Definition and Comparison of Societal Innovation and Social Innovation

Abstract

The current economic, environmental, and societal challenges such as the financial crisis, climate change, and social exclusion indicate that system-level reform is necessary in order to get back on track for smart, sustainable, and inclusive growth. It is worth the effort to distinguish societal innovation from social innovation as the scope they cover and their implementation are different and their effect will be different as well. Societal innovation affects large social groups and social innovation influences a community. This chapter defines the concepts of societal innovation and social innovation and then compares their similarities as well as differences.