Intraorganizational Conditions Supporting Social Innovations by Human Service Nonprofits

Abstract

Social innovation is a distinct type of innovation that refers to the efforts of individuals and organizations that help to create opportunities that have a broader impact on a social system and/or the experiences of a vulnerable social group as a whole. This research identifies the intraorganizational conditions that support or hinder efforts by human service nonprofits to undertake social innovations. Utilizing a cross-sectional research design with a random sample of human service nonprofits (N = 165) in Pennsylvania, the study identifies internal organizational conditions related to cohesion, procedures, and staff engagement that positively predict product, process, and socially transformative social innovations. This study provides empirical evidence of specific internal organizational characteristics that are supportive of social innovations in human service nonprofits. Furthermore, areas for organizational development related to leadership, staff and volunteer engagement, and procedures and processes are identified that support the development and undertaking of social innovations.