SOCIAL INNOVATIONS IN THE ECONOMIC INTEGRATION PROCESS – SELECTED ASPECTS

Abstract

The present-day stage of socio-economic development, on the one hand, encourages a strong economic integration of individual economies, but on the other, highlights the differences in economic, social and cultural potentials between countries and geographical territories (regions). One of essential conditions for achieving a high degree of convergence and cohesion is generating the background for a social change, which will result in releasing innovation, creativity and the ability to cooperate and compete. Modern-day economic development tends to concentrate on non-material resources including especially knowledge, technology and all varieties of innovations. The search for possibilities of meeting various social needs requires a certain combination of resources so that they are effectively used and competitive advantages are easily identified. A key issue is not only looking for the latest technological advances but also such social changes that will become a catalyst for development and will bring on positive effects in terms of an increase in society’s well-being as well as contribute to solving many a social issue which are of interest to social politics. The following article touches upon the significance of social innovation for building up the basis for intensive socio-economic coordination (convergence) which takes territorial aspect into account. The following article touches upon the role of social innovations seen as a catalyst for social and economic change, which is supposed to favor achieving a high degree of economic convergence, in a gradual elimination of developmental differences.