MANAGING IMPACT INNOVATION

2425_GS_3_2_014_E
2425_GS_3_2_015_E

Marie-Michèle VASSILIOU, PhD

Rouen, 2024-25

SESSION 4 : Innovation for Social Impact

Copyright MMV Consulting
 Learning outcomes
At the end of this session, you need to be able to:

1. Understanding the Concept of Social Innovation:

➢ Define social innovation and its importance in addressing social and environmental challenges.
➢ Distinguish between social innovation and traditional innovation.
➢ Explore the key characteristics and principles of social innovation.
2. Identifying Social Needs and Challenges: (Session 2)
➢ Analyze current social and environmental issues that can be addressed through innovation.
➢ Evaluate the role of social enterprises, nonprofits, and for-profits in driving social innovation.
➢ Understand the process of identifying unmet social needs and opportunities for innovation.
3. Developing Social Innovation Strategies:
➢ Learn the steps involved in developing a social innovation strategy.
➢ Understand the importance of stakeholder engagement and collaboration in the innovation
process.
➢ Explore methods for generating and evaluating innovative ideas for social impact.
4. Designing and Implementing Social Innovation Projects:
➢ Gain practical skills in designing social innovation projects, including project planning, resource
allocation, and risk management.
➢ Understand the importance of prototyping and testing in the innovation process.
➢ Learn how to implement and scale social innovation projects effectively.
1. Understanding the
Concept of Social
Innovation
 Introduction to Social Innovation
Definition and Purpose:
• Social innovation is the
development and
implementation of new
ideas, products, services,
or models that address
social and environmental
challenges.
• Social innovations are
crucial in creating
sustainable solutions to
pressing societal issues.
Differences between traditional and Social innovations
Purpose and Goals

Traditional Innovation: Social Innovation:

• Primary Goal: Drive economic growth, • Primary Goal: Address social,

enhance business competitiveness, and environmental, or cultural challenges.
generate profit.

• Focus: Developing new products, • Focus: Improving the well-being

services, or processes to meet of communities and creating
market demands and increase positive societal impact.
efficiency.
Examples: Reducing poverty,
Examples: Technological advancements, improving education, enhancing public
product development, process health, promoting environmental
improvements, market expansion.
sustainability.
Differences between traditional and Social innovations
Stakeholders and Beneficiaries

Traditional Innovation: Social Innovation:

• Stakeholders: Primarily involves • Stakeholders: Often involves a wide

businesses, investors, and range of stakeholders including non-
customers. profits, government agencies,
community groups, and social
• Beneficiaries: Mainly focuses on enterprises.
consumers and businesses, with • Beneficiaries: Targeted at
profits being a key drive. marginalized or underserved
populations and broader society.
Differences between traditional and Social innovations
Measurement of Success

Traditional Innovation: Social Innovation:

• Success Metrics: Financial • Success Metrics: Social

performance, market share, impact, community
return on investment, and engagement, sustainability,
customer satisfaction. and long-term societal
benefits.
• Evaluation: Predominantly based
on economic indicators such as • Evaluation: Often involves
sales growth, profitability, and cost qualitative and quantitative
savings. measures of social outcomes and
improvements in quality of life.
Differences between traditional and Social innovations
Approach and Methodology

Traditional Innovation: Social Innovation:

• Approach: Market-driven and often • Approach: Holistic and inclusive,

competitive, focusing on efficiency often requiring cross-sector
and technological advancement. collaboration and participatory
methods.
• Methodology: Utilizes structured
processes like R&D, design thinking, • Methodology: Emphasizes
and agile methodologies, with a empathy, co-creation, and iterative
strong emphasis on market research development, often incorporating
and consumer preferences. feedback from the community and
stakeholders.
Differences between traditional and Social innovations
Funding and Resources

Traditional Innovation: Social Innovation:

• Funding Sources: Venture • Funding Sources: Grants, philanthropy,

capital, private equity, corporate impact investments, government funding,
investments, and revenue and crowdfunding.
reinvestment.
• Resource Allocation: Directed towards
• Resource Allocation: Focused social programs, community projects,
on product development, and initiatives that may not have
marketing, scaling operations, immediate financial returns but provide
and achieving financial returns. long-term societal benefits.
Differences between traditional and Social innovations
Risk and Return

Traditional Innovation: Social Innovation:

• Risk Tolerance: More focused • Risk Tolerance: Generally higher

on mitigating financial risks and tolerance for risk due to the complex
ensuring a favorable return on nature of social problems and the long-
investment. term perspective on returns.

