Digital Social Innovation: Interim Report
Francesca Bria Esteve Almirall Peter Baeck Harry Halpin Jon Kingsbury Frank Kresin Sacha van Tongeren Julian Tait Kelly Armstrong Jo Casebourne Sophie Reynolds Sacha van Tongeren Ning Xu
2014
Abstract
This research aims to explore the potential of the network e ect of the Internet (activity i.e. the service becomes more powerful when more people use it), emphasizing the characteristics of digital tools that can e ectively empower citizens and civic innovators. e challenge is to exploit the collaborative power of networks (networks of people, of knowledge, and connected things) to harness the collective intelligence of communities in order to tackle big social challenges. ere is great potential to exploit digital network e ects both in social innovation activity and in new services and approaches that generate social value. But much of this potential isn’t yet being realized. Indeed, the “network e ect” of the Internet may still be in its early technical phases and early implementation to maximize social good.
