The Open Book of Social Innovation
This report maps methods and tools for designing, developing, and growing social innovation across the public, private, civil society, and household sectors. Drawing on inputs from hundreds of organisations, it documents how social innovation operates in the overlapping fields of the social economy, social entrepreneurship, and social enterprise.
Primary findings
Social innovation draws on methods from many sectors, not a single organisational form
ExploratoryGrowing impact depends on stages from prompts and proposals through sustaining and scaling
ExploratoryPublic, private, and civil society actors each play distinct roles in social innovation systems
ExploratoryConditions that enable social innovation can be deliberately designed and supported
Exploratory
Methodology
Comparative synthesis of global practice cases and innovation methods across sectors and fields
Application context
Limitations
- Single-study synthesis; context may not transfer universally.
Evidence suggests association within stated boundaries — not universal causation.