• Return on Investment: • Return on Investment: Measured in

Primarily measured in financial terms of social value and impact rather
terms, with a focus on than purely financial gains.
profitability and shareholder
value.
 2. Identifying Social
Needs and Challenges
 Why social innovation?
Emerging social problems due to
social changes:

1. Migration and Mobility

• Forced Migration: Conflicts,
climate change, and
economic disparities are
driving forced migration and
creating refugee crises.

• Global Mobility: Increasing

global mobility for education,
work, and travel is creating more
interconnected societies but also
posing challenges for
immigration policies and
integration.
 Why social innovation?
Emerging social problems due to social
changes:

2. Urbanization
• Megacities (10 millions habitants): The growth
of megacities, particularly in developing
countries, is leading to challenges like
overcrowding, housing shortages, and
strain on infrastructure.

• Smart Cities: Innovations in technology are

leading to the development of smart cities
that use data and connectivity to
improve urban living, from traffic
management to energy efficiency.

• Urban Poverty: Rapid urbanization is also

contributing to the rise of urban poverty
and slums, requiring targeted social
policies and interventions.
 Why social innovation?
Emerging social problems due to
social changes:

3. Demographic Shifts
• Aging Populations: Many
developed countries are
experiencing aging populations,
leading to challenges in
healthcare, pensions, and
workforce demographics.

• Youth Bulge: In contrast, many

developing countries have a
significant youth population,
which presents opportunities and
challenges in education,
employment, and social stability.
Why social innovation?
Emerging social problems due to social
changes:

4. Digital Transformation and

Technological Disruption
• Remote Work: The COVID-19 pandemic
accelerated the shift to remote work,
changing how people view work-life
balance and productivity. This trend
continues as more companies adopt
hybrid work models.
• Gig Economy: The rise of platforms like
Uber, TaskRabbit, and Upwork has
created new job opportunities but also
raised concerns about job security and
worker rights.
• Digital Inclusion: Efforts to bridge the
digital divide are increasing, aiming to
provide internet access and digital
literacy to underserved populations.
 Why social innovation?
Emerging social problems due to social
changes:

5. Education and Learning

• EdTech and Online Learning: The rise of
educational technology and online
learning platforms is transforming how
education is delivered and accessed.

• Lifelong Learning: There is a growing

emphasis on lifelong learning and
continuous skill development to keep
pace with changing job markets.
 Why social innovation?
Emerging social problems due to social
changes:

6. Economic Inequality
• Wealth Disparity: The gap
between the rich and the poor is
widening in many parts of the world,
prompting calls for economic
reforms and inclusive growth
strategies.

• Living Wage Movement: Efforts to

increase minimum wages and
ensure fair compensation are
gaining traction in response to
growing income inequality.
 Why social innovation?
Emerging social problems due to
social changes:

7. Changing Family Structures

• Diverse Family Models:
Traditional family structures are
evolving to include single-parent
families, same-sex families, and
multi-generational households.

• Work-Life Integration: Changing

gender roles and increasing
participation of women in the
workforce are reshaping family
dynamics and childcare
responsibilities.
 Why social innovation?
Emerging social problems due to social
changes:

8. Social Movements and Advocacy

• Environmental Activism: Movements
like Fridays for Future and
Extinction Rebellion highlight growing Greta Thunberg
public concern for climate change and
environmental sustainability.

• Social Justice Movements:

Movements such as Black Lives Matter
and #MeToo are driving conversations
and actions around racial justice,
gender equality, and human rights.
 Why social innovation?
Emerging social problems due to social
changes:

9. Health and Wellbeing

• Mental Health Awareness:
Increasing recognition of mental
health issues is leading to more open
discussions and better support
systems.

