The social implications of information systems: case studies of digitally-enabled social innovation

ICTs have been applied in different areas with remarkable results during the last decade (Hawking et al. 2004), ranging from enhancing economic growth, environmental performance (Melville 2010) and accelerating the development of agriculture (Meera et al. 2004). A growing number of IS studies have shed light on ICT’s social actors (Lamb and Kling 2003; Touraine 2002; Wang et al. 2007). ICT is now seen as a significant catalyst for social movements and social transformations (Majchrzak et al. 2012). Social Innovation refers to the process of “change emerging from the creative recombination of existing assets (from social capital to historical heritage, from traditional craftsmanship to accessible advanced technology), which aims to achieve socially recognized goals in a new way” (Mulgan 2006, p 145). Digitally-Enabled Social Innovation (DESI) refers to the role of ICTs in enabling social innovations.