Exploring the assessment of territorial potential for social innovation: an indicator system applied to a region in Ecuador

Figures & data

Table 1. Methodology used in model construction.

Operationalization of TP SI concept	Method	Sources	IT tools
Selection and integration of measures Dimensions-components-indicators -sub-indicators	Theoretical basis Available instruments and measuring proposals Collection and analysis of existing data Censuses, surveys, summary statistics, administrative registers Expert validation Surveys and unstructured interviews	Work published in high-impact journals indexed in WoS and Scopus Official social, economic and institutional statistics at the regional level International scholars and specialists in SI	VOSviewer software for visualizing and systematizing specialized scientific knowledge SPSS 24.0 software package for indicator quality study Professional online survey software (OnlineEncuesta)
Logical structuring of measurement set From a process approach	Input-output-outcome Framework-performance Empirical assumptions on cause-effect relationships between indicators	Results obtained in selection and measurement integration stage	SPSS 24.0 software package for multivariate analysis Tableau Public software for visualization and interpretation of results

Source: the authors.

Figure 1. Territorial potential for social innovation indicator system.

Source: the authors.

Table 2. Components and indicators: ‘Organized and Participatory Society’ dimension.

Components	Social Climate	Territorial Resources	Social Fabric	Movements
Indicators	Political civic-mindedness	Level of education	Density and continuity	Political
	Trust	Connectivity	Structure	Social
	Personal and community harmony	Entrepreneurial culture	Cooperation
	Social volunteer work
	Environmental awareness

Source: the authors.

Table 3. Components and indicators: ‘Democratic and Pluralist Economy’ dimension.

Components	Social Purpose	Business Community	Innovation Activity
Indicators	Business objectives	Density and continuity	Innovation sector
	Environmental	Structure	Investment
	management	Cooperation	Obstacles

Source: the authors.

Table 4. Components and indicators: ‘Institutionalization of Social Innovation’ dimension.

Components	Institutions	Promotion	Financing
Indicators	Transparency and best administrative practices	Government programs	Availability
	Networks and alliances	Government incentives	Protection
		Supporting infrastructure	Social spending

Source: the authors.

Table 5. Components and indicators: ‘Socially Innovative Environments’ dimension.

Components	Territorial Revitalization	Propensity for Cohesion
Indicators	Social	Social
	Commercial	Territorial

Source: the authors.

Table 6. Components and indicators: ‘Integral Territorial Development’ dimension.

Components	Social	Economic	Environmental	Political and Cultural
Indicators	Housing, Health, Education, Security, Migration	Diversification of productive matrix	Environmental Sustainability	Civic and community participation Cultural environment

Source: the authors.

Table 7. Summary: proposed territorial potential for social innovation indicator system.

Dimensions/Components/Indicators	No. sub-indicators	Dimensions/Components/Indicators	No. sub-indicators
Organized and Participatory Society O PS	81	Socially Innovative	45
		Environments SI_E
Social climate
Political civic-mindedness	4
Trust	3	Territorial revitalization
Personal and community harmony	12	Social	5
Social volunteer activity	4	Commercial	28
Environmental awareness	7
Territorial resources
Level of education	5	Propensity for cohesion
Connectivity	14	Social	7
Entrepreneurial culture	7	Territorial	5
Social fabric
Density and continuity	4
Structure	11
Cooperation	1
Movements
Political	3
Social	6
Democratic and Pluralist Economy DP_E	86	Integral Territorial	35
		Development I_TD
Social purpose
Business objectives	8
Environmental management	7	Social
Business community		Housing	5
Density and continuity	7	Health	7
Structure	8	Education	5
Cooperation	22	Safety and Migration	2
Innovation activity
Innovation sector	11
Investment	14
Obstacles	9
		Economic
Institutionalization of Social Innovation	83	Diversification of
		productive matrix	3
Institutions
Transparency and best	8
administrative practices		Environmental
Networks and alliances	5	Environmental
Promotion		sustainability	5
Government programs	22
Government incentives	7	Political and Cultural
Supporting infrastructure	8	Civic and community
Financing		participation	5
Availability	12	Cultural environment	3
Protection	16
Social spending	5
Total dimensions			5
Total components			16
Total indicators			41
Total sub-indicators			330

  Conditions (framework)                     Results (performance)                     Impact (outcome)

Source: the authors.

