scholarly journals ‘Wicked’ solutions for ‘wicked’ problems: Responsible innovations in social enterprises for sustainable development

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Nadeera Ranabahu

Abstract Social enterprises create innovative solutions to address social issues and achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This paper examines the innovative social entrepreneurial processes using the theoretical foundation of responsible innovation (i.e., anticipation, reflexivity, inclusion and deliberation, responsiveness, and knowledge management). The data collected from three case study organisations reveals that social enterprises at the initiation stage address only a few SDGs. However, innovation development and implementation processes lead to products and services diversification and geographical expansion which broaden the SDG focus. During this process, enterprises iteratively conduct activities associated with different dimensions of responsible innovation and operate within ethics, values and rights-based boundaries. Based on these findings, this paper proposes a process model combining SDG literature with responsible innovation. The managerial implications of using responsible innovation perspective to achieve SDGs are also highlighted.

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 4015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pascale Lehoux ◽  
Hudson Pacifico Silva ◽  
Renata Pozelli Sabio ◽  
Federico Roncarolo

Responsible Innovation in Health (RIH) represents an emerging Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) approach that could support not only the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) “Good health and well-being” but also other SDGs. Since few studies have conceptualized the relationships between RIH and the SDGs, our goal was to inductively develop a framework to identify knowledge gaps and areas for further reflections. Our exploratory study involved: (1) performing a web-based horizon scanning to identify health innovations with responsibility features; and (2) illustrating through empirical examples how RIH addresses the SDGs. A total of 105 innovations were identified: up to 43% were developed by non-profit organizations, universities or volunteers; 46.7% originated from the United States; and 64.5% targeted countries in Africa, Central and South America and South Asia. These innovations addressed health problems such as newborn care (15.5%), reduced mobility and limb amputation (14.5%), infectious diseases (10.9%), pregnancy and delivery care (9.1%) and proper access to care and drugs (7.3%). Several of these innovations were aligned with SDG10-Reduced inequalities (87%), SDG17-Partnerships for the goals (54%), SDG1-No poverty (15%) and SDG4-Quality education (11%). A smaller number of them addressed sustainable economic development goals such as SDG11-Sustainable cities and communities (9%) and SDG9-Industry and innovation (6%), and environmental sustainability goals such as SDG7-Affordable and clean energy (7%) and SDG6-Clean water and sanitation (5%). Three examples show how RIH combines entrepreneurship and innovation in novel ways to address the determinants of health, thereby contributing to SDG5 (Gender), SDG10 (Inequalities), SDG4 (Education) and SDG8 (Decent work), and indirectly supporting SDG7 (Clean energy) and SDG13 (Climate action). Further research should examine how alternative business models, social enterprises and social finance may support the STI approach behind RIH.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 961
Author(s):  
Junko Kimura ◽  
Cyrille Rigolot

Geographical indications (GIs) have recently become an important tool for Japanese agricultural policy, particularly after the adoption of a “sui generis” certification system in 2015. In the same year, the United Nations proposed a common agenda with 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The present paper addresses the potential of GIs to enhance SDGs in Japan. First, we examine existing knowledge on GI inception, which consists in both government reports and research surveys. We show that these studies mostly focus on SDGs related to economic growth, and on social issues raised by the registration process. Then, as an exploration of potential impacts of GIs on the full set of SDGs, we study the case of Mishima Bareisho Potato GI, on the basis of interviews and participatory observation. From local stakeholders’ point of view, Mishima Potato GI can contribute to at least nine SDGs at all the production, transformation and commercialization stages. The SDG framework is useful to reveal some contributions seldomly considered in GI studies but which matter for local people, for example, the employment of disabled people or nutritional education. Finally, we discuss how these new insights can contribute to the debate on the potential role and limits of GIs for sustainable development in Japan.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Colombo

AbstractThe paper’s conceptual framework is the United Nations Agenda 2030 and the long-term Sustainable Development Goals. Scientific work on environmental issues has underlined the urgency and profoundness of the transformations needed to achieve the COP21 global warming thresholds in the short time left. Despite the systemic character of sustainability, most suggested innovation policies do not consider the advantages of an integrated view of environmental and social issues. The paper explores this possibility by analysing the chances of minor centres (small towns and peripheral communities) to combine these challenges in sustainable development models. Transformative innovation steps inspired by the responsible innovation approach are vital instruments to reach that goal. The paper’s conjecture about the minor centres is supported by analysing three main courses in the sustainability route: the conversion to renewable energy, the circular economy, and the digitalisation process. The analysis offers innovation hints for the responsible development of plans such as the Next Generation EU, launched to support Europe’s economic revival in the post-pandemic phase.


