The conundrum of leadership in a sector devoted to making change is that we need good leadership if we are to transform the world, but doing so requires reconceiving and re-imagining leadership itself. Because leading change must be a collective effort, leaders must recognize and address power asymmetries and build collective power, and yet discipline in learning how to lead is no less crucial (or practically necessary). This collection of ten articles published by SSIR over the last two decades, Essentials of Social Innovation: Transforming Leadership, will be indispensable for change-leaders in the 21st century, across a variety of fields of practice, activism, and study.
(102 pages)

The 14 articles in Essentials of Social Innovation: Design Thinking are divided into three sections. In the first section, we offer a genealogy for design thinking and human-centric approaches in social innovation, as well as showcasing how design thinking can and must be complemented by approaches like adaptive leadership or behavioral science. The second section features case studies and applications of design thinking, focusing on the relationship between design thinking and system change, and on the appeal of design thinking to development work. Finally, the articles in the final section broaden the scope to reflect on the future evolution of human-centered design.
(102 pages)

Scaling is essential to social innovation. Innovative solutions, alone, are not enough: Only by thinking about and at scale can the social sector make good on its commitment to match the level of need. Over the years, SSIR has addressed the question in many ways: What does it mean to scale a solution, to scale a theory or model of change, or to scale impact? How do we scale, and through what different modes: through replication, social franchise models, growing an organization, or simply spreading ideas or principles? Finally, when it comes to the effect of scaling, how can we understand success?

The 11 articles in Essentials of Social Innovation: Scaling are divided between early foundational articles on the theory of scaling, analytical and conceptual advances as the thinking has matured, and a variety of field insights from the frontline. Essentials of Social Innovation: Scaling will be indispensable for leaders of social change imagining how to scale their innovations to meet the need.
(142 pages)

While new solutions are continuously being introduced, tested, and expanded upon, this volume provides a firm foundation for anyone looking to understand what social innovation is, how it has evolved, and where it’s headed. A collection of 10 of the most time-tested articles in SSIR’s history—from addressing universal social sector challenges like leadership and funding to defining crucial concepts and frameworks like collective impact, system leadership, and social innovation itself. Essentials of Social Innovation: Starter Kit will be indispensable for leaders of social change.
(70 pages)