Resumo

Globalization and the advancements in the technological and informational fields, together with the development of the emerging economies, involve a range of challenges. In this sense, technology could increase the capability of identifying social needs and enhances the low-cost possible solutions. Examples of the integration of technology to solve new economic paradigms are: sharing economy, circular economy and inclusive economy. Moreover, when combining societal challenges with technological opportunities, arises the concept of social innovation.

Based on Heeks, Foster, and Nugroho (2014) vision that the use of innovation to improve the wealth of higher income consumers and the productivity of formal enterprises only aiming the economic development contributes to the perpetuation of an innovation of inequality, it is formulated the following question: which subjects emerges when integrating “social impact” and “innovation” in the scientific literature?

Social innovation is being perceived as the merge of the “innovation” definitions that consider products, services and business models new or importantly improved, and that, at the same time, meet the social needs of the society in a more efficient way than the existing ones (Murray et al., 2010). Stemming from the charity vision, and becoming a profitable way of doing business and providing market-based solutions for social problems, the social innovation changes the way that business sees social change, introducing a new opportunity for doing business (Saul, 2011).

This research is characterized as a systematic literature review. The criteria used to compile the survey were based on Tranfield, Denyer, and Smart (2003). Data analysis was done in two stages. In the first stage data were analyzed using one of content analysis techniques, known as categorical analysis. Studies were classified into some specific categories: nationality of the authors, main authors, main journals of publication, year of publication, number of citations and most important articles in the sample. Besides that, the VOSviewer software was used in to analyze the co-word maps.

Previous studies were advanced, by not restricting a period for the collection and contemplating the last three years (2015-2018), where 63% of the articles of the sample belong. Furthermore, the clusters’ analysis allows the development of new research focusing on subareas that permeate this discussion, thus helping to define, understand and advance the discussion of the theme. The result reinforces that meeting the social needs is an opportunity for entrepreneurs, that can act attaining inclusive economy and inclusive growth.

The bibliometric analysis shows the importance of developed countries in the research about the issue. Based on the co-word network map, stands out the importance the theme social entrepreneurship has had in academic papers, where the new challenge of measuring the socio-environmental results of these businesses is a concern. Both in the bibliographic and in the qualitative analysis of the 10 top papers, it was noticed that as a theoretical basis and practical example of social impact innovation, the financial innovations stands out.

Heeks, R., Foster, C., & Nugroho, Y. (2014). New models of inclusive innovation for development. Taylor & Francis. Murray, R., Caulier-Grice, J., & Mulgan, G. (2010). The open book of social innovation. National endowment for science, technology and the art London. Saul, J. (2011). Book highlight—Corporate social innovation. Global Business and Organizational Excellence, 30(5), 78–87. Tranfield, D., Denyer, D., & Smart, P. (2003). Towards a methodology for developing evidence‐informed management knowledge by means of systematic review. British Journal of Management, 14(3), 207–222.