cities over the last decade in relation to key development outcomes and reviews strategic problems and opportunities relating to planning and management­
  South African Cities Network (SACN), April 2011
• The African creative economy: Arts, culture and creative industry research in Africa 
  
  Collates existing research material on the impact of the art and creative industries on Africa’s economy over the last five years.
  Arterial Network, 2009
• The dilemmas of engagement: The role of consultation in government 
  
  Maps out some ­approaches used by governments to engage with communities.
  Australian National University, June 2009
• The impact of culture on creativity 
  
  Calls for policies on innovation to recognise cross-sectoral and multi-disciplinary aspects of creativity, including elements of 'culture-based creativity', 'economic' and 'technological innovation.'
  KEA, June 2009
• The Innovation imperative: why radical innovation is needed to reinvent public services for the recession and beyond 
  
  Calls for radical innovation in public services in response to the international economic downturn.
  
  National Endowment for Science Technology and Arts, March 2009
• The state of the world's children 2011: Adolescence - an age of opportunity 
  
  Examines the global state of adolescents, outlines the challenges they face in health, education, protection and participation, and argues that investing in them now is our best hope of breaking the intergenerational cycle of poverty and inequity and laying the foundation for a more peaceful, tolerant and equitable world.
  UNICEF, March 2011
• The university in development case studies of use-oriented research 
  
  This analysis provides new understandings of current concepts of 'globalisation', 'use-oriented' research, 'knowledge society and economy', and 'national system of innovation'.
  HSRC Press, November 2011

Case studies

• Call for proposals: To conduct a series of case studies on the policy influence of impact studies 
  
  Call for proposals to conduct a series of case studies to identify factors that contribute to or impede evidence from rigorous impact evaluations to influence policy(deadline is 28 February 2011).
  International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie), February 2011
• Cooperatives and development 
  
  A helpdesk research report which provides an overview of the role of cooperatives in pro-poor aid interventions and development, and identifies­ donor approaches and lessons learned in supporting and facilitating their role and impact.
  Governance and Social Development Resource Centre, April 2011
• Grameen Foundation 
  
  The ­Grameen Foundation website highlights successful microfinancing case studies in a number of countries, and how these were implemented. Note information on the Progress out of Poverty Index.
  2009
• Health innovation networks to help developing countries address neglected diseases 
  
  Highlights an important means to improve health equity: the growing ability of some developing countries to undertake health innovation.
  Science, July 2005
• Systematic review database 
  
  ­This database provides policymakers and practitioners with easy access to systematic reviews that examine evidence on the effects of social and economic development interventions in low- and middle-income countries. It draws together systematic reviews from a range of sources and covers all sectors.
  International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie), September 2011
• Taking leadership, innovating change: Profiles in family, school, and community engagement 
  
  Gives twelve examples of leading innovations in family engagement as an integral and effective strategy in systemic education reform.
  Harvard Family Research Project, March 2010
• The smoke that calls: Insurgent citizenship, collective violence and the struggle for a place in the new South Africa  
  
  Eight case studies of community protest and xenophobic violence in South Africa with recommendations under the categories of social justice activism, reforming the state, and socio-economic interventions.­
  Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR), July 2011
• Where biodiversity, traditional knowledge, health and livelihoods meet: Institutional pillars for productive inclusion of local communities (Brazil case study) 
  
  Considers questions regarding medicinal plants with a view to exploring opportunities for productive inclusion of traditional communities. Highlights the importance of bottom-up approaches to policy development and inclues a one-page summary.
  
  
  International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth (IPC-IG), April 2011

Country studies

• Africa Capacity indicators 2011: Capacity development in fragile states 
  
  This report introduces a unique and unprecedented series of data on the state of capacity in Africa. It also examines key issues and challenges confronting in-country and cross-border capacity development.
  African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), February 2011
• Assessing progress in Africa towards the Millennium Development Goals 
  
  The third in a series which discusses what needs to be done further in reaching the MDGs,  an abridged version of a much more comprehensive joint Economic Commission for Africa, African Union Commission, and African Development Bank report.
  United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, February 2009

Toolkits & guidelines

• Call for submissions: Terms of reference for an online course on how to build a policy influence plan 
  
  Call for the development of a course which will improve  organizational capacity to influence public policies in developing countries - deadline 23 January 2011
  Global Development Network (GDNet), January 2011
• Data strategies for policymaking: Identifying international good practice 
  
  Reviews international good practice for using data in policymaking and develops a conceptual framework for characterising and classifying the different elements of a data strategy for public sector orga­nisations.
  RAND Corporation, 2010
• e-Atlas of global development 
  
  A free, online, interactive tool, which maps and graphs more than 175 indicators from the World Bank’s development database.
  World Bank, March 2011
• From Evidence to Action: Issue 6: Evaluating our way to better government performance 
  
  In the final issue of the PAN newsletter for 2011 ­we look at how the evaluation of government programmes can be invaluable in improving performance and service delivery.
  Policy > Action Network, Human Sciences Research Council, December 2011
• From Evidence to Action: P>AN Newsletter 1/2010 
  
  This is the first edition of the Policy > Action Network newsletter, From Evidence to Action, published with support from the Programme to Support Pro-Poor Policy Development (PSPPD), a partnership between the Presidency and the Eu­ropean Union.­
  Policy > Action Network, November 2010
• Handbook on monitoring, evaluating and managing knowledge for policy influence 
  
  The main purpose of this handbook is to facilitate the investment process of a public research institute in developing a system (from the simplest to the most sophisticated) of monitoring and evaluation (M&E), and knowledge management (KM) of the impact of research on public policy.
  CIPPEC, February 2011
• Magenta book 
  
  Sets out the key issues to consider when designing and managing evaluations, and the presentation and interpretation of evaluation results. Describes why thinking about evaluation before and during the policy design phase can help to improve the quality of evaluation results without needing to hinder the policy proce­ss.
  HM Treasury, April 2011
• Managing for development results: A focus on Africa 
  
  A case book aimed at ensuring­ that managers are using evidence to make decisions and development stakeholders are able to keep track of progress.
  African Community of Practice on Managing for Development Results, 2010
• Research as a tool for advocacy 
  
  A presentation outlining approaches to achieving research-based­ policies.
  Institute for Security Studies (ISS), 2010
• Sound expectations: From impact evaluations to policy change 
  
  A conceptual framework to be used in the production of case studies which identify factors that help or hinder rigorous impact evaluations from influencing policy.
  International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie), April 2011
• Tools and resources 
  
  Aims to provide analytical tools and resources to assist analysts and managers with policy development or service-planning projects.
  Population and Sustainable Development, New Zealand, March 2011
• Towards a smarter state 
  
  ­Sets out practical steps that are needed to deliver a more effective state.
  Institute for Public Policy Research, September 2009

Conference & seminar papers

• 1st Latin American conference on research and innovation for health  
  
  This conference worked towards ensuring that research deals with the countries’ health priorities and contributes to equitable development in Latin America.
  Pan American Health Organisation, April 2008
• Community networks as a means to improve service delivery efficiency?: A case study 
  
  Presentation from the 4th UK social networks conference, Greenwich, London.
  Human Sciences Research Council, July 2008
• Complexity of innovation policy of today 
  
  Presentation from the Conference on knowledge for Africa's development.
  Lemola, T., September 2006
• Harnessing Knowledge to Achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Africa 
  
  Presentations from meeting which explored how best African countries can harness knowledge to advance their development and to achieve the targets of the Millennium Declaration Goals (MDGs).
  United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), November 2010
• Innovation conference 2008 
  
  Papers from the CPSI conference which focused on inclusiveness and better access to government services.
  Centre for Public Service Innovation, November 2008
• Innovative South Africa: conference 
  
  Showcased innovation developments in South Africa and provided a platform for developing an innovation policy dialogue with European partners.
  Department of Science and Technology, June 2006
• Presentation: Evaluation as a key source of evidence for policy-making 
  
