Social Innovation and the Power of Technology

Abstract

Ubiquitous technology has changed the way people work, live and play. In contemporary society, people use information and communication technology (ICT) to search for information, make purchases, apply for jobs, share opinions, and stay in touch with friends and relatives. In business, people use technology to work in teams, to create new ideas, products, and services and share these with colleagues, customers, or a larger audience. At the same time, contemporary society faces myriad problems that must be addressed: persistent poverty, HIV/AIDS, food security, energy shortage, global climate change, and environmental degradation. In this context, it is crucial to respond flexibly to complex problems, to communicate effectively, to manage information dynamically, to work and create solutions in teams, to use technology effectively, and to produce new knowledge, continuously (Kozma and Roth, Assessment and teaching of twenty-first century skills. Springer, 2012). Creating content, solutions, use models of socio-economic relevance, of great user experience and impact – that’s what makes the difference.