The process of social innovation: utilizing information and communication technology in rural Indonesia

This study examines the social innovation process through information and communication technology in rural Indonesia, initiated by governments, local communities, or collaborative partnerships. Employing a qualitative multi-case approach, the research explores how digital social innovation (DSI) evolves across rural settings and identifies enabling and constraining factors. The findings reveal that innovation emerges from collaboration among innovators, users, and communities who co-create knowledge, ideas, products, and services to improve rural welfare. Digital initiatives foster social learning, knowledge sharing, and the development of local digital ecosystems that enhance collective capacity and community empowerment. These innovations contribute to achieving sustainable development goals by promoting inclusion and accelerating rural transformation. Nevertheless, unequal access to digital skills and limited willingness to adapt among some groups remain barriers, while increased competition for economic benefits occasionally undermines the social value of innovation.