Stream 12

Chairs: Judith Terstriep (University of Applied Sciences Gelsenkirchen, Institute for Work and Technology, Germany), Georg Mildenberger (Heidelberg University, Centre for Social Investment and Social Innovation, Germany)

Description: 
Social innovations aim to address societal challenges by fostering new forms of interaction, cooperation, and governance. As their importance grows, so does the need for effective social impact measurement (SIM), which evaluates the effects of interventions on target groups, areas, and broader society. Despite recognising SIM’s importance, the lack of reliable data and a universal framework poses challenges. While SIM is criticised for its methodological complexities and bias towards easily measurable outcomes, it remains vital. This call for papers invites contributions focused on new methods, impact models, participatory measurement, and the potential for standardisation in SIM.