Final Report on Cross-Case Studies Assessment of Social Innovation

The “Final Report on Cross-Case Studies Assessment of Social Innovation” provides a transversal and systematic analysis of the Case Studies of Social innovation (SI) identified in the H2020 SIMRA project (http://www.simra-h2020.eu/) using aggregated qualitative and quantitative empirical information. The cross-case analysis identifies commonalities and differences across the cases in relation to the principal issues and characteristics of social innovation processes in Marginalised Rural Areas and examines complex and situated relationships and interactions.

The cross-case assessment of the main social innovation issues and characteristics was based on the investigation of important trends identified within five cross-cutting themes of enquiry:

1. The factors that influence the emergence and development of social innovation in terms of both the context and characteristics of actors.
2. The process of reconfiguration and the changes of social practices (e.g. new networks, new government arrangements).
3. The model of social innovation development and the identification of trajectory of divergence.
4. The impacts of the social innovation on dimensions of territorial capital (economy, society, environment, governance).
5. The analysis of policy impacts on social innovation and social innovation policy implications.

In addition to the analysis undertaken for each theme of enquiry, composite indicators were calculated which were based upon the methodology developed in Secco et al. (2019) to better understand Social Innovation in Marginalised Rural Areas on a large scale. Outputs associated with the report are recommendations on factors linked to the success and failure of social innovation initiatives in relation to impacts of policies or on policies.