Table

Components / Indicators / Sub-indicators
I. Framework dimension. Organized and participatory society
1.1. Social Climate 1.1.1. Political civic mindedness Political participation in electoral processes, % of total voters Degree of knowledge of citizen rights and obligations; level of information regarding the basic legal instruments (constitution, treaties) that guarantee political, social and cultural rights, perception 1.1.2. Trust Level of personal trust towards members of the immediate environment; among the members of the community; economic (household situation, employment prospects); ethics, perception 1.1.3. Personal y community harmony Identification with the territory; personal satisfaction of the population with their life; collective satisfaction regarding participation within the immediate environment; tolerance with different groups; perception 1.1.4. Social volunteer work Help vulnerable groups; voluntary work; membership in voluntary organizations, N° per 1000 inhabitants 1.1.5. Environmental awareness Responsible consumption; saving resources; waste sorting; environmental concern, % of population 1.2. Territorial Recources 1.2.1. Level of education EAP (economically active population) according to the level of studies (high school, university); Foreign EAP, % of total EAP; Public and private spending on education, % of GVA (Gross Value Added) 1.2.2. Connectivity Internet access, users per 1000 inhabitants; Use technological equipment; have an account and use social media, % of population 1.2.3. Entrepreneurial culture Families with their own business (total, by necessity, opportunity), families with their own business by type of reason, total % 1.3. Social Fabric 1.3.1. Density and continuity Civil Society Organizations CSOs (total, urban, rural), N° per 1000 inhabitants; N° of years of operation, average 1.3.2. Structure CSOs according to level (first, second, third), according to category, N° per 1000 inhabitants; Degree of associativity, % of second and third level CSOs in total CSOs 1.3.3. Cooperation Linking CSOs with decentralized autonomous governments; Linkage according to sector, N° per 1000 inhabitants 1.4. Movements 1.4.1. Polítical Political movements; Social networks; Followers, N° per 1000 inhabitants 1.4.2. Social Registered social movements; of priority groups (youth, women, others), Social networks, Followers, N° per 1000 inhabitants
Comments
II. Framework dimension. Democratic and pluralist economy
2.1. Social purpose 2.1.1. Business objectives Weighted importance of the objective increase the variety of goods or services; improve their quality and replace outdated ones; increase production capacity; reduce costs; improve the occupational health and safety of employees, perception 2.1.2. Environmental management Personnel dedicated to environmental activities, %; environmental consulting (outsourcing or specific department within the structure); environmental accreditation (Certification, Impact Statement or License), % of companies 2.2 Business Community 2.2.1. Density and continuity Companies (total, urban, rural), N° per 1000 inhabitants; years of operation of companies, average; Employed population, % of the EAP 2.2.2. Structure Weight of companies according to size (micro, small, medium), according to economic organization (Social and Solidarity Economy SSE, public and private companies, % of GVA 2.2.3. Cooperation weighted importance of information by type of source and of cooperation by type of collaborator, perception; Cooperation with consumers; competitors; providers; consultants; universities; S&T public entities, % of companies 2.3 Innovation Activity 2.3.1. Innovation Sector Specialized staff training; Employees (total and women) according to training level (PhD, master’s degree, specialist, third level, technician or higher technologist), % 2.3.2. Inverstment R&D, market studies, % companies; Investment in Innovation according to the objective (productive, social, environmental), according to financing (universities, other sources), according to items (acquisition of machinery and equipment; hardware; software; disincorporated technology; consultancies and technical assistance; engineering and industrial design; training), % of total 2.3.3. Obstacles Weighted importance of the cost factor (lack of funds; high innovation costs); of the knowledge factor (lack of qualified personnel, difficulty in finding cooperation partners for innovation), perception
Comments
III. Framework dimension. Institutionalization of Social Innovation
3.1. Institutions 3.1.1. Transparency and best administrative practices Existence of institutional accountability and transparency mechanisms; of social inclusion; of concerted work with the various local actors, of the proper use of services and the promotion of a payment culture, %. Expenses financed (personnel, current, and production) with own funds; efficiency in the use of resources (capital expenses; investment), % 3.1.2. Networks and alliances Memberships in networks relevant to SI (local, provincial, regional and national), average; Public-Private alliances, N° projects in execution 3.2. Promotion 3.2.1. Government programs Level of knowledge about support programs (quality improvement and certification; personnel training; support for innovation; technical assistance for technology adoption and business management; support for entrepreneurship; promotion of exports), % of companies that have the