Creating social value by empowering people: a social innovation perspective

Initiatives across the private, public, and third sectors have increasingly pursued social value beyond mere profit. However, how can be created still requires a more detailed investigation. This paper provides conceptual empirical arguments on initiatives of innovation, which intentionally seek to empower people, contribute generate value. We investigate three European innovation cases—which are collective entrepreneurial initiatives. Using mixed methods applied primary nested data, we first find evidence for empowering effects then identify typical process through empowerment occurs. Our results suggest that innovations catalyze horizontal co-creational organizational design, providing space individuals propose their goals establishing mechanisms mutual influence transform individual autonomy into coactive power. kicks off creation, yet its reach within society depends much diffuses participants in initiative.