The CrESSI (Creating Economic Space for Social Innovation) project explores the economic underpinnings of social innovation with a particular focus on how policy and practice can enhance the lives of the most marginalised and disempowered citizens in society. Overall, the project takes an institutionalist view of the key issues exploring the drivers and structures that lead to marginalisation and disempowerment. This research also aims to set out how interventions drawing on social innovation can address major economic, social and power imbalances and inequalities.
Key themes to be addressed by this project are:
- How do markets as socio-economic institutions relate to the poor, marginalised and vulnerable?
- What are the drivers of, and barriers to, social innovation in various institutional settings?
- What is the role of public policy instruments in developing finance structures and wider eco-systems to support the development and growth of social innovation?
- How can the impact of social innovation be captured and measured at the organizational and national levels?
Key Words: Foresight, Social Innovation, Empowerment
Start: Feb 2014
Duration: 48 months
Funded by: European Commission
Contact: Susanne Giesecke
