Transformers explores why some places innovate more effectively than others.

Key findings

• Some common assumptions about local innovation are flawed, for example: money matters – but in quite complex ways (and too much money can sometimes inhibit innovation)
• In the case studies, three groups of critical factors explained much of the dynamic of innovation: the will to change, strong internal capacity, and external resources
• Local areas can improve their innovative capacity by building up their networks for collaboration, linking people across organisational boundaries to share information and ideas
• Recommendations for supporting local innovation include ensuring performance frameworks assess and reward innovation, and nurturing leadership and internal cultures that support innovation

Innovation is essential if communities are to flourish.

In this project, Nesta has conducted four in-depth case studies of UK local social innovations as well as five smaller case studies of innovative localities internationally. The findings challenge many widely-held assumptions about the most favourable conditions for social innovation and lay out an easy-to-use model and toolkit to help local authorities understand how to make more of the innovation that currently goes on and how to stimulate more.

Authors

Nicola Bacon, Nusrat Faizullah, Geoff Mulgan, Saffron Woodcraft