• Public Health Challenges: Emerging

health challenges, such as antibiotic
resistance and the spread of
infectious diseases like COVID-19,
are reshaping public health policies and
practices.
*AMR: Antimicrobial Resistance
 Why social innovation?
Emerging social problems due to social changes:

10. Cultural and Identity Shifts

• Globalization: The blending of cultures
through globalization is creating more diverse
societies but also leading to tensions around
cultural identity and preservation.

• Identity Politics: Issues related to identity,

including race, gender, and sexual
orientation, are becoming central to political
and social discourse.
 3. Developing Social
Innovation Strategies
Frameworks for Social Innovation
1. Design Thinking:
• Design thinking is a human-
centered approach to problem-
solving, emphasizing empathy,
ideation, prototyping, and
iteration.

2. Theory of Change:
• Discuss the use of theories of
change as strategic frameworks
for planning, implementing, and
evaluating social innovation
initiatives.
Frameworks for Social Innovation
1. Design Thinking:
Design Thinking is not new
Design Thinking is a process which is not
linear
It is problem-based thinking Vs. Solution based thinking.
It uses divergent and convergent thinking
Design Thinking is also a mindset
Design Thinking integrates …
Design Thinking, step by step
 EMPATHIZE
WHAT is this person (or persons) doing?
➢ Notice what is happening both with the person and the
context he/she is functioning within.
HOW are they doing it?
➢ Pretend you are describing the picture to someone not
Observe
looking at it.
WHY are they doing it this way?
➢ Take a guess. start to form a story. then ask.
Engage

Immerse
 Define : the problem statement

You need to clarify

the problem …
to understand what needs to be solved

« Process » observations from previous step (Empathize).

Group share - Space saturate to help you unpack thoughts and experiences.
Remove duplicates
1 idea per post-it Group per theme Affinity Map Voting for a problem
Capture&Share To cluster ideas to solve.
See patterns

As you work, write down: tensions - contradictions – surprises

Trigger collaborative & Additionnel Questions
 Define : the problem statement

• Don’t jump to solutions but question assomptions.

• Although analysis takes place during the Empathize stage, the synthesis takes
place during the Define stage.
• The define mode is when you unpack and synthesize your empathy findings
into compelling needs and insights and scope a specific and meaningful challenge.
Goals:
• Develop a deep understanding of the user (your persona) and
• Come up with an actionable problem statement: your Point Of View (P.O.V)

Your P.O.V defines the RIGHT challenge to address something worth working

Now you know the problem you want to solve.

 Ideate
The goal of ideation is to explore a wide a large quantity of ideas
and a diversity among those ideas.

From customer personas to customer journey mapping.

• Choose your customer (Persona) & the

experience to map.
• Describe your customer journey (before,
during and after an event), by defining the
activities & steps in the experience.
• Determine the emotional highs & lows:
what were their pain points so that they can
be improved or solved ?
 Real enough to feel & get feedback from users.

Prototype

• Getting ideas and explorations out of the

head into the physical world.
• A prototype can be anything with a physical
form:
wall of post-it notes, a role-playing activity,
a space, an object, an interface, a
storyboard.
• Prototypes are most successful when people
can experience and interact with them.
• What you learn from those interactions drive
deeper empathy and share successful
solutions.
Testing
Frameworks for Social Innovation
2. Theory of Change

Source: Venngage
Frameworks for Social Innovation
2. Theory of Change (ToC)
The Theory Of Change (ToC) was
popularized in 1990s to capture complex
initiatives.
➢ It starts with a goal as it is outcome-
based.
➢ It is a causal model requiring
justifications at each step of the process:
« What is the hypothesis that
explains why something will cause
something else? ».
➢ It articulates underlying
assumptions.
➢ It links outcomes and activities to
explain HOW and WHY the desired
change is expected to come about.
Source: Venngage
 Theory of Change (ToC)
• A Theory of Change (ToC) is a visual diagram which shows how the
organization believes its activities will lead to the outcomes and impact
what it wants to achieve.

