The role of social innovations in building the nonprofit sustainability: New approaches to marketing
Abstract
In providing public services, nonprofits need to prove to their sponsors and donors (both private and public) that they can deliver the services and make social impact with greater efficiency and effectiveness than other providers. This might be one of the incentives to introduce social innovations into their activities.
In this paper we investigate the individual cases of the co-creation type of social innovations and the way they help contribute to the sustainability of the organizations and their marketing strategies. The methodological approach is based on qualitative research: case studies and structured interviews with key stakeholders on the co-creation process in selected region of Slovakia.
One of the main findings suggests that improved marketing was not a goal of the initiatives but a "by-product" of a social innovation in the co-creation process. In analysed cases, the co-creation has led to increased accountability and trustworthiness of non-profit organizations and helped their visibility and their ability to fulfil their missions.