Innovation is the successful exploitation – viable and real – of new ideas with a clear customer focus, which makes it possible to improve the organisation’s effectiveness – in what is done -, in efficiency – in how it is done – or in both aspects at the same time. Traditionally assumed in the business world as a “luxury” function for those organisations that could afford it, it is now a key factor of competitiveness given the new socio-economic context: the globalisation of the learning economy. Social innovation could be framed both in the field of innovation of products-services and of processes with a high participation of intangible assets, comprising actions (initiatives, projects, instruments,…) which in an original way improve social welfare and/or social cohesion and which propose, in short, not to resign oneself to situations such as exclusion, hunger and poverty, climate change… The Spanish National R&D&I Plan 2013-2016 establishes the Spanish +D&I programme aimed at the Challenges of Society, including Challenge 6 of Social Change and Innovation.
This Challenge establishes that scientific research in Social Sciences and Humanities must contribute to respond to improve our understanding of reality,
the quality of public policies and the strategies of economic and social actors Any industrial sector must take special account of Corporate Social Responsibility policies and those of Innovation: INNOVATION, TECHNICAL CHANGE, PROGRESS AND WELL-BEING.
There is also much R&D to be developed in these areas, taking into account the Horizon 2020 programme, which includes Challenge 6 : Europe in a changing world: inclusive, innovative and reflective societies (SSH) Technology must take into account parameters beyond those of design, functionality, operability and cost. It must include respect for the environment, the creation of an environment of equality, innovation and creativity in its pure state… and this is also R&D.
