Dimensões da inovação social: estudo de caso sobre o programa de estímulo a cooperação na escola (PRECE)

Abstract

The innovation comes from Schumpeter (1985), who defines it as novelties that can be integrated into the economic system and that changes the links between producers and consumers, being, in the author's point of view, a fundamental element for economic development. However, throughout the 21st century, innovation is influenced by new bases of knowledge and gains dimensions that expand beyond the market and thus becomes part of sectors such as the public and the third sector (MEDEIROS et al. 2017). In this context, social innovation is presented with the goal of attending to social needs and promoting social benefits for communities through the creation of new products, services, organizational structures or activities that go against social exclusion, segregation and lack of opportunities (Muller et al., 2013). Tardif and Harrisson (2005) developed a model of analysis of social innovation in cases, through five dimensions: transformations, innovative character, innovation, actors and processes. Thus, this research has as general objective to investigate how the dimensions of social innovation are characterized in the Program of Encouragement to Cooperation in School (PRECE) in the light of the Tardif and Harrisson model. The research presents specific objectives to analyze each of the dimensions of social innovation proposed by the authors. It is a research of a qualitative nature, having as its strategy the single case study. Data collection included secondary and primary data. The techniques of direct observation and semi-structural interviews with the developers and beneficiaries of the program were used. Thus, in the perspective of the model developed by Tardif and Harrison (2005), the Program for Stimulating Cooperation in School presents evidence of social innovation, whose social innovation process is at an advanced stage of institutionalization. The dimensions of social innovation were perceived through the lack of perspective of life, the demand for social inclusion of young people and children and the socio-economic situation of the community of Cipó, which motivated the initiation of a social action characterized by the student protagonism of young people and the inclusion of a portion of the population considered excluded; the institutionalization of the solutions adopted led to the constitution of a model of participatory governance and a "new economy" of knowledge; the social innovation developed shows local impact and is focused on the common good; the actors involved are multiple and come from different levels and sectors of society; the main processes used are mobilization, participation, learning, partnership, and empowerment; and most of the constraints identified occurred at the beginning of the initiative.