ABSTRACT
The concept of Social Innovation (SI) has been one of the most discussed in the field of innovation and is even getting stronger in the debate about social development. Understanding SI is not easy, not only because of the existing overlapping between the theoretical backgrounds – namely innovation and social responsibility – usually used to explain the concept. According to Mulgan, SI refers to innovation activities and services that are motivated by the aim of meeting a social need, and that are predominantly diffused through organizations primarily focused on social purposes. The chapter explores the way SI arises within the locus of collaborations, which means the way some networks turn into the so-called Systems for SI finally enabling the involved actors to reach both economic and social sustainability. A qualitative method has been adopted by the means of face-to-face interviews, visits and meetings to the selected key-actors belonging to the SfSI “La Paranza”.
