Title: Working life inclusion through social innovation in cultural health

Authors: Malin Lindberg

Addresses: Department of Business Administration, Technology and Social Sciences, Luleå University of Technology, 971 87 Luleå, Sweden

Abstract: This article scrutinises the development of a socially innovative service concept for cultural health, where approaches from the cultural areas are employed to improve the well-being, life-quality and empowerment among people in long-term unemployment or sick-leave, thus potentially serving to increase the inclusiveness in working life. The study delineates the preconditions for conceptualising, packaging and implementing the concept, in light of previous studies on social innovation and service innovation. The results expose that these preconditions are dependent on the attained social value creation, where target groups and concerned organisations from various societal sectors are actively involved in the identification of needs, in the development of innovative solutions and in the strive for social change on individual, organisational and societal levels. The study thus serves to further expand the field of innovation studies, regarding knowledge on the mechanisms of attaining an inclusive working life.

Keywords: culture; health; inclusion; service innovation; social innovation; working life.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSEI.2017.089477

International Journal of Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation, 2017 Vol.4 No.4, pp.324 - 338

Received: 11 Jul 2017
Accepted: 03 Aug 2017
Published online: 26 Jan 2018 *

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