Purpose The aim of this research is to analyze the key factors of the social innovation in the clusters of cooperatives. In a globalized world, clusters, as territorial systems of production, need to change into innovation... [ view full abstract ]
Purpose The aim of this research is to analyze the key factors of the social innovation in the clusters of cooperatives.
In a globalized world, clusters, as territorial systems of production, need to change into innovation systems to keep their competitive advantages and to develop (Carbonara, 2004; Zeitlin, 2008). Literature has analyzed two major success models if clusters structural change, on one hand, a private business way and on the other hand the government oriented way (Cooke, 2003). This article focuses on a third way of structural change introduced by Gallego and Chaves (2015): the col.lective social entrepreneurship model.
Design/methodology/approach – Qualitative comparative methodology is used in both case studies. Deep survey based on semi-structured interviews to privileged witnesses identified in a networking data collection strategy. The study analyses two paradigmatic success clusters of globalized cooperatives: Mondragon, integrated by industrial worker coops, and Anecoop, an agriculture cooperative group.
Findings – The study confirms that, from an evolutionist perspective, the systems of cooperatives (clusters of cooperatives) are able to articulate in the meso-level structural change processes and emerging meso-institutions (as meso-rules in the sense of North, 2005) and develop social innovation processes.
Research limitations/implications – The study has theorical implications in terms of understanding the innovative structural change in clusters of cooperatives.
Practical implications –The present study gives a framework to responsible of cooperative clusters and to government policy makers to develop policies that improve social innovation in cooperative systems.
Originality/value – This study uses for the first time qualitative methods to analyse cooperative success clusters in social innovation.
2. Social innovation and social entrepreneurship