• Having a theory of change should:

➢ Help identify the ‘WHY’ and ‘HOW’ of an organization, which in turn
will help focus on the change it wants to see rather than the work or
activities it is delivering.
• Help the organization articulate the change or benefits that would
happen as a result of the work in a useful planning tool.
• Ensure to have a framework for the organization to evaluate projects
against.
• Be a useful communication tool to help stakeholders understand the
value of our work.
 Theory of Change (ToC)
• Ideally, a Theory of Change (ToC) is developed before an intervention
goes through significant planning or intervention.

• The reason being that a Theory of change should be developed from the
end in mind first:
➢ identifying what you are trying to achieve,
➢ the step changes which need to occur in order for this to happen and then
➢ the most appropriate outputs or interventions to deliver these.
• This process is known as ‘backward mapping’.
➢ This process therefore should help identify the most appropriate
intervention rather than be used as a justification for those already in
place.
 Theory of Change
Theories of Change are best when you need to:
➢Design a complex initiative and want to have a rigorous
plan for success.
➢Evaluate appropriate outcomes at the right time and the
right sequence.
➢Explain why an initiative worked or did not work, and
what exactly went wrong.

Get stakeholders to articulate what has to happen IN ORDER for

goals to be met and their assumptions about why.
 1. Planning Phase
• Identify the Problem and Root Causes
➢ Requires a deep understanding of the social issue
• Articulate the Desired Outcomes
➢ What specific change is desired in the social system? What does the "end
state" look like if the problem is solved? What is the long-term impact or
vision of success?

• Develop a Strategy
➢ Link activities (inputs) to short-term, intermediate, and long-term
outcomes.
➢ Ensure that interventions are logical, measurable, and aligned with the
desired change.
➢ Create a Logical Sequence of Change (Outcomes Pathway)
➢ The ToC visually maps how the social innovation initiative will
achieve change.
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 2. Implementation Phase
• Guide Action and Resource Allocation
➢ It helps identify the critical assumptions (conditions that
must hold true for the project to succeed), ensuring that
stakeholders are aligned, and resources are allocated to
the right activities.
• Adaptation and Iterative Learning
➢ Theory of Change is not static.
➢ project progresses, teams can test assumptions and
revise the ToC based on emerging evidence.

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 3. Evaluation Phase
• Set Evaluation Criteria
➢ Theory of Change provides clear indicators for measuring success at every
stage of the initiative.
➢ Helping organizations measure both immediate results and long-term
impact.
• Track and Measuring Impact
➢ ToC ensures that organizations are not just focused on activities but on
whether those activities are translating into meaningful change.

➢ Real-world outcomes such as improved skills, behavior changes, or systemic

shifts.
• Accountability and Transparency

➢ Ensures transparency in how the initiative plans to achieve its goals and
creates a shared understanding among stakeholders.

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4. Communication and Collaboration

• Build Consensus and Buy-in

➢ ToC serves as a communication tool that fosters
consensus and collaboration among stakeholders.
➢ shared language for discussing goals, strategies, and
progress,
➢ aligning everyone towards the same vision of success.
• Engage Funders and Partners
➢ ToC helps attract funders by demonstrating a structured,
evidence-based approach to achieving social impact.

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 Conclusion

A Theory of Change serves as a comprehensive

framework for “planning”, “implementing”, and
“evaluating” social innovation initiatives.
➢ It ensures that each phase of the project, from strategy
to execution to evaluation, is connected to an
overarching goal.
➢ By clarifying the relationships between inputs, outputs,
and outcomes, it helps innovators stay focused on
creating meaningful, scalable, and sustainable
social change.

SAMPLE FOOTER TEXT 46

 Types of Social Innovation
Product Innovation: Service Innovation:
• Product-based social innovations, • Service delivery models, including
such as affordable healthcare microfinance, social enterprise
devices, clean energy technologies, incubators, and community-based
and sustainable agriculture healthcare programs.
solutions.
 Collaborative Approaches

• Public-Private Partnerships:
• Public-private partnerships drive social
innovation, leveraging the resources
and expertise of both sectors to
achieve social impact.
• Cross-Sector Collaboration:
• Cross-sector collaboration involves
government agencies, nonprofit
organizations, academia, and the
private sector.
4.Designing and Implementing Social
Innovation Projects
 Develop Social Innovation Strategies

A social innovation strategy is a systematic approach to

developing and implementing new solutions that address social,
environmental, or cultural challenges.

➢ These strategies are designed to create significant and

sustainable improvements in society by leveraging
innovative ideas, processes, and collaborations.
➢ They often involve a combination of research,
development, community engagement, and strategic
partnerships to ensure that the innovative solutions are
effective, scalable, and impactful.
 Design and implement social
innovation projects

Several key stages, each focusing on understanding the social

issue, developing innovative solutions, and implementing and
evaluating these solutions.

Here is a detailed outline of the process:

1. Problem Identification and Understanding
2. Idea Generation and Concept Development
3. Prototype Development
4. Implementation Planning
5. Implementation
6. Evaluation and Impact Assessment
7. Sustainability and Scaling
 Design and implement social innovation projects

1. Problem Identification and

Understanding
• Research and Analysis: Conduct thorough
research to understand the social issue.
Use qualitative and quantitative methods to
gather data.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Identify and
engage with stakeholders who are affected
by or can affect the issue. This includes
beneficiaries, community leaders, NGOs,
and policymakers.
• Needs Assessment: Assess the needs and
priorities of the community or target
population. Use surveys, interviews, and
focus groups to gather insights.
 Design and implement social innovation projects

2. Idea Generation and Concept

Development
• Brainstorming: Organize brainstorming
sessions to generate a wide range of ideas
and potential solutions. Encourage
creativity and out-of-the-box thinking.
• Co-Creation Workshops: Involve
stakeholders in co-creation workshops to
develop concepts collaboratively. This
ensures the solutions are relevant and
feasible.
• Feasibility Analysis: Evaluate the
feasibility of the proposed ideas in terms
of resources, time, and potential impact.
 Design and implement social innovation projects

3. Prototype Development
• Rapid Prototyping: Create low-
fidelity prototypes of the most
promising ideas. These can be
mock-ups, models, or pilot
programs.
• Testing and Feedback: Test the
prototypes with a small group of
stakeholders and gather feedback.
Use this feedback to refine and
improve the prototypes.
• Iteration: Iterate on the
prototypes based on feedback until
a viable solution is developed.
 Design and implement social innovation projects

4. Implementation Planning
• Action Plan: Develop a detailed action
plan outlining the steps needed to
implement the project. Include
timelines, resource allocation, and
responsibilities.

• Resource Mobilization: Secure the

necessary resources, including funding,
materials, and personnel. This may
involve fundraising, grant applications,
and partnerships.

• Capacity Building: Train and prepare

the team and stakeholders involved in
the implementation.
 Design and implement social innovation projects

5. Implementation
• Pilot Testing: Implement the project
on a small scale initially to test its
effectiveness and make any
necessary adjustments.

• Scaling: Once the pilot is successful,

scale the project to a larger audience
or region. Ensure scalability by
building a robust support system
and infrastructure.

• Monitoring: Continuously monitor

the progress of the project. Use key
performance indicators (KPIs) to
track impact and identify areas
for improvement.
 Design and implement social innovation projects

6. Evaluation and Impact Assessment

• Impact Evaluation: Conduct an impact
evaluation to assess the effectiveness of
the project. Use methods such as
surveys, interviews, and case studies to
gather data.

• Outcome Measurement: Measure the

outcomes and compare them to the
initial goals and objectives. This
includes both quantitative and
qualitative analysis.

• Feedback Loop: Create a feedback

loop to incorporate lessons learned and
make necessary adjustments to the
project.
 Design and implement social innovation projects

7. Sustainability and Scaling

• Sustainability Planning: Develop a plan to
ensure the long-term sustainability of
the project. This may involve building local
capacity, creating revenue streams, and
securing ongoing funding.

• Replication: Identify opportunities to

replicate the project in other communities or
regions. Develop guidelines and toolkits
to facilitate replication.

• Policy Advocacy: Engage in policy

advocacy to create an enabling environment
for the project. Work with policymakers
to integrate successful innovations into
public policies.