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Social innovations are usually understood as new ideas, initiatives, or solutions that make it possible to meet the challenges of societies in fields such as social security, education, employment, culture, health, environment, housing, and economic development. On the one hand, many citizen science activities serve to achieve scientific as well as social and educational goals. Thus, these actions are opening an arena for introducing social innovations. On the other hand, some social innovations are further developed, adapted, or altered after the involvement of scientist-supervised citizens (laypeople or volunteers) in research and with the use of the citizen science tools and methods such as action research, crowdsourcing, and community-based participatory research. Such approaches are increasingly recognized as crucial for gathering data, addressing community needs, and creating engagement and cooperation between citizens and professional scientists. However, there are also various barriers to both citizen science and social innovation. For example, management, quality and protection of data, funding difficulties, non-recognition of citizens' contributions, and limited inclusion of innovative research approaches in public policies. In this volume, we open theoretical as well as empirically-based discussion, including examples, practices, and case studies of at least three types of relations between citizen science and social innovation: (1) domination of the citizen science features over social innovation aspects; (2) domination of the social innovation features over the citizen science aspects; and (3) the ways to achieve balance and integration between the social innovation and citizen science features. Each of these relationships highlights factors that influence the development of the main scales of sustainability of innovations in the practice. These innovations are contributing to a new paradigm of learning and sharing knowledge as well as interactions and socio-psychological development of participants. Also, there are factors that influence the development of platforms, ecosystems, and sustainability of innovations such as broad use of the information and communications technologies (ICTs) including robotics and automation; emerging healthcare and health promotion models; advancements in the development and governance of smart, green, inclusive and age-friendly cities and communities; new online learning centers; agri-food, cohousing or mobility platforms; and engagement of citizens into co-creation or co-production of services delivered by public, private, non-governmental (NGOs) organizations as well as non-formal entities.

This Research Topic focuses on both strengths and weaknesses of social innovation, technological innovation, and health innovation that are increasingly recognized as crucial concepts related to the formulation of responses to the social, health, and environmental challenges. Goals of this Research Topic: (1) to identify and share the best recent practices and innovations related to social, environmental and health policies; (2) to debate on relevant governance modes, management tools as well as evaluation and impact assessment techniques; (3) to discuss dilemmas in the fields of management, financing, designing, implementing, testing, and maintaining the sustainability of innovative models of delivering social, health and care services; and (4) to recognize and analyze social, technological and health innovation that has emerged or has been scaled-up to respond to crisis situations, for example, a pandemic of the COVID-19 coronavirus disease.

On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organization declared a pandemic of the COVID-19 coronavirus disease that was first recognized in China in late 2019. Among the primary effects caused by the pandemic, there was the dissemination of health preventive measures such as physical distancing, travel restrictions, self-isolation, quarantines, and facility closures. This includes the global disruption of socio-economic systems including the postponement or cancellation of various public events (e.g., sporting, cultural, or religious), supply shortages and fears of the same, schools and universities closure, evacuation of foreign citizens, a rise of unemployment, changes in the international aid schemes, misinformation, and incidents of discrimination toward people affected by or suspected of having the COVID-19 disease. The pandemic has brought to the fore unpreparedness in critical areas that require attention, amid prospects and challenges. Moreover, considerable reorganization efforts are required with implications for assets, resources, norms, and value systems. COVID-19 is challenging the concept of globalization and stimulating responses at the levels of local and regional socio-economic systems that lead to the mobilization of assets that have been unrecognized earlier on, such as various forms of economic capital, social capital, cultural capital, human capital, and creative capital. For example, through digital channels, local groups are forming to create schemes of support for physical and mental wellbeing. These emerging exchanges lead to various social and technological innovations by building on skills and assets that are less important in the free-market economy, such as empathy, skills for crafts, making and fixing; locally grown microgreens; and micromanufacturing. Isolation and local living are also making it much harder to ignore the civic responsibilities towards communities, meant as individuals, vulnerable groups, and local businesses. Whilst the pandemic is limiting physical participation, this challenging time is uncovering alternative ways of mutual support, which may create long-term benefits for socio-economic systems, including environmental and biodiversity protection, reduction of the air pollution, and climate action. The pandemic’s threat to public health will hopefully be overcome with implications for disruption for an extended period that we are unable to forecast at this stage. It is key to focus on studies recognizing the activities and interventions leading to the recovery of socio-economic systems after the pandemic. Reflecting and planning on how societies and economies will go back to “business as usual” requires new forms of communication and cooperation, imaginative design thinking, new styles of management, as well as new tools and forms of participation in various public policies. Many questions related to the care of the vulnerable, economic restart, and the risk of future pandemics, to mention but a few, are already occupying the academic, scientific, experts, and activist communities, who have started to imagine the “new normal.”

Dissertação de mestrado em Marketing e Estratégia, O presente estudo teve como objetivo a análise das interfaces digitais entre consumidores e marcas em um contexto pandémico da Covid-19. A relação de consumo com tecnologias, sejam elas BOTS, Chats, Centrais de Atendimento ou Inteligência Artificial, ainda carece de muita investigação. Este estudo analisou benefícios, desvantagens e sugestões de consumidores para que essa interface digital entre consumidores e marcas seja segura, credível e potencie o valor da marca. A Investigação centra-se num contexto marcante da história da humanidade (Covid- 19) em que a imposição da limitação de contactos pessoais conduziu à alavancagem de serviços digitais. Procedeu-se a uma metodologia qualitativa envolvendo 20 pessoas divididas por quatro grupos de foco, organizados pela via on-line, e que representam as Gerações Baby Boomers, X e Y as quais têm uma relação diferente com as tecnologias digitais, podendo esse facto interferir com as suas perceções relativamente aos serviços digitais sem intervenção de relações interpessoais. Os quatro grupos foram divididos da seguinte maneira: três grupos a integrar as gerações X e Y para proporcionar a troca de percepções em diferentes faixas etárias mas com alguma proximidade de nascidos entre os anos 70 aos anos 80 e um grupo maioritariamente de Baby Boomers, nascidos antes da década de 70, que viram a tecnologia surgir e tiveram que se adaptar à ela. Os resultados dos grupos de foco mostram uma valorização de uma interface digital, porém com a condução humana, com escalas de atuações híbridas, para que haja dinamismo, rapidez e eficiência aliados a um processo empático, adequado à jornada do consumidor e com bom aproveitamento dos dados gerados via CRMs digitais. A pesquisa trouxe o resultado de que para a maioria dos integrantes das Gerações X e Y a interface digital facilita e acelera o processo, porém, é necessária a inteligência humana para tornar o processo mais empático. Apesar do meio digital, as Gerações X e Y esperam que haja uma interface menos robotizada, esperam que mesmo a interface digital traga soluções condizentes aos consumidores, inclusive dando a sensação de algo customizado. Já para os participantes da Geração Baby Boomers, o contato humano é essencial e não pode ser deixado de lado. A interface digital só faz sentido para esse Grupo em situações de extrema necessidade. Resumidamente, este estudo reúne depoimentos e sugestões de interfaces digitais que tiveram o seu fluxo intensificado mediante restrições impostas pela pandemia da Covid-19., This study aimed to analyze the digital interfaces between consumers and brands in a Covid-19 pandemic context. The consumer relationship with technologies, whether BOTS, Chats, Call Centers or Artificial Intelligence, still needs a lot of investigation. This study analyzed benefits, disadvantages and suggestions from consumers so that this digital interface between consumers and brands is safe, credible and enhances the brand's value. The research focuses on a remarkable context in human history (Covid-19) in which the imposition of the limitation of personal contacts led to the leverage of digital services. For this study, a qualitative methodology was carried out involving 20 people divided into four focus groups, organized online, and representing the Baby Boomers, X and Y Generations. These generations have a different relationship with digital technologies that may interfere with their perceptions of digital services without the intervention of interpersonal relationships. The four groups were divided as: three groups integrating generations X and Y to provide the exchange of perceptions in different age groups but with some proximity as those born between the 70s and 80s and a group concentrated in Baby Boomers, born before the 70s and who saw the technology emerge had to adapt to it. The results of the focus groups show an appreciation of a digital interface, but with human guidance, with scales of hybrid actions, so that there is dynamism, speed and efficiency combined with an empathetic process, suitable for the consumer's journey and with good use of the data generated via digital CRMs. The research brought the result that for most members of Generations X and Y the digital interface facilitates and speeds up the process, however, human intelligence is needed to make the process more empathetic. Despite the digital environment, Generations X and Y expect a less robotic interface, they hope that even the digital interface brings solutions suitable to consumers, giving the feeling of something customized. The Baby Boomers Generation participants, however, declare that human contact is essential and cannot be left out. The digital interface only makes sense for them in situations of extreme need. Briefly, this study brings together testimonies and suggestions for digital interfaces that had their flow intensified due to restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Study purpose: To analyze the effects of co-production and co-creation on value co-creation and on the satisfaction of financial services’ consumers. Methodology/Approach: We used structural equations modeling [SEM] for the empirical assessment of the theoretical model based on SDL: value stems from interaction in co-production or co-creation (Vargo Lusch, 2004), and engagement in co-creation and co-production, which have positive effects on value creation (Prahalad Ramaswamy, 2000, 2004; Vargo Lusch, 2004), and satisfaction (Williams Naumann, 2011).Main findings: The model showed statistical results close to acceptable values (Hair et al., 2009), but not sufficient to affirm that there is an effect of coproduction and cocreation on co-created value and on customer satisfaction. There is correlation between the variables of co-production and co-creation, but the low explanatory power requires adjustments to the model or a review of the constructs.Theoretical/methodological contributions: We highlight the relationship between co-production and co-creation, since the model extends knowledge about their constructs applied to the financial context, with categories and modeling proposition, by refining the ideas of co-production, co-creation, value co-creation, and perceived value.Relevance/originality: The study builds parameters for measuring co-created value in co-creation and co-production of services, and shows that customers of financial services co-produce or co-create as an extension of the supplier, not of the customer. Objetivo do estudo: O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar os efeitos da coprodução e da cocriação na cocriação de valor e na satisfação do consumidor de serviços financeiros.Metodologia/Abordagem: Utilizou-se de modelagem de equações estruturais (structural equations modeling – SEM) para a avaliação empírica do modelo teórico que investiga o valor resultante da interação na produção ou criação conjunta e se o engajamento na cocriação e na coprodução possui efeitos positivos na construção do valor e da satisfação.Principais resultados: O modelo apresentou estatísticas próximas dos valores aceitáveis, porém não suficientes para afirmar que há efeito da coprodução e da cocriação sobre o valor cocriado e a satisfação do cliente. É possível afirmar que há correlação entre as variáveis de coprodução e de Cocriação, mas o baixo poder de explicação aponta para necessidade de ajuste no modelo ou revisão dos constructos.Contribuições teóricas/metodológicas: Ressalta-se a relação entre coprodução e cocriação, pois o modelo amplia o conhecimento sobre os constructos da coprodução e da cocriação aplicadas ao contexto financeiro, com categorias e proposta de modelagem, ao refinar as ideias de coprodução, cocriação, cocriação de valor e valor percebido (LDS).Relevância/originalidade: O estudo constrói parâmetros de medição do valor cocriado na cocriação e coprodução de serviços e indica que os clientes de serviços financeiros coproduzem ou cocriam na extensão do fornecedor, e não do cliente.