Role of Social Innovation in Alleviating Poverty and Achieving Sustainable Development

Abstract

Combating poverty and sustaining development is one of the most significant challenges humanity needs to overcome. Governments, local institutions, non-profit organizations, academia, and companies are making great efforts to alleviate poverty and ensure sustainable development. However, these efforts cannot be reached the desired level in changing and transforming the world. Therefore, these problems, which were addressed in conventional ways, must be considered and resolved through “innovative approaches”. The aim of this study is to address the concept of social innovation, which can be used as a solution to social problems in general, and as a tool in combating poverty and regional development in particular, with examples of successful applications. In this sense, firstly, the concept of social innovation is discussed in the context of poverty alleviation and sustainable development through qualitative research. This study also evaluates the role of social innovation practices and solutions in poverty reduction and sustainable rural development by analyzing two cases such as the KIVA microcredit system and community-supported agriculture. These cases have been examined in terms of innovativeness, sustainability, social impact, target audience, and institutional structure. As a result, it revealed that the cases mentioned above contribute to poverty reduction and regional development in terms of innovation, target audience, sustainability and social impact.

Keywords

• Social innovation
• poverty
• sustainable development
• KIVA microcredit
• community-supported agriculture

Yoksullukla Mücadele Etmede ve Sürdürülebilir Kalkınmaya Ulaşmada Sosyal İnovatif Uygulamaların Rolü

Abstract

Günümüzde yoksullukla mücadele ve sürdürülebilir kalkınma konuları çözülmesi gereken en önemli sorunların başında gelmektedir. Başta devletler olmak üzere, yerel kurum ve kuruluşlar, sivil toplum kuruluşları, akademi ve şirketler yoksulluğun azaltılması ve sürdürülebilir kalkınmanın sağlanmasında çaba göstermektedirler. Her anlamda değişen ve gelişen dünyada, tüm bu çabaların istenilen seviyeye çıkamadığı görülmektedir. Dolayısıyla geleneksel yollarla çözülmeye çalışılan bu meselenin “yenilikçi bakış açıları ile” değerlendirilmesi ve çözüme kavuşturulması gerekliliği ortaya çıkmıştır. Bu kapsamda ülkeler, en geniş manada “toplumsal sorunların çözümünde yeni yollar” şeklinde tanımlanan sosyal inovasyonu yoksulluğun azaltılması ve sürdürülebilir kalkınma hedeflerine ulaşmada bir araç olarak kullanılmaya başlanmıştır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, genelde toplumsal sorunlara çözüm üreten bir bakış açısı, özel de ise yoksullukla mücadele ve bölgesel kalkınmada bir araç olarak kullanılabilecek sosyal inovasyon konseptini başarılı uygulama örnekleri ile ele almaktadır. Nitel araştırma yönteminin kullanıldığı bu araştırmada, öncelikle sosyal inovasyonun yoksulluk ve kalkınmada alanında ne anlama geldiği, özellikleri ve süreçleri değerlendirilmiştir. Bu çalışmada ayrıca sosyal inovasyon uygulama ve çözümlerinin yoksulluğun azaltılması ve sürdürülebilir kırsal kalkınmadaki rolünü iki iyi uygulama vakası analiz ederek değerlendirmektedir. Bu kapsamda yoksul veya düşük gelirli kişilere küçük ölçekli kredi sağlayan “KİVA Mikrokredi” sistemi ve çiftçilere ürettiklerini önceden alım garantisi imkânı sunan “Toplum Destekli Tarım” uygulamaları ayrıntılı olarak ele alınmıştır. Bu iki iyi uygulama örneği yenilikçilik, sürdürülebilirlik, sosyal etki, hedef kitle ve kurumsal yapı açısından incelenmiş ve analiz edilmiştir. Sonuç olarak bahsekonu vaka örneklerinin hem yenilikçilik, hedef kitle hem de sürdürülebilirlik ve sosyal etki açısından yoksulluğun azaltılmasına ve bölgesel gelişime katkı sundukları söylenebilir.

Keywords

• sosyal inovasyon
• yoksulluk
• sürdürülebilir kalkınma
• KİVA mikrokredi
• toplum destekli tarım

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