Social Innovation which social enterprises create through interactions with stakeholders : A case study of Space Fuu, NPO, a company in the business of reusable dishes

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to indicate the process by which social enterprises create Social Innovation (hereunder "SI") through interactions with those that may benefit from the results. Numerous studies have been performed on SI and how businesses can solve social problems, but few focus on the process itself. The SI process consists of a creation stage and a diffusion stage. In the creation stage, new social products or services are developed. In the diffusion stage, a current system is innovated, e.g., a law, custom or social relationship. This paper aims to clarify the process of interaction between social enterprises and stakeholders, shedding light on the creation stage of the SI process. By examining the case of Space Fuu, NPO, a company in the business of reusable dishes, this paper analyzes the process of starting this reusable dishes business in terms of who creates SI and how. As a result of analysis of the case, this paper implies various reasons for both tangible and intangible support or collaboration for the process of creating SI and changes in the supporters' ideologies. This paper also indicates how SI is created through dynamic processes designed by entrepreneurial team members, each assuming different roles, and multi-stakeholders, all the while inspiring each other.