A Workshop Exploring the Interplay of Social Innovation and

Social Institutions

SFU Business SchoolSeptember 24-26, 2009

Vancouver, BC

Graham

Angela

Judith

Frances

CharlesAl

8:30 Welcome and introductions8:45 Developing common language9:00 Generating burning questions11:00 Stories of social innovation

(sorry to the presenters about calling them “best ever”!)John McKnight, Nadia Kanegai, Robert Kalyesubula, Shauna Smith

12:00 Lunch1:00 Talking about social institutions and social innovation

Technology, storytelling, collaboration and individuals

3:00 A complex(ity) view of social innovationFrances Westley

3:45 Talking about social innovation and social institutionsRegulation and rights, health, environment,

4:45 Introduction to “Open Space”

What we’re up to today

8:00 Continental breakfast available

8:30 Kick off Open Space

8:45 Open Space sessions10:45 Break

11:00 Reports from Open Space sessions12:00 Hugs, kisses and tears

What we’re up to tomorrow

Some Common Language

Problem # 1 The only questions anyone ever has:

“What do you mean social innovation?”“What do you mean social institutions?”

Social Innovation

“new ideas … developed to fulfil unmet social needs, … not restricted to any one sector or field”

(Bacon, Faizullah, Mulgan & Woodcraft, 2008)

“profoundly changes the basic routines, resource and authority flows or beliefs of any social system”

(Westley, 2008)

Social Institutions

• “a social pattern [for which] departures … are counteracted in a regulated fashion, by repetitively activated, socially constructed, controls”(Jepperson, 1991, p. 145)

• Enduring beliefs, rules or practices that shape a community– Marriage, democracy– Plagiarism, racism– Tenure – Conversation

Social Institutions

InspireFacilitateConstrainImpede

UndermineMake possible

Social Innovation

Social Innovations

TransformChallengeReinventReinforce

Skirt aroundComplicate

Social Institutions

Generating Burning Questions

Start with the Answers• In pairs– Discuss how social

institutions (the beliefs, rules and practices in our community) made Insite possible?

– Discuss how social institutions keep Insite vulnerable and isolated as an innovation?

On to the Questions1. Brainstorm the

questions that Insite raises for you about social innovation

2. Choose your top 3

3. Be ready to present in 15 minutes

Talking about Social Institutions and Social Innovation

• Hosts: 1 minute to “pitch” your table

• Friends: 2 minutes to get to the table you want to be at

• Hosts: 5 minutes to start the conversation

• Everyone: One hour to generate interesting conversation that makes you think about the processes that connect social institutions and social innovation

Complexity and Social Innovation

Talking about social innovation and social institutions

• Hosts: 1 minute to “pitch” your table

• Friends: 2 minutes to get to the table you want to be at

• Hosts: 5 minutes to start the conversation

• Everyone: One hour to generate interesting conversation that makes you think about the processes that connect social institutions and social innovation

Open Space Your homework for tonight

• Tonight– Think about an action (event, network, collaboration,

writing, connecting) that you might want to do around social innovation and social institutions

– Talk to people about your thoughts and theirs– Eat, drink, have fun!!!!

• Tomorrow morning– If you want to, stand up and give a one-minute pitch

for what you want to do– Go to the wall (you’ll see) and put your name and idea

in a room (you’ll see)– Go to the room and do something about it