DRS2012 Bangkok Proceedings Vol 4 - Design Research Society

2. Understanding innovation as socially shaped innovation
2.1 Innovation: collaborative, open and democratic
Anna SERAVALLI
In recent years, thinkers and practitioners within the innovation field have embraced the
idea that innovation arises from networks (Tuomi, 2002) where diverse actors are involved
in processes of co-creation (Prahalad et al., 2004). In the business sector, relationships
between companies and suppliers are no longer perceived merely as value chains but as
value constellations (Norman & Ramirez, 1993) where value is co-created by companies,
suppliers and customers (Lusch et al., 2010).
In the technology sector, there has been a shift from closed to open innovation processes,
recognizing that sources of innovation can be found outside the company (Cheesbourgh,
2003). In particular, the role of end users has been challenged: they are no longer seen as
passive consumers but as key resources for innovation (Von Hippel, 2005).
The discourse about collaborative (Leadbeater, 2008), open (Cheesbourgh, 2003) and
democratic (Von Hippel, 2005) innovation is spreading, emphasising the importance of
networks and co-creation processes for the emergence of novelty.
Co-creation is a central idea in social innovation, which can present shifting roles between
the public, private and non-profit sectors with the creation of partnerships between nonprofit
organizations, companies and public bodies (Phils et al., 2008). This can lead to the
creation of bonds between previously separate individuals and groups, which in turn can
create a fertile ground for the emergence of new ideas (Mulgan, 2007).
Collaboration between diverse actors characterizes social innovation, but it is also a
condition for its development: for identifying unmet needs and generating and
implementing ideas (de Ouden et al., 2010). These collaborations seem particularly
promising when involving “the bees and the trees” (Mulgan 2007), where the “bees”
represent small organisations and entrepreneurs that are mobile, fast and crosspollinating,
while the “trees” are large, resilient organizations that can scale ideas. In
design for social innovation, these alliances have been described as designing networks,
systems of diverse stakeholders designing together (Jegou and Manzini 2008).
A central question is how to support the development of innovation in co-creation
processes involving diverse stakeholders. In trying to understand the practice of open,
collaborative and democratic innovation, this paper relies on the idea of social shaping.
3. Understanding co-creation: social shaping of innovation
An extended understanding of co-creation processes is provided by the field of
participatory design (PD), based on forty years of experience in supporting co-creation of
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