ABSTRACT
Employees form an important but less explored and utilized resource in social innovation in social welfare organizations in the third and public sectors. The employees have important knowledge of the everyday challenges of the organizations, the wishes and needs of their users and customers and of the local communities that can inspire and refine innovations. The implementation of a professionally run, street-level night shelter for women in the Danish capital of Copenhagen is just one example of such social intrapreneurship. The exploration focuses on active participation by employees in social innovation processes. Social innovation concerns innovation, creativity and change-oriented action with the wide goal of creating social value. The vast majority of research on intrapreneurship and the related concepts of corporate entrepreneurship engage with private sector organizations. The notion employee-driven innovation is based on the thesis that given the right circumstances, all groups of employees can contribute to innovation processes at their workplace.
