Explorando as dinâmicas entre os ecossistemas de inovação social e seu impacto no desenvolvimento local: a proposição de um framework

Abstract

This dissertation investigates the dynamics and interactions between Social Innovation Ecosystems (SEIs) and Local Development (LD), structured in three articles. The first article analyzes the scientific production on SEIs with a quantitative approach, carrying out a bibliographic, bibliometric and documentary study, using data from the Web of Science and Scopus databases and the VOSviewer® software for the analyses. The research reveals trends, gaps in the literature and emerging areas on SEIs. The second article focuses on LD, evaluating the literature with similar methodological procedures, highlighting patterns and theoretical contributions on LD. Both articles provide a detailed overview of the state of the art in their respective areas. The third article integrates the findings of the first two studies and, based on bibliographic reviews, bibliometric analyses and semi-structured interviews, proposes and validates a theoretical framework that articulates the relationship between the main elements of SEIs and LD, highlighting five main elements: Local Social Needs, Political Dimension, Economic Dimension, Sociocultural Dimension and Environmental Dimension. The research adopted a qualitative interpretative approach, with content analysis and triangulation of the information obtained. The results indicate that SEIs are fundamental for LD, by addressing social needs and promoting sustainable and inclusive solutions. It is concluded that Social Innovation initiatives can transform communities and/or social groups, generating positive impacts in facing contemporary challenges and promoting LD. Thus, this study contributes to the understanding of how SEIs can be leveraged to foster LD, offering valuable insights for researchers and policy makers.