IDENTIFYING THE CHARACTERISTICS AND DETERMINANTS OF SUCCESSFUL SOCIAL INNOVATIONS
In the light of its rising popularity across the globe, ‘social innovation’ is chosen as the phenomena for this MBA project dissertation. Social innovation could be defined as a novel solution to a social problem - a solution that is more effective and sustainable than the existing solutions and i...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Dissertation (University of Nottingham only) |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2014
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| Online Access: | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/27137/ |
| _version_ | 1848793314355052544 |
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| author | Kulkarni, Arpit |
| author_facet | Kulkarni, Arpit |
| author_sort | Kulkarni, Arpit |
| building | Nottingham Research Data Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | In the light of its rising popularity across the globe, ‘social innovation’ is chosen as the phenomena for
this MBA project dissertation. Social innovation could be defined as a novel solution to a social
problem - a solution that is more effective and sustainable than the existing solutions and imparts
benefits to the society as a whole. Though ‘social innovation’ is frequently confused with the terms
‘social entrepreneurship’ and ‘social enterprise’, it distinctly differs from the two, and imparts
economic and social benefits to social actors such as governments, businesses, and the society.
Current academic literature has been found to have focussed around different aspects of social
innovation and cases from specific sectors and geographies. However, any research related to
analysing a large number of social innovations across multiple sectors and geographies has not yet
been performed. The objective of this MBA project dissertation is to address this literature gap and
identify the characteristics and determinants of successful social innovations by analysing 100 social
innovations awarded from 2006 to 2014 at nine cross-sectoral awards around the world.
Selection of the awards and the award-winning social innovations is done on the basis of the pre-
defined eligibility criterion. The Kipling Method and the Resource-based Theory are respectively
applied to identify the characteristics and determinants of successful social innovations. Multi-level
and Mixed-method based analysis, and the Frequency Distribution Methodology have been used
whereever required.
From the perspective of the characteristics, analysis of the results reveals that at least one in every
two successful social innovations addresses the global issues development, AIDS, or environment; is
of service innovation or product innovation type; is developed in integration with the technology or
education sectors; is innovated by businesses or non-governmental organisations; and addresses the
urban human settlement. Profitability, novelty, cost effectiveness, simplicity and scalability are
observed to be the top 5 evident capabilities among successful social innovations, whereas novelty,
cost effectiveness and simplicity are found to be the top 3 capabilities that offer temporary advantage
to them. Simplicity, novelty and scalability are identified as the top 3 determinants of successful social
innovations, as these capabilities offer sustained competitive advantage to them.
Certain exceptions are observed when specific sets of successful social innovations are separately
analysed. It is advised that during the development and the study of the future social innovations, the
innovators, policy makers, executive sponsors, and research groups should take into consideration
the characteristics and determinants (along with respective exceptions) of successful social innovations. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T18:58:20Z |
| format | Dissertation (University of Nottingham only) |
| id | nottingham-27137 |
| institution | University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T18:58:20Z |
| publishDate | 2014 |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | nottingham-271372021-12-23T14:14:33Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/27137/ IDENTIFYING THE CHARACTERISTICS AND DETERMINANTS OF SUCCESSFUL SOCIAL INNOVATIONS Kulkarni, Arpit In the light of its rising popularity across the globe, ‘social innovation’ is chosen as the phenomena for this MBA project dissertation. Social innovation could be defined as a novel solution to a social problem - a solution that is more effective and sustainable than the existing solutions and imparts benefits to the society as a whole. Though ‘social innovation’ is frequently confused with the terms ‘social entrepreneurship’ and ‘social enterprise’, it distinctly differs from the two, and imparts economic and social benefits to social actors such as governments, businesses, and the society. Current academic literature has been found to have focussed around different aspects of social innovation and cases from specific sectors and geographies. However, any research related to analysing a large number of social innovations across multiple sectors and geographies has not yet been performed. The objective of this MBA project dissertation is to address this literature gap and identify the characteristics and determinants of successful social innovations by analysing 100 social innovations awarded from 2006 to 2014 at nine cross-sectoral awards around the world. Selection of the awards and the award-winning social innovations is done on the basis of the pre- defined eligibility criterion. The Kipling Method and the Resource-based Theory are respectively applied to identify the characteristics and determinants of successful social innovations. Multi-level and Mixed-method based analysis, and the Frequency Distribution Methodology have been used whereever required. From the perspective of the characteristics, analysis of the results reveals that at least one in every two successful social innovations addresses the global issues development, AIDS, or environment; is of service innovation or product innovation type; is developed in integration with the technology or education sectors; is innovated by businesses or non-governmental organisations; and addresses the urban human settlement. Profitability, novelty, cost effectiveness, simplicity and scalability are observed to be the top 5 evident capabilities among successful social innovations, whereas novelty, cost effectiveness and simplicity are found to be the top 3 capabilities that offer temporary advantage to them. Simplicity, novelty and scalability are identified as the top 3 determinants of successful social innovations, as these capabilities offer sustained competitive advantage to them. Certain exceptions are observed when specific sets of successful social innovations are separately analysed. It is advised that during the development and the study of the future social innovations, the innovators, policy makers, executive sponsors, and research groups should take into consideration the characteristics and determinants (along with respective exceptions) of successful social innovations. 2014-09-12 Dissertation (University of Nottingham only) NonPeerReviewed application/pdf en https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/27137/1/MBA_Project_Dissertation_Sept_2014_Arpit_Kulkarni.pdf Kulkarni, Arpit (2014) IDENTIFYING THE CHARACTERISTICS AND DETERMINANTS OF SUCCESSFUL SOCIAL INNOVATIONS. [Dissertation (University of Nottingham only)] (Unpublished) Social Innovation Characteristics of Successful Social Innovations Determinants of Successful Social Innovations Successful Social Innovations |
| spellingShingle | Social Innovation Characteristics of Successful Social Innovations Determinants of Successful Social Innovations Successful Social Innovations Kulkarni, Arpit IDENTIFYING THE CHARACTERISTICS AND DETERMINANTS OF SUCCESSFUL SOCIAL INNOVATIONS |
| title | IDENTIFYING THE CHARACTERISTICS AND DETERMINANTS
OF SUCCESSFUL SOCIAL INNOVATIONS |
| title_full | IDENTIFYING THE CHARACTERISTICS AND DETERMINANTS
OF SUCCESSFUL SOCIAL INNOVATIONS |
| title_fullStr | IDENTIFYING THE CHARACTERISTICS AND DETERMINANTS
OF SUCCESSFUL SOCIAL INNOVATIONS |
| title_full_unstemmed | IDENTIFYING THE CHARACTERISTICS AND DETERMINANTS
OF SUCCESSFUL SOCIAL INNOVATIONS |
| title_short | IDENTIFYING THE CHARACTERISTICS AND DETERMINANTS
OF SUCCESSFUL SOCIAL INNOVATIONS |
| title_sort | identifying the characteristics and determinants
of successful social innovations |
| topic | Social Innovation Characteristics of Successful Social Innovations Determinants of Successful Social Innovations Successful Social Innovations |
| url | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/27137/ |