2022 ◽  
pp. 288-307
Author(s):  
Seda Yildirim ◽  
Isil Demirtas ◽  
Durmus Cagri Yildirim

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the progress in 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, and policymakers have been challenged with the implications of conventional economic system in the market. At this point, it can be said that the adoption of the best alternative economic and business model for the marketplace is the new phenomenon during the COVID-19 pandemic. Accordingly, alternative economic and business models can reduce the carbon emission, environmental pollution, and global warming, but there is a still dark point in solving social issues globally. This study aims to give a brief framework for alternative economic and business models in the context of sustainability. This study presents the links between 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, digital economy, and de-growth. In other words, this chapter focuses on digital economy (digitalization) and degrowth model (degrowing). Accordingly, it is thought to give an up-to-date work for achieving sustainable development after the COVID-19 pandemic in the long term.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 522 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georg Eichler ◽  
Erich Schwarz

Interest in social innovations (SIs) from both the academic and the policy side is growing. Nonetheless, we still know little about which sustainable development goals (SDGs) SIs already address. Furthermore, only little is known about who the innovators developing and implementing SIs are. In this paper, we aim to bring more clarity and structure to the field of SIs. Firstly, a systematic literature review was conducted, before a content analysis was used to analyze the definitions used with regard to similarities. Secondly, all case studies described in the reviewed articles were then further systematically analyzed in order to identify the social or environmental problems addressed and the innovators involved. For the purpose of classifying the diverse types of problems, we used the globally known and broadly accepted 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs). Results showed that most SI case studies deal with an improvement of health and well-being. Furthermore, our study illustrates that there is a pronounced difference in the focus of SIs between developing and developed countries. Concerning the innovators, our results indicate that five types of innovators are fundamentally involved in developing and implementing SIs: social entrepreneurs, NGOs and non-profits, public institutions, civil society, firms, and social enterprises. Our definition analysis as well as the identification and classification of the innovators and addressed social needs bring much-needed clarity and structure to the field. However, our systematic review shows that SI is still in its infancy and it will be interesting to see where the field will head.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Araceli Galiano-Coronil ◽  
Gloria Jiménez-Marín ◽  
Rodrigo Elías Zambrano ◽  
Luis Bayardo Tobar-Pesántez

The challenges imposed by the global development agenda imply reflecting on the role and contribution of political parties to development processes in the online environment. Social networks have been characterised as a part of the strategies of political campaigns, as it allows political leaders to establish bidirectional communication with citizens. In this context, the present study aims to empirically explore the leading Spanish political formations' publications from a social marketing perspective. In this way, it will be possible to verify how issues related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are addressed. On the one hand, this requires elaborating the communication profiles of the main political parties presented to the Spanish General Elections from 2015 to 2019. On the other hand, to analyse whether social themes better discriminate or distinguish one political party from another. For this purpose, a methodology based on text mining, content analysis from a quantitative and qualitative approach, and simple correspondence analysis has been used. Finally, it should be noted that the results of this research show that there are differences between political parties according to the social issues published, with a divergence between the social issues that provoke a better reaction from the public and those most published on Facebook.


2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nazila Aliyeva

The social entrepreneurship theory is still in the conceptualization phase, as each country has individual specifics and approaches to define social entrepreneurship initiatives. The main objective of this paper is to explore the characteristics and backgrounds of social entrepreneurship from Azerbaijan’s perspective, especially its importance in achieving Sustainable Development Goals. To fulfill the objective, there are a few main research questions defined: How do local social entrepreneurs use both business acumen and philanthropic principles to address social, cultural, and environmental challenges? How can Social Entrepreneurship contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals in Azerbaijan? A qualitative research method was used to gather data through a semi-structured questionnaire. It was found that local social enterprises change the structures and systems that create the conditions for poverty, and the development processes need to consider the link between social entrepreneurship and sustainable development. This paper has significant implications, especially for the stakeholders and policymakers. It indicates the current position of local social ventures about sustainable development and offers some global practices and experiences to improve and facilitate the process and attracts the attention of policymakers on the performance of social enterprises.


2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 192-195 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacqueline Williams ◽  
Theodore Alter ◽  
Paul Shrivastava

Globally ‘sustainable agriculture’ is increasingly recognized as central to addressing many of our pressing environmental and social issues with current efforts towards ‘sustainable agriculture’ being pursued by numerous global institutions. Johan Rockström’s impactful address ‘Beyond the Anthropocene’ to the World Economic Forum in early 2017 (Rockström, 2017) emphasized the need for humanity to remain in the Holocene for our modern human survival, highlighting ‘sustainable agriculture’ and ‘sustainable forestry’ as fundamental prerequisites to succeed in our transformation to sustainability through planetary stewardship. It is unclear, however, what exactly ‘sustainable agriculture’ is or who will deliver this important public good for humanity. This commentary highlights the significant challenges and collaborative opportunities for developing systemic approaches of governance of ‘sustainable agriculture’ at the farm, nation and international level that could deliver at least six of the Sustainable Development Goals.


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