Sustainable Living and Business : Management of Social Innovations As a Shaping of Social Transformation

The title of the book derives from the theme of the 20th Conference on Applied Social Sciences of the Professional Association of German Sociologists, held in Munich in May 2019. The question of what concrete contributions social innovations can make to the transition to forms of sustainable coexistence and economic activity is as much the focus of this book as the question of what contribution the social sciences can make. Thus, on the one hand, it is about concrete social innovations that help us to achieve the goal of living and doing business sustainably, but on the other hand, it is also about the way in which the social sciences - not least through appropriate theoretical and methodological training - can be made socially responsible for the success of such socially innovative processes. This book is a translation of an original German edition. The translation was done with the help of artificial intelligence (machine translation by the service DeepL.com). A subsequent human revision was done primarily in terms of content, so that the book will read stylistically differently from a conventional translation. Contents Contributors Introduction 1 The Book on the Conference 2 The Book 3 The More Theoretical Part 4 Innovation and Sustainability in Organisations and Work Organisation 5 Innovation and Sustainability in Regions, Cities and Municipalities 6 Social Science Interventions References In Weber’s Shoes and with Dahrendorf’s Escort: Understanding the Impact of Social Innovation Through Sociological Classics 1 Social Innovation: Basic Understanding and Frame of Reference 2 Working Thesis and Intention 3 Internet Use as a Social Innovation 4 The Concept of Life Chances 5 More Life Opportunities Through Internet Use References The “Atlas Subject” and New Forms of Subjectivation in the Age of Sustainability 1 The Construction of Sustainability 2 The Time Dimension of Sustainability 3 The Subjectification of Sustainability 4 The Death of the Utopia of Sustainability 5 Addendum from the Off... References On the Way to Sustainable Work? The Role of Work in the Development of Sustainable Social Innovation Processes 1 Introduction 2 The Guiding Principle of Sustainable Work 3 Innovations and Transformations in the Sphere of Gainful Employment 3.1 Extended Subject Claims and Sustainable Work 3.2 The Guiding Principle of Sustainable Work in Conflictual Conversion Processes 3.3 Education for a New Sustainability-Oriented Professional Ethos 4 Redefining the Relationship Between Paid and Unpaid Work 5 Summary and Outlook References Leitbild Development in Organizations 1 Leitbilder as Impetus for Sustainability 2 The Function and Content of Leitbilder 2.1 Conceptual Framework 2.2 Differentiation of Statement Characteristics 2.3 A Holistic View of the Future 3 Leitbild Development as a Process 3.1 Process Models 3.2 A Generic Parcours Model for Learn-Solve Processes 3.2.1 Interweaving Solving and Learning 3.2.2 Cognitive Engagement 3.2.3 Communicative Interaction 3.3 The Added Value of Interactive Learning Processes 4 Practical Example: Applying the Parcours Model to Leitbild Development 5 Reflection and Outlook References Common Good Balance Sheet and Balanced Scorecard – Considerations for an Approach 1 Introduction 2 The Common Good Balance Sheet 3 Balanced Scorecard 4 Analysis of the Common Good Balance Sheet and the Balanced Scorecard 5 Analytical Comparison of Key Figures and Mandatory Indicators of the Common Good Balance Sheet 5.1 Absence 5.2 Reporting 5.3 Seniority 5.4 Application 5.5 Fluctuation Rate 5.6 External Companies 5.7 Debt Capital 5.8 Profit Taxes 5.9 Capital 5.10 Customer Requirements 5.11 Employee Engagement 5.12 Employee Satisfaction 5.13 Environmental Sustainability 5.14 Turnover 5.15 Continuing Training and Education 5.16 Advertising 6 Presentation of Results 7 Discussion of the Results 8 Entrepreneurial Advantages and Practical Relevance in Companies 9 Summary and Outlook References Open Space: Spatial, Temporal and Social Flexibilization of the Office World as an Answer to the Challenges of Work 4.0 – Empirical Findings 1 Introduction 2 Research Question and Research Design 3 Company Motives and Expectations for Open Space 4 The Perspective of the Employees 4.1 Areas of Tension in Open Space 4.1.1 Tension: Fixed Workplace vs. Flexible Workplace 4.1.2 Tension: Privacy vs. Transparency 4.1.3 Tension: Communication Vs. Concentration 4.2 Dealing with Areas of Tension 5 Summary and Outlook References Complementary Currencies and Monetary Tools as Social Innovation 1 Money as an Object of Social Innovation 2 Narrative of Metallism 3 Figure of Thought of Chartalism 4 Creating Money Out of Nothing 5 Types of Social Innovation in the Monetary Field 5.1 Central Banks and Commercial Banks 5.2 First Generation Cryptocurrencies as Economic Innovation 6 Case Studies of Monetary Tools as Social Innovation 