knowledge; Access to support programs, % of companies that access 3.2.2. Government incentives Usefulness of government incentives for their business valuation (adaptation to specific needs; interest rate charged; required guarantees; established bureaucratic processes; clarity of guidelines; management of confidentiality), perception;Tax reduction for social purposes, % of territorial GVA 3.2.3. Supporting infrastructure Broadband penetration rate, %; level of development of the state road network with respect to traffic (urban and rural), population served; investment in technological equipment, $ per 1,000 inhabitants; centers for learning and collaborative work (incubators, coworking, infocenters), N° per 1,000 inhabitants; level of use of spaces for learning and collaborative work, % 3.3. Financing 3.3.1. Availability Bank loans, private cooperatives and public banks (commercial; consumption; microcredit; housing), $ per 1,000 inhabitants 3.3.2. Protection Provisions of public, private banks and credit portfolio cooperatives (commercial, housing, educational, microcredit, consumption), % of portfolio 3.3.3. Social spending Amount of non-reimbursable resources, subsidies or social bonds, % of GVA; Social spending per capita, thousands of $; Elderly people receiving assistance pension, people with disabilities receiving assistance pension, % population
Comments
IV. Performance dimension. Socially Innovative Environments
4.1. Territorial Revitalization 4.1.1. Social CSOs (new, liquidated or dissolved), % of total; Total CSOs, % variation; Degree of associativity of civil society, % variation 4.1.2. Commercial New companies according to their economic purposes (ESS, EPU, EPR) and size (micro; small; medium; and large), % of the total Liquidated and dissolved companies according to their economic purposes and size, % Total companies according to their economic purposes and size, % variation Degree of democratization of the economy, % variation Degree of pluralization of the economy, % variation EAP employment rate, % variation Investments, % variation Presence in foreign markets, % of GVA 4.2. Propensity for Cohesion 4.2.1. Social Gini coefficient, ratio variation Population living in poverty, % variation Population living in indigence, % variation Incidence of poverty due to unsatisfied basic needs, % Level of assistance to vulnerable groups (older adults, disabled), % variation Unemployment rate, % variation Employed population in low productivity sectors, % variation GVA per capita, % variation GVA of key sectors, % variation 4.2.2. Territorial Territorial versus (vs) regional Gini coefficient, variation ratio GVA per capita territorial vs. regional, variation ratio Population in situation of territorial vs. regional poverty, % variation Population in situation of territorial vs. regional indigence, % variation Employed population in sectors of low territorial vs. regional productivity, % variation Unemployment gap, % change
Comments
V. Outcome dimension. Integral Territorial Development
5.1. Social 5.1.1. Housing Reduction of the housing deficit; precarious housing with respect to the total housing; overcrowded homes; variation of the number of dwellings on the variation of the population; surface area per person; investment in housing (private bank loans and cooperatives), % change 5.1.2. Health No. beds / doctors per 10,000 inhabitants, % variation General/infant mortality rate (total and indigenous) per 100,000 inhabitants, Territorial infant mortality rate as a reason for the regional infant mortality rate; Life expectancy at birth; population in a state of undernourishment; level of confidence in the institutions of the health system, % variation 5.1.3. Education Educational inclusion for social and personal competence (school dropout, illiteracy); equal opportunities with respect to vulnerable groups (disabled/women); net enrollment; over 15 years of age who have not finished primary school; over 20 years of age who have not finished high school, % variation 5.1.4. Security Variation in the level of security (general population; women) (homicides/murders per 100,000 inhabitants) 5.1.5. Migration Net rate of internal migration (per thousand inhabitants), variation % 5.2. Economic 5.2.1. Diversification of productive matrix Exports of non-traditional sectors, non-primary GVA, % change Variation of the energy demand of households over the energy demand of industries, % 5.3. Environmental 5.3.1. Environmental sustainability Emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero, % de variación de CO2; uso de energías renovables; nivel de eficiencia financiera del gobierno local para cubrir el servicio de reciclaje de desechos sólidos con recursos propios; capacidad instalada en el territorio –equipamiento, dotación técnica y operativa- para realizar procesos de reciclaje; desarrollo de normativa - Ordenanzas, Reglamentos y Manuales- para la gestión ambiental en el territorio; permisos y control ambiental de las actividades productivas locales, % 5.4. Political and cultural 5.4.1. Civic and community participation CP component strength; financial allocation; Legal sustenance; Availability of a Participatory Local Development Plan, Application of information and training mechanisms to organizations and citizens, Application of consultation mechanisms, % 5.4.2. Cultural eEnvironment Contribution of cultural activities to GDP; cultural employment; Household spending on culture, %
Comments

