A Taxonomy of Social Innovation in the Social Enterprise Zoo

Narrow definitions of innovation in the for-profit context do not adequately account for the pragmatic and solution-oriented approaches found in the social enterprise sector, often under environmental conditions that prohibit entirely new and novel adaptations aimed at addressing social problems (i.e., low human capital, lack of resources, cultural factors). In this chapter we describe two innovation-related dimensions around which social innovation can be organized: theories of social change and categories of innovation itself (product, process, market, institutional and ecological innovations). A taxonomy of social enterprise innovation is developed along these two dimensions from an analysis of Echoing Green fellows. This taxonomy helps illuminate how social entrepreneurs, policymakers and funders shape the social enterprise landscape through the pursuit of social innovation