Service Innovation and Social Innovation: an Analytical Framework and its Application to Health Services

Abstract

The research fields of service innovation and social innovation have been largely disconnected. Even though they deal with somewhat similar socioeconomic issues and both are studied in a multidisciplinary way, the research trajectories have been rarely crossed. This paper proposes a comprehensive framework to set up a bridge between the two research fields. The paper defines the concept of social innovation and approaches it from a service innovation perspective. Inter-linkages between service and social innovation are shown by identifying research areas in which both find a joint heuristic field. Finding these kinds of fields is particularly possible when services in multi-agent frameworks are revisited from a social innovation perspective, leading to place citizens and organizations and/or the third sector in a prominent position in the innovation process. This approach has been illustrated in a set of case studies in the health sector in Europe. Finally, the paper aims to identify the value added that social innovation can bring to service innovation research and vice-versa.

Keywords: Service Innovation, Social Innovation, Third Sector

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe100301