Innovation: A sociological perspective

Abstract

This article offers an account of the sociological perspective on innovation. It outlines a set of useful tools for studying the relationship between innovation and major social dimensions. It is intended as a contribution to the interdisciplinary field of innovation studies by means of a series of concepts and explanatory mechanisms presented in a systematic way. Firstly, some limitations of the current innovation literature when studying social phenomena are discussed. Second, an explanation of the meaning of innovation from the assumptions of the sociological perspective is proposed. Third, the article analyses the relationships between innovation and the main dimensions of culture (values, norms, cognitive repertories and institutions) and social structure (social class, occupational structure, social networks and organizations).