Table

Component	Indicator	Sub_Indicator	Measurement
I. Framework dimension. Organized and participatory society OP_S
Social Climate	Political civic-mindedness	Political participation in electoral processes	%
		Political participation of women in electoral processes	%
	Trust	Level of personal trust towards people in the neighborhood or community	Perception
		Level of satisfaction with their participation within the community, neighborhood and/or neighborhood	Perception
		Level of economic trust in the situation of the household in the next 3 months	Perception
	Social volunteer work	Donating money, groceries, clothing, or other property to charities or people in need during the last term	N^o per 1000 inhabitants
	Social volunteer work	Volunteer work with individuals or families in need, at least one hour during the last quarter	N^o per 1000 inhabitants
	Social volunteer work	Volunteer work in social, neighborhood or community organizations, at least one hour during the last period	N^o per 1000 inhabitants
	Environmental awareness	Population that carries out waste recycling practices (organic, inorganic)	%
		Population that carries out water-saving practices	%
		Population that performs energy saving practices	%
Territorial Resources	Level of education	Illiteracy rate	%
	Level of education	Net attendance rate in high school for the population aged 15 to 17	%
		Population rate with a university degree	%
		Average schooling of the population aged 24 and over	Years
	Connectivity	Population with activated cell phone	%
		Population with smart cell phone	%
	Connectivity	Population with internet access	%
		Population accessing Wi-Fi via cell phone	%
		Population that accesses social networks through cell phones	%
	Connectivity	Population that accesses email via cell phone	%
		Population accessing email through other devices	%
		Fixed internet access	%
		Access to fixed telephony	%
		Average commercial energy billed	kWh
		Average industrial energy billed	kWh
		Average residential energy billed	kWh
	Entrepreneurial culture	Rate of families with their own business	%
		Entrepreneurship rate per opportunity	%
Social Fabric and Movements	Density and continuity	Civil society organizations (CSO)	N^o per 1000 inhabitants
		Average number of years of operation of CSOs	Years
	Density and continuity	Rural Civil Society Organizations	N^o per 1000 inhabitants
	Structure	Degree of second level associativity	%
	Structure	Degree of third level associativity	%
	Cooperation	Link between CSOs and Decentralized Autonomous Governments	N^o per 1000 inhabitants
	Movements Political and Social	Movements Political and Social	N^o per 1000 inhabitants
II. Framework dimension. Democratic y pluralist economy DP_E
Social Purpose	Business objectives	Variety of goods or services.	Perception
		Update of products or processes	Perception
		Quality of goods or services.	Perception
		Flexibility to produce goods or services.	Perception
		Capacity to produce goods or services.	Perception
		Reduction of material and energy costs per unit of production	Perception
	Business objectives	Reduction of environmental impacts	Perception
		Occupational health or safety of employees	Perception
	Environmental management	Companies that invest in waste management	%
		Average amount invested in waste management by company	$
Business community	Density and continuity	Companies	N^o per 1000 inhabitants
		Average years of operation of companies	Years
		Working population	%
	Density and continuity	Rural businesses	N^o per 1000 inhabitants
		Average number of years of operation of rural companies	Years
		Working population	%
	Structure_size	Weight of micro-enterprises	% employment generated
		Small business weight	% employment generated
		Weight of medium-sized companies	% employment generated
	Structure_size	Weight of large companies	% employment generated
	Structure_size	Ratio of SMEs to large companies	%
	Estructura_type	RISE Weight	% employment generated
		Weight of non-profit companies	% employment generated
	Estructura_type	Weight of Popular and Solidarity Economy Companies	% employment generated
	Estructura_type	Weight of public companies	% employment generated
		Weight of private for-profit companies	% employment generated
	Estructura_type	Ratio of Popular and Solidarity Economy Companies over Private Sector Companies	%
	Cooperation	Cooperation with customers and consumers at the local level	%
		Cooperation with public bodies at the local level	%
	Cooperation	Companies that cooperate with private companies at the local level	%
		Companies that cooperate with society at the provincial level	%
