Making (Radical) Change Real: Understanding the Relational Elements Necessary to Undertake Transformational Social Innovation Between Nonprofits and Local Governments

Social innovation as a theoretical, policy, and operational tool has increasingly dominated government and nonprofit policy and funding agendas, especially within human services sectors. As this concept has grown in awareness and application, a more nuanced typology of social innovation has emerged to further understand its transformative potential. Increasingly, researchers and practitioners have critically problematized the concept and have sought to better understand how social innovation is truly able to create positive transformative change for the populations a social innovation aims to serve. This dissertation seeks to contribute empirical evidence to the growing field of research on transformational social innovation through empirical investigation of transformational social innovation in practice, the independent and overlapping roles of both nonprofit organizations and local governments in social innovation, and the relational criteria between nonprofit organizations and local governments most necessary to sustain and create transformational social innovation. This dissertation utilized a mixed-methods approach to survey and interview a sample of Canadian nonprofit and local government leaders experienced in undertaking social innovation. For the first stage of study, quantitative methods were utilized to survey nonprofit and government leader (n=202) experiences with transformational social innovation along with key relational factors for transformational social innovation between nonprofit and local governments. Measures were developed that assess three types of transformative social innovation (i.e. The Transformational Social Innovation Scale) and the relational elements necessary to create and sustain it (i.e. the Relational Elements for Transformative Social Innovation Scale). The second stage of study utilized qualitative methods. One to one interviews were conducted with 16 nonprofit and local government leaders to provide deeper, applied knowledge about strategies for the implementation of transformational social innovation in partnership between nonprofit and local governments. For the first stage of research, data were analyzed using structural equation modelling. Both scales developed were assessed for reliability and construct validity. Survey results for the relational elements (n=96) were regressed on each type of transformational social innovation. For the second stage of research, qualitative data were analyzed using inductive methods. Chapter 1 provides an overview of transformational social innovation including key insights from the literature and applicable theory. Research questions are introduced. In Chapter 2, the Transformational Social Innovation (TSI) Scale is validated as consisting of Product/content, Process, and Empowerment related components. Chapter 3 undertakes a multidimensional analysis that validates the relational criteria between nonprofits and local governments most critical to undertaking social innovation (including Role of Network Formation, Alternative Governance, Role of Narrative and Communication, and Role of the Individual). This chapter includes the validation of the Relational Elements for Transformational Social Innovation (RETSI) Scale, as well as the assessment of the proposed model of relational elements between nonprofits and local governments most important to undertaking transformational social innovation. Chapter 4 presents the qualitative study and focusses on the practical application of transformational social innovation as it relates to relational criteria most critical to undertaking these projects. Finally, Chapter 5 provides a summary of both quantitative and qualitative findings and discusses the application of the findings in relation to theory, practice, education, and further research. As a complete body of research, this dissertation provides a comprehensive inquiry into the role of relational characteristics between nonprofits and local governments when undertaking transformational social innovation. This research can be used by nonprofit and local government leadership alike to focus efforts on relationship-building with other organizations that will result in the most impactful operationalization of the concept of transformational social innovation.

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