Assessing social value derived from social innovation capacity: a review on the European urban context

ABSTRACT

Urban Social Innovation Capacity is determined as a key aspect to explain Social Value creation in European cities suffering increased social problems derived from the urban growth and exacerbated by COVID-19. New Public Value Management paradigm has appeared involving urban managers in new city-centred management models based on Social Innovation networking processes, increasing their capacity to innovate as they face the current social challenges. The main purpose in this study is to assess the Social Value performed within specific systems and to propose instruments to provide local managers with valid and reliable tools for assessing both Social Value and Urban Social Innovation Capacity. The study conducted a mixed-method research technique. A qualitative study to validate the theoretical approach and, with the objective to examine the positive effect of Urban Social Innovation Capacity on Social Value, an empirical work based on PLS well stocked with data collected from a survey aimed at urban social innovation managers in Eurocities. Results showed a direct positive effect of Urban Social Innovation Capacity on Social Value but no effect between Socioeconomic Context and Social Value. The study additionally offers a modern definition for Social Innovation and implications for local managers.

KEYWORDS:

• Social value
• urban social innovation capacity
• urban management
• city networks

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Fundacion Emilio Soldevilla para el Desarrollo de la Economía de la Empresa (FESIDE).