Determining the impact of social innovation across different contexts: a review and survey on supporting metrics

Abstract In response to the growing scholarship and practice related to social innovation, the challenge of how to assess its multifaceted impacts has become central to academics, organisations, and policymakers. Nonetheless, there is a gap in the literature regarding concrete measurements and indicators that can be used to assess social innovation initiatives across different geographical contexts. This research addresses this gap by selecting, categorising, and evaluating a list of thirty-four indicators. These indicators were selected based on both scientific and grey literature, including reports from globally recognised institutions. Their categorisation and assessment resulted from an online questionnaire answered by thirty-nine academics and practitioners internationally active in the field of social innovation. Results indicate that the presented list of indicators may be suitable to assess initiatives across different contexts and their economic, environmental, educational, political, social, and innovation dimensions. The existence of links between indicators’ dimensions and contexts is also discussed. Additionally, the performance of indicators regarding their measurability, transparency, relevance, and potential to assess social innovation is promising although subject to further refinement. Further research should focus on refining and applying the presented list of indicators to different contexts and initiatives.