Policy areas

The analysis of seven policy areas is the empirical core activity of SI-DRIVE and is strictly oriented at the SI-DRIVE approach, objectives and key elements, encompassing especially new practices (concepts, policy instruments, new forms of cooperation and organisation), methods, processes and regulations that are developed and/or adopted by citizens, customers, and politicians.

The starting point for the policy field analysis are the social problems for which citizens and organisations develop social innovations. To understand what the social innovations are in fact doing, it is important to start with analysing the current situation e.g. how the ‘market’ and ‘public policy’ for the policy are functioning and interact and what are the main future challenges (see figure below).

 

Each policy field will therefore refer to the following
main elements:

  • Main social problems in a policy field
  • Dominant innovation model(s) (role of markets, public policy, civil society)
  • Examples and elements of social innovation and their potential
  • Drivers and barriers for social innovation

Next to these elements, there should also be a consideration for the following points:

  • Key dimension of social innovation
  • (Global-)Regional Perspective
  • Other studies

The analysis in each policy field will refer to the five key dimensions (concepts, objectives, cycle, resources, governance) and their related cross-cutting themes like information and communication technologies (ICT) and social media, social entrepreneurship and social economy, social enterprises, gender, equality and diversity, governance (including regional development), innovation networks, demographic change. On the basis of a mapping first sector specific foresight studies will be conducted.

All the research in the different policy fields have to be analysed within the context of each policy area as well as across them, to investigate overarching new approaches and to compare different regional and cultural settings, etc. In this sense the results of the policy field analysis will be summarised and further developed within WP3 “European and Global Mapping”, in cyclic relation and exchange with mainly WP1 (Theory) and – concerning foresight – condensed in the policy recommendations (WP11). Thus, major efforts in WPs 4-10 will focus on exploring future perspectives for social innovation in each of the policy fields, and will serve as an input to WP 11.

For further information on the policy areas please follow the provided links: