ECOSYSTEM AND INFRASTRUCTURES FOR SOCIAL INNOVATION

SOCIAL INNOVATION ECOSYSTEMS

Carolina Andion / Graziela Alperstedt / Júlia Graeff

The premises supporting the construction of the framework

This research is based on the assumption that Social 1. A multiscale and multidisciplinary perspective under-
Innovation Ecosystems (SIEs) are hubs of collective standing the SIE as a network involving multiple sectors
intelligence and creativity, contributing to solving urban (government, business, academia and civil society),
problems, creating new paths of development and reinforcing different levels of practice (macro, meso and micro)
democracy in cities [1, 2]. embedded in public arenas [4].
2. A longitudinal and socio-spatial analysis through the
In this sense, it is important to understand the dynamics georeferencing and long-term monitoring of different
that favor or inhibit mobilization, knowledge co-construction initiatives in the city of Florianopolis; a city recognized
and collective actions around the city’s public problems. In nationally and internationally as a source of social
order to observe and analyze the practices of the actors that innovation.
configure the SIEs (as support agents or promoters of social 3. A collaborative and experiential learning approach crea-
innovation) and their relationships, the Social Innovation ting spaces in each of the four main moments so that the
Observatory of Florianopolis (OBISF) (www.observafloripa. actors themselves explain their practices against the
com.br) was co-constructed. This article presents the background of social innovation and construct their own
analytical and methodological framework adopted to map theories about them, stimulating processes of 'public
and analyze the SIE of the city and to develop the OBISF, inquiry'.
based on a pragmatic perspective of social innovation [3].

It is important to understand
METHODOLOGY AND MOMENTS OF ITS the dynamics that favor or
APPLICATION IN THE CO-CONSTRUCTION OF A
DIGITAL AND COLLABORATIVE PLATFORM inhibit mobilization, knowledge co-
construction and collective actions
The OBISF was co-constructed from a research project,
linked to teaching and transfer, whose objective was to
around the city’s public problems.
implement a free access digital platform that allowed to
gather information, monitor, and analyze the SIE of the city The research project is structured by four main moments:
of Florianopolis. (1) Territorial and institutional exploration, (2) Social
Innovation Ecosystem cartography, (3) Ethnography in public
arenas and (4) Relating macro, meso and micro scales. The
four moments are not developed linearly.
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Analytical and methodological framework of the Social Innovation Observatory of Florianopolis

1. Territorial and institutional exploration support actors, including legal format, causes they work
This first analysis started with a document and content with, key audiences and contact information for
analysis examining the institutional context (laws, georeferencing. Afterwards, the social innovation initiatives
regulations, policies and public programs) that supports mapped were observed (by on-site visits) to understand
social innovation in the city. In addition to legal provisions, their mobilization around the public problems, the solutions
we looked at the territorial dimension and history of the SIE, they propose, how they measure their results, who is engaged
including the emergence and development of the SIE, as well with the actions, which methodologies and technologies
as its territorial dynamics, with an emphasis on identifying they use, if they influence the public sphere and who their
the main public problems of the city. In order to comply with partners, supporters and funders are.
this step, we interviewed the main actors involved in the
city’s SIE and analyzed the main reports that deal with the In this process, by the network analysis, more than 10 'network
current challenges in Florianopolis. With the preliminary actors' were identified as articulators in the fields of social
information of the institutional context and the understanding entrepreneurship, government, academia (Universities) and
of the formation and development of the SIE, we provide a civil society. These actors were invited to become partners of
panorama of what we call a macro scale considered for the OBISF and helped to identify new social innovation
analysis along with the meso and micro scales. initiatives supported by them in the ecosystem, increasing the
sample of mapping initiatives. The involvement of the main
2. Social Innovation Ecosystem cartography actors of the ecosystem as partner of OBISF was important to
This stage began with interviewing the main actors validate the data, legitimate the project and co-create the
supporting social innovation in the city. Following the platform. From then on, the network grew and, with the
snowball technique, we expanded the sample of support launch of the OBISF in September of 2017, the questionnaires
actors in Florianopolis who we asked to complete a could be completed online. In this way, a georeferenced map
questionnaire to collect information about them and the of the support actors and the interrelationships between
social innovation initiatives they reinforced. With this first them and social innovation initiatives was built. All this
information, the conception and implementation of the information about social innovation initiatives and support
platform started. The OBISF team collected free access actors became part of the map, as well as its interrelations. It
information about the social innovation initiatives, (from shapes a mesoscale of analysis that composes the online
government, business, civil society and universities) and platform of the Observatory.
ECOSYSTEM AND INFRASTRUCTURES FOR SOCIAL INNOVATION

Currently (July 2019), the platform has 228 support actors promoting the interaction between the knowledge produced
and 306 social innovation initiatives registered, resulting in in the University and in the communities of practices.
534 agents that compose Florianopolis’ SIE. Of the306 social
innovation initiatives registered, 201 were mapped and 105 4. Relating macro, meso and micro scales
were observed. The purpose of the research project is to promote a multi-
scale and longitudinal reading of the SIE of Florianopolis,
The number of initiatives observed could be expanded relating its historical, territorial and institutional dimensions
thanks to the involvement of undergraduate students that (macro scale), with an analysis of its network, forms of
carry out on-site visits and follow-up the initiatives mapped. cooperation and interaction (mesoscale), as well as the
This has made it possible to broaden the involvement of the actors’ practices (microscale) and its consequences in the
academic community within research and also with the public sphere. The research allows to observe in loco how
city's EIS. SIE is formed in the interface between the already
established institutions and the creative potential of the
3. Ethnography in public arenas different actors. In this sense, the goal is to promote
In order to follow the 'fields of experience' of Florianopolis’ collaborative learning through experience in public arenas.
social innovation initiatives, we are undertaking fieldwork This means to reinforce spaces and opportunities to
with an ethnographic approach to study some specific public problematization, publicization, exploration and collective
arenas. These public arenas are chosen because of the experimentation in coping with public problems.
importance of their dynamics in the ecosystem either by the
number of social innovation initiatives or by their strategic
significance in terms of dynamics reinforcing democracy and FINAL CONSIDERATIONS
sustainability. From the previous cartography and based on
the observation of the social innovation initiaves some This article summarized the analytical and methodological
relevant 'democratic experiments' [5] in the public arenas framework that is guiding the implementation of a digital
have been identified. These experiences are followed by and collaborative platform that maps the SIE of Florianopolis
systematic observation conducted by postgraduation city, in Brazil. As preliminary results from this research, it was
students in some public arenas: (1) the network that acts in possible to give more visibility for actors and initiatives of
the guarantee of children and adolescentes rights; (2) the social innovation, to promote their interaction and stimulate
urban solid waste treatment network; (3) the municipal the co-construction of learning about the SIE and its public
public policy forum; and (4) the articulation around urban arenas. It also promotes spaces for collective reflection
agriculture. about the features of the SIE and its impact in response to
the city public problems. This research, with a pragmatist
From the monitoring of the initiatives and their practices, as inspiration, does not start from a predetermined notion or
well as the participation of researchers in public meetings concept of social innovation, since we aim to understand the
and discussions, it becomes possible to better understand practices enabling a process of theorization. Thus, the
the advances, challenges and consequences of the action of platform is available to any initiative promoting responses
these network actors involved with the public problems in to public problems in the city. In this sense, our objective is to
the city. This also allows us to understand the controversies, analyze and provide light to these initiatives, understanding
the different interests and the conflicts around the subject. how they emerge, relate to each other and produce
In this way, we could observe the 'fields of experience' of the consequences in public arenas, (potentially) changing the
public arenas analysed and not just isolated initiatives. So, realities were they are inserted. More than a structural analysis
along with the platform, a kind of 'living lab' was co- of the SIE, we look forward to strengthen and disseminate the
constructed to follow and facilitate public inquiry processes public inquiry practices in the city, contributing to reinforce
in the public arenas studied. The Laboratory for Education in dynamics of experimentation of democracy and promotion of
Sustainability and Social Innovation (LEDS) aims to be a change towards more sustainable styles of development.
collaborative space for the co-construction of knowledge,

REFERENCES

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