Social innovation, transformation, and public policy: towards a conceptualization and critical appraisal

Abstract This article conceptualizes the role of social innovation (SI) in transformational innovation policy, identifies policy options, and points out potential risks of mobilizing SI for transformations. We illustrate our conceptual claims based on selected policy examples and propose a set of distinctions about the basic role of policy for SI in the context of transformation. We distinguish the importance of SI for the two policy approaches: transformative innovation policy and mission-oriented innovation policy. It follows that politics must differentiate between the various types of SI and their different significance for missions and transformations. To decide whether and how policy intervenes, ex ante and ex post analyses of the transformational effects of SI and the policies that act on them must be developed and applied. It is crucial to accompany and promote the diversity of SIs politically in such a way that they can constructively unfold their transformation potential.