  Presentation from a seminar which reviewed evidence-based policy-making and the potential role of evaluation as a key, and a systematic, source of evidence. Presented by Dr Ian Goldman, Deputy Director General, Evaluation and Research, DPME,­ The Presidency.­
  Goldman, I., January 2012
• Producing knowledge syntheses that are both rigorous and relevant to policy makers 
  
  Workshop report where participants were enabled to apply a knowledge synthesis ­method including: choosing a relevant policy for study, analysing it, performing a literature review (in a way that differs from literature reviews on simple interventions) and organising deliberative processes.
  National Collaborating Centre for Healthy Public Policy, June 2011
• Public policy: Why ethics matters 
  
  Essays based on a conference which aimed to ­encourage and facilitate debate about the ethical basis for policy making.
  Australian National University, October 2010
• Science with Africa conference: Science, innovation and entrepreneurship 
  
  Explored policies, measures and mechanisms for promoting innovation to meet development challenges in Africa. Launched an online observatory for African inventions and discoveries, and called for applications. ­
  UN Economic Commission for Africa, June 2010
• South Africa's 10 year innovation plan 
  
  ­Presentation providing an overview of the nation­al innovation strategy.
  Department of Science and Technology, 2007

Advocacy initiatives

• 2010 All Africa public sector innovation awards 
  
  The theme 'Promoting good governance through innovative service delivery' is informed by the need for innovative continent-born responses.­ Download the entry form and submit by 31 July.
  
  Centre for Public Service Innovation, March 2010
• African Community of Practice on Managing for Development Results 
  
  A community of over 1,000 practitioners managing for development results (MfDR) from 37 different African countries and regions across the world.
  March 2011
• From Evidence to Action: the Policy > Action Network newsletter 
  
  Download the second issue of the Policy > Action Network newsletter and email pan@hsrc.ac.za if you would like to make comments or submissions for the next issue.
  Human Sciences Research Council, February 2011
• Innovation, sustainability, development: A new manifesto 
  
  Recommends new ways of linking science and innovation to development for a more sustainable, equitable and resilient future.
  STEPS Centre, June 2010
• IPC-IG Internship Programme  
  
  This internship offers outstanding graduate-level students the opportunity to acquire direct exposure to IPC-IG’s work as a global forum for policy dialogue and South-South learning on development innovations.
  International Poverty Centre, January 2011
• Mobilising social justice in South Africa: Perspectives from researchers and practitioners  
  
  Presents findings of five research projects around civil society and strategies for achieving social justice in South Africa.­
  Jeff Handmaker& Remko Bekhout, November 2010
• National Planning Commission (NPC) Jam 
  
  If you have some ideas on building a better South Africa, please register for and participate in the National Planning Commission (NPC)­ Jam (an online brainstorming event from noon on 28 September until noon on 1 October). Additional information can also be found here. ­
  National Planning Commission (NPC) , September 2011
• Observatory of Cultural Policies in Africa 
  
  ­A pan-African non-governmental organisation aiming to enhance the development of national cultural policies in the region and their integration in human development strategies through advocacy and promoting information exchange, research, capacity building and cooperation at the regional and international level.
  January 2010
• Online training: How to build a policy influence plan 
  
  CIPPEC, a leading think tank in Argentina will award 12 scholarships to participate in the third edition of this online training programme developed jointly with Global Development Network (GDN)­ which will start by the end of August 2011.­
  
  CIPPEC, August 2011
• Policy responses and submissions 
  
  Read NESTA's policy responses and submissions over the ­past few years.
  National Endowment for Science Technology and Arts, 2009
• September National Imbizo 
  
  A new Facebook forum for a national citizens' dialogue, currently working against xenophobia and planning for ­a National Indaba in September 2010.
  July 2010
• The Arterial Network 
  
  An informal, dynamic network of individuals, institutions and funding partners working to support the effectiveness and growth of African arts and culture in civil society and to enhance the sustainability of creative industries in Africa.
  2010
• World social forum 2011 
  
  Follow events at this open meeting in Dakar, Senegal from 6-11 February.
  February 2011