Open and Big Data as a Resource to the Development of Social Innovation Initiatives and Smart Territories

The chapter aims to reflect on how social innovation and entrepreneurship (SIE) initiatives can mobilize the existing knowledge of open data on the territory in order to generate more knowledge and support the decision-making process. It therefore wants to answer the questions: How do the available data help the decision-making process of SIE initiatives? Can access to data and its analysis contribute to the resolution of social problems in a faster and more sustainable way? In order to support the answer to the previous questions, the database of the IES-SBS network (a non-profit organization whose mission is to empower social entrepreneurs) and interviews conducted with key informants were analyzed. It is concluded that access to data needs to be converted into a logical framework of information, but when this happens data/information can help the decision-making processes of SEI initiatives. This way the solution of social problems will be more quick, sustainable, and smart.