Social innovation, a determining factor in the social and solidarity economy

Abstract

The Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) is seen as a new field crowned by initiatives that aim for social, environmental and economic development while strengthening the social ties between the various players. By its very nature, the SSE sector is resolutely innovative. It is in the field of SSE that we can speak of social innovation, which makes it possible to improve or solve a social problem from a global perspective (C. Bouchard, 1999).

In this paper, we seek to highlight the role that social innovation can play in strengthening the SSE sector and improving its competitiveness. Our problem is as follows: "To what extent can social innovation be a determining factor for the SSE? To answer this question, we will review the literature on the birth and development of the social and solidarity economy. We will also detail and explain the theoretical foundations and principles of the social and solidarity economy, with the aim of highlighting the characteristics that make up this new field and making it a key area for the development of social innovations. We will then show that the social/solidarity-based economy is a prime example of social innovation. And to fully understand the links between the SSE and the SI, we plan to conduct a qualitative study by interviewing professionals, experts and university professors using an interview guide.

Keywords: Social and solidarity economy; Social innovation; Links

JEL classification: O350

Type of paper: empirical research