Key factors for impelling an innovative social culture

The aim of this paper is to identify the key factors that permit the gradual development of an innovative social culture which, in turn, influences the innovation process. After decades of theory development and empirical research into innovation, researchers still know surprisingly little about how the innovation process works. In this paper the capabilities, values and relationships that people, organizations and territories need to work on and develop to achieve innovation-oriented behaviour are identified. Thus, it is conducted qualitative research focused on a literature review, a workshop with 35 participants and 32 in-depth interviews with experts in different fields seeking to achieve a consensus on what values, capabilities and relationships enable people, organizations and territories to develop a propensity to become more innovative. As a result it is proposed a theoretical model which seeks to orient organizations, institutions and politicians about the factors to which they should pay attention to create and expand an innovative culture in people and/or organizations in a specific territory. That model also seeks to serve as a platform on which researchers can base future empirical analysis and approximate the level of innovative social culture in different territories. This study provides with a more dynamic, more complete view of the innovation process. However, this is only the first step in the identification of key factors for driving an innovative social culture and, therefore, encouraging innovation.