Accounting for Social Innovations: Measuring the Impact of an Emerging Intangible Category

Abstract

Following the definition of the Center for Social Innovation of the Stanford Graduate School of Business (Social innovation, 2009), “a social innovation is a novel solution to a social problem that is more effective, efficient, sustainable, or just than present solutions and for which the value created accrues primarily to society as a whole rather than private individuals.” This definition focuses on the result, i.e. the outcome of the innovation. In order to judge whether a solution is more effective, efficient, sustainable, or just, it is indispensable to measure the impact of social innovations along those four lines. Moreover, the value created has to be allocated to the society and to private individuals. Between society and private individuals, organizations, both for-profit as well as non-profit organizations, act as socio-mechanical systems combining technical and organizational solutions (such as machines, buildings, or processes) with human beings as part of a social system in terms of internal (i.e. workforce) or external stakeholders (e.g. customers) of the organization.