SmartSpecThis project has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement

number 320131.

Linking Social Innovation and Smart Specialisation

FP7 SmartSpec Project, Learning Journey Workshop,Ljubljana, 29-30, September 2014

Ranald Richardson, Pedro Marques, and Kevin Morgan

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Presentation Structure

Introduction: Key objectives of WP2 The (fuzzy) concept of Social innovation Linking Social Innovation and Smart

Specialisation The Societal Challenge approach Potential limitations of societal challenge

approach Open discussion: other approaches

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WP2 Key Objectives

To explore the conceptual links between S3 and social innovation

To identify how social innovation can contribute to S3 strategies focusing in particular on:

• The role of public service innovation around RIS• The involvement of users and citizens in processes of design and decision• The role of social enterprises as sources of social innovation

We look at these issues through the lens of the ageing societal challenge combining conceptual and empirical approaches

Our core deliverables are academic papers but we seek to contribute to directly to policy thinking

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So what is Social Innovation?

“An idea longing for a theory….no consensus regarding its relevance or specific meaning… lacking in clarity…. ‘a Babel-like terminological confusion’” (Pol & Ville, 2009; Moulaert, et al, 2013;Oosterlynk, 2013)

A ‘quasi-concept’ whose utility lies in grouping researchers and policymakers around a set of issues and concerns to generate social knowledge of value to both” (Jensen and Harrison, 2013)

BEPA’s 3 broad ‘interdependent’ categories (BEPA, 2011)

grass roots: social innovation for unmet social demands societal challenges: where ‘social’ and ‘economic’ boundaries blur in order to

better meet society wide problems systemic: fundamental changes in attitudes, values, strategies, policies, organisational

structures and processes, delivery systems and services…re-shaping society itself

Our view: SI is context dependent - Our Context is S3

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Social innovations as processes and outcomes

“Social innovations are innovations that are social in both their ends and their means…new ideas (products, services and models) that simultaneously meet social needs (more effectively than alternatives) and create new social relationships or collaborations.

The process of social interactions between individuals undertaken to reach certain outcomes is participative, involves a number of actors and stakeholders who have a vested interest in solving a social problem, and empowers the beneficiaries. It is in itself an outcome as it produces social capital” (BEPA, 2010: 9-10, italics added)

Economic goals Economic-industrial policy Market values Wealth creation Efficient socio-economic

arrangements Technology biased European model of capitalism Established regional strategy

role Fragmented communities of

regional economic development practice

Social goals Social policy Social values Resource redistribution Just socio-economic

arrangements Critical of technology bias Anti/post/operating-in-the-

interstices of capitalism Limited regional strategy

role Fragmented communities of

social development practice

RIS Social Innovation

‘Disconnects’ between RIS and SI

Separate multi-territorial governance silos

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Emerging Models of Social and Economic Collaboration

Triple Helix + users model

Firm-centred LL model

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Emerging Models of Social and Economic Collaboration

Citizen centred QH model

Public-sector-centred LL model

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SI and the Four Cs

The Four Cs1. Choices: the selection of a few investment

priorities based on a process of entrepreneurial discovery to identify promising areas of specialisation

2. Competitive advantage: building on current economic specialisation and mobilising talent by matching RTD+I with business needs and capacities

3. Critical mass: developing world class excellence clusters and providing arenas for related variety and cross-sectoral links which drive specialised technological diversification

4. Collaborative Leadership: collective endeavour involving the academic world, public authorities, business and innovation users

Can SI contribute to Four Cs?

Bring different values to motivate action

Extend domains of entrepreneurial discovery

Help move S3 beyond STI or at least complement STI bias

Enhance process and expand collective endeavour to underpin S3

Can S3 contribute to SI?

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Focus on Societal Challenges

Societal challenges where ‘social’ and ‘economic’ boundaries blur in order better to meet society wide problems

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Why choose ‘societal challenge’ (SC)

Why focus on societal challenges?

Global policy buy-in to ‘challenge’ approach – OECD, WEF, etc.

€30bn Horizon 2020 for SC S3 strategies can… be a powerful

instrument to tackle (societal) challenges (CEC, 2013)

Challenge perspective should be included in regional strategies

Early research indicates many regions adopting SC approach

Most promising space for empirics

EU Grand Challenges

Health, demographic change and wellbeing

Food security, sustainable agriculture, marine and maritime research, and the bio-economy

Secure, clean and efficient energy Smart, green and integrated transport Inclusive, innovative and secure

societies Climate action, resource efficiency

and raw materials

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The Ageing Challenge and Opportunity

Ageing society as a challenge and an opportunity

“Ageing isn’t a problem, but a source of innovation and growth” (Nellie Kroes)

Markets innovations Innovation of new products and services Innovative approaches to ageing consumers and citizens

Public service innovations More cost effectively delivering public services Planning and delivering public services New sources of public service delivery

New sources of innovation funding New sources of labour requiring labour market innovations ‘New’ sources of entrepreneurship: private , social and third sectors

Direct contribution to innovation processes “the wisdom economy”

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S3 has a dual territorial logic At the European level S3 is about overcoming

duplication, creating greater collaboration and a more diverse innovation system

At the (national) regional level it is about specialisation for competitive advantage around existing or credibly realisable excellence

European strength through diversity based on local ‘particularism’

Smart Spatial Specialisation (S3)

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Societal Challenge Innovation at the Europe Level: Health and Care Initiatives

(Boekholt, 2013) European Innovation Partnership

AHA

Hor

izon

202

0

Health

,

Demog

raph

ic

Chang

e, W

ellb

eing A

mbien

t

Assisted Livin

g

Dig

ital A

genda

for

Euro

pe

Health for Growth

Innovative

Med

icine

Initiative

Early Diagnosis

Personalised

medicinesBio

Markers

Interoperationability for e

Health

Distant patient

monitoring

Assisted daily living

Integrated care

systems

Prevention chronic diseases

EU legislation cross border healthcare

Social interaction of elderly

people

Independent livingSelf

management of

daily life

Cultural changeOrganisational change

Training

Service integration

User Empowerment

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Innovation and the Ageing challengeBuilt-in technological bias?

Policies and initiatives Technology Innovation and Ageing Societal Challenge

Demographic Change Grand Challenge

Digital Agenda for Europe: Ageing Societal Challenge (DG Connect)

Horizon 2020: Health, Demographic Change and Wellbeing

European Institute for Technology (EIT): Innovation for Healthy Active Ageing Thematic Field and KICs Call

European Year of Active Ageing European eHealth Forum: Technology for Health, Ageing and Economic Growth (DG SANCO)

EIP on Active Healthy Ageing Ambient Assisted Living JP

JIP on Demographic Change EJIP on Demographic Change: Technologies for Living

Partnerships for Robots in Europe (Health Care and Human Robotic Interaction

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Regional market response strategy (EURADA, 2011)

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But S3 requires specialisation

Adapted from Lower Saxony Region RIS3

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S3 and Ageing Challenge: Supporting Alternative Innovation Domains?

Medical tech

ICTs & Smart

Transport

Assistive

technologies

Health

Social isolation

ILH

Medical & Life

Sciences

ICT Built environment

Home region as test market,

innovation test-bed, and a collective innovation

environment for SC technologies,

with extra-regional

collaboration and market

search

SI as ‘handmaiden’ of

economic growth?

Transport

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S3 and Ageing Challenge: Supporting Alternative Innovation Domains?

Medical tech

ICTs & Smart

Transport

Assistive

technologies

Health

Social isolation

ILH

Medical & Life

Sciences

ICT Built environment

Also use technology innovation as catalyst for SI in home region, through PPPPs, culture and org change, new training regimes , etc.

Or focus on non-technology innovation, e.g., developing new services process consultancy

Transport

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A number of ‘challenges’:

The Capacity Challenge The Prioritization Challenge The Stakeholder Engagement Challenge The ‘Policy Mix’ Challenge The Multi-level Governance Challenge The Cross-border Challenge The Smart (Evidence-based) Policy Making Challenge The Policy Capacity Challenge

All regions face societal challenges, but is it an opportunity for all?

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Some examples

Capacity Challenge Lack of private sector capacity in Societal

Challenge theme(s) and of related variety proximity Lack of critical mass to prioritize potential Little regional power or responsibility

Prioritization challenge Lack of integrated (social-economic) networks -

missing actors in entrepreneurial search process The ‘tyranny’ of traditional priorities

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The Stakeholder Challenge Interdisciplinary, inter-sectoral, intra-organisational silos Engaging civic organisations and users meaningfully and for long-

term Engaging public sector for innovative solutions in an era of austerity

Policy-mix Challenge Integrating policymakers Integrating funding streams

Multi-level governance Challenge Vertical and horizontal alignment Policy and responsibility split between social and economic

Some examples

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The Cross-border collaboration challenge Difficult to design cross-border innovation strategies multiplied

in context of national social strategies Social policy actors tend to be concerned with their ‘own

backyard’ The Smart Policy Making Challenge - evidence

Does social or economic have priority Can you measure both Social indicators and metrics underdeveloped

Policy Capacity Challenge Can regions create the competencies mix and formal and

informal new structures required?