BEYOND THE OBVIOUS: SOCIAL INNOVATION IN THE NGOS MANAGEMENT

What is in essence innovation occurs at the level of social behavioural patterns, routines, practices and settings. An innovation is therefore social to the extent that it, either conveyed by the market or by nonprofit, is socially accepted and diffused widely throughout society or in certain societal sub-areas, transformed depending on circumstances and ultimately institutionalized as new social practice or made routine. The field of social innovation turns critical societal problems into opportunities by actively involving the community actors. Organizations and networks of organizations are playing a decisive role in the dissemination of social innovation. NGOs are largely innovating the ways managerial activities are performed by their constituents. They are solving in new and innovative ways the tasks of planning, organizing, leading, motivating and controlling resources and people in order to achieve effectively and efficiently their fundamental purpose and objectives. The main questions to be explored are: what are the social innovation aspects in NGOs’ management and how they help to improve existing organizational models and management methods, and how those approaches can create value for these organizations