Managerial and Dynamic Capabilities for Sustainability and Transformative Social Innovation: An Approach from the Solidary Economy in Colombian Food Systems

Transformative social innovation is defined as the collective processes that change social relations and institutional sets of rules, bringing novel ways to deal with recurrent socio-ecological and economic problems and ultimately changing socