New paper assesses conditions for social innovation in rural areas
A new OECD paper identifies factors that can support social innovation in rural areas, provides guidance for policymakers, and proposes an approach to measure readiness and capacity to embark on rural social innovation.
Produced by the OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities, the paper overviews specificities of social innovation in rural contexts, such as the importance of land use and the key role of civil society, social entrepreneurs and the elderly.
The paper makes the case for social innovation as a tool to create vibrancy in rural areas by filling public service gaps, experimenting with new business models, and creating a stronger sense of community. In a context where not all rural areas are equally equipped to engage in social innovation, the publication proposes a methodological approach and a set of indicators to assess readiness.