Factors influencing social innovation processes in Latvia: qualitative research perspective

Abstract

The research reflected in this paper aimed at the determination of social innovation influencing factors in the Latvian context. The qualitative content analysis of the scripts made from the video recordings of the focus group discussion organized with participation of representatives of the fields of entrepreneurship, education, communication, sport and charity, revealed that social innovation influencing factors have dual nature. That duality manifests itself as both promoting and hindering effects of social innovation influencing factors depending on the presence and development level of specific characteristics of the factor, as well as on the context within which the factor acts. The empirical data were analysed with open coding using AQUAD 6 software for the registration of conceptual codes, data processing and creation of frequency tables of categories developed. The research resulted in the revelation of ten social innovation influencing factors: openness to novelty, consciousness, responsibility, proactive thinking, lifelong learning, positive experience, passivity, conservative thinking, power distance and bureaucracy.