		Companies that cooperate with public companies at the provincial level	%
		Companies that cooperate with private companies at the provincial level	%
		Membership in trade union organizations	%
Innovation activity	Innovation sector	Employees with expertise	%
		Employees with specialized training	%
	Innovation sector	Employees with third level training	%
		Employees with higher technician or technologist training	%
	Investment	Training of specialized personnel	%
		Investment in R&D by company	%
	Inverstment	Investment in market research	%
		Investment in external R&D	%
	Obstacles	Lack of qualified personnel in the company	Perception
		Lack of information about technology	Perception
		Lack of information on the markets	Perception
		Difficulty finding cooperation partners	Perception
II. Framework dimension. Institutionalization of Social Innovation I_SI
Promotion	Transparency and best administrative practices	Existence of institutional accountability and transparency mechanisms	%
	Government programs	Access to support programs for quality improvement and certification	%
		Access to support programs for staff training	%
		Access to support programs technical assistance for technology adoption and business management	%
	Government programs	Access to innovation support programs	%
		Access to entrepreneurship support programs	%
		Access to export promotion programs	%
	Supporting infrastructure	Centers for learning and collaborative work - coworking	N^o per 1000 inhabitants
	Supporting infrastructure	Centers for learning and collaborative work - infocenters	N^o per 1000 inhabitants
		Level of use of spaces for learning and collaborative work - Infocentros	%
		Level of development of the state road network	Population served
Financing	Availability	Private-commercial banking loans	$ per 1000 inhabitants
		Private banking loans - consumption	$ per 1000 inhabitants
		Private banking loans - microcredit	$ per 1000 inhabitants
		Private banking loans -housing	$ per 1000 inhabitants
		Cooperative Loans - Commercial	$ per 1000 inhabitants
	Availability	Cooperative loans - consumption	$ per 1000 inhabitants
	Availability	Cooperative loans - microcredit	$ per 1000 inhabitants
	Availability	Cooperative loans - housing	$ per 1000 inhabitants
	Protection	Financing from other sources without collateral - risk investment, credits from suppliers, relatives	%
	Social spending	Assistance for development through financing with government support -bonds for development of entrepreneurship, housing, agriculture, other subsidies-	$
		Human development voucher beneficiaries (mothers)	N^o per 1000 inhabitants
		Amount of financing with government support	$
	Social spending	Social protection - elderly beneficiaries of assistance pension	N^o per 1000 inhabitants
		Social protection - people with disabilities beneficiaries of assistance pension	N^o per 1000 inhabitants
IV. Performance dimension. Socially Innovative Environments SI_E
Territorial Revitalization	Social	New Civil Society Organizations	% variation
		Liquidated and dissolved Civil Society Organizations	% variation
	Social	Growth of the social fabric	% variation
	Social	Degree of second level associativity	% variation
	Social	Degree of third level associativity	% variation
	Commercial	Start-up companies	% variation
		new private companies	% variation
	Commercial	New Companies of Popular and Solidarity Economy	% variation
	Commercial	New public companies	% variation
		new microenterprises	% variation
	Commercial	new small businesses	% variation
	Commercial	New midsize companies	% variation
		great new companies	% variation
		Liquidated or dissolved private companies	% variation
	Commercial	Companies of Popular and Solidarity Economy liquidated or dissolved	% variation
		Global occupancy rate	% variation
		Growth of cantonal Gross Added Value	% variation
Propensity for Cohesion	Cohesion Social	Population living in poverty	% variation
		Population living in a situation of indigence	% variation
		Poverty incidence due to unsatisfied basic needs	% variation
	Cohesion Social	Level of social vulnerability measured by people included in the Social Registry below the poverty line	% variation
		GVA (Gross Value Added) per capita	% variation
		Gini coefficient	% variation
	Cohesion Territorial	GVA gap per capita	% variation
		Poverty Gap	% variation
		Territorial Gini coefficient	% variation
	Cohesion Territorial	Indigence Gap	% variation

Indicators included in the measurement model.

Indicators excluded from the measurement model because they did not pass the data consistency test.

(Cronbach’s Alpha Coefficient).