6.1 The Use of Tax Credits at Local Level with Municipal Money (Tax Tokens) 6.2 Barter Systems for Self-Help Using the Example of Sardex 6.3 Chiemgauer Regional Currency Cash and Digital References A Philosophical Approach to the Identity of Places 1 Introduction 2 The Inherent Logic of Cities as a Sociological Reference Point 3 The Concept of Identity in Philosophy 4 Identity in Change as an Anthropological Challenge 5 The Power of Metaphor in the Identity of Place 6 Topography as a Trigger for Events 7 The Identity of Places in the Context of Social Sustainability References Internet Sources Social Transformation Through Participation – A Communal Practice with the Population and Those Affected 1 Introduction 2 Typical Challenges in Urban/Community Develop ment 3 Reflections on Dialogical Solutions/Methods in Networks 4 Municipal Resilience – Municipal Intelligence 5 Ambiguity in Constructive Social Interaction 6 Further Examples of Successful Transformative Dialogue Processes That Start at the Grassroots Level 7 Conclusion for Interested Parties from Local Politics and Administration, Citizens, ­Moderators/Mediators in Local Dialogue Processes Who Are Eager for Transformation References Transformative Change in the Craft Sector 1 Introduction: Shortage of Skilled Workers as the Object of Investigation 2 Location: Applied Social Sciences as Co-designers of Society 3 Reports from the Field: Participatory Involvement 3.1 SHA Berlin Guild – “A Strong Community” 3.2 Contextual Conditions: Openness and Closure 3.3 Contextual Conditions: Resilience and Dynamics 3.4 (Required) Competences of the Social Scientist 4 Varieties of Social Science Design 5 Conclusion: A Model Project Without Practice? – Degrees of ‘Hardness’ in Social Science Practice Research References Transdisciplinary Research Using the Example of the “Media Future Lab” Project 1 Introduction 2 Presentation of the MFL Project 3 Starting Point and Characteristics of Transdisciplinarity 4 Zurich Understanding of Transdisciplinarity 5 “Knowledge” in the Integrative Understanding of Transdisciplinarity References Interactive Formats for the Social Participation of Senior Citizens Using the Example of Socially Responsible Technology Design 1 Introduction 2 Introduction to the Project “Technology Development” of the Research Network ForGenderCare 3 Social and Political Framework Conditions 4 New Care Spaces 5 Innovation Workshops as an Innovative and Participative Method 6 The Transferring Role of Social Scientists in the Development of Our Social Innovation Approach 7 Summary of the Results References The Art of Social Transformation 1 Background and Procedure of the Investigation 2 Playfully Against Inequality – Theoretical Findings 2.1 Manifestation of Social Problems 2.2 Transformations for Better Opportunities 2.3 Empowerment with Social Art 3 Empirical Consideration – The JobAct Approach 3.1 Target Groups 3.2 Social Art in the JobAct Method 3.3 Practical Implementation of the JobAct Method 3.4 Dissemination of the JobAct Method 3.5 Implementation of the JobAct Approach: European Pilot Projects 3.5.1 France 3.5.2 Italy 3.5.3 Hungary 3.5.4 Germany 4 Outlook References Get Online Week 2019 – An Intervention to Improve Digital Participation 1 Introduction 2 Theoretical Foundations 2.1 Initial Situation and Problems 2.2 State of Research 3 The Intervention: Get Online Week Dortmund 2019 3.1 The Campaign 3.2 Workshops 4 Research Design 4.1 Research Questions 4.2 Methodological Approach 4.2.1 Research Instrument 4.2.2 Sample 4.2.3 Evaluation Methods 4.2.4 Gaining Competence 5 Research Results 5.1 Answer to the First Sub-Question 5.2 Answer to the Second Sub-Question 5.3 Answer to the Third Sub-Question 5.4 Answer to the Main Question 6 Conclusion References A Story About Storytellers – Innovation Potentials in Community Foundations and Volunteer Agencies 1 Introduction 2 Innovations or a History of Irritable Organizations 3 Citizens’ Foundations 4 Voluntary Agencies 5 Innovation as an Investment by and for Funders References RePair Democracy – Social Innovations as Workshops for Democratic Design 1 Sustainable and Democratic Living – An Aporia? 2 Sustainable Life and Economy: The Principle of Re pair 2.1 The Workshop: A Training Space for Productive Sociability 2.2 What Are Democratic Micro-practices? 3 A Repair Café for Democracy 3.1 Workshops for the Development of Local Democracies 3.2 Just Do It! 4 Collaborative Democracy and the Question of Representation 4.1 For a Policy of Collaboration 4.2 Re-pair Democracy References When Many Do Something Differently – Social Innovations and Sustainability in the Phenomenon of Bottle Collecting 1 Introduction 2 Ego – Alter Ego – Objectification – The Deposit Bottle in Communicative Constructivism 2.1 Analysis I: The Bottle Detached from the Action – From Objectification to Objectivation 2.2 Analysis II: Pledge as (Affecting) Objectivation 2.3 Analysis III: Institutionalized Objectivations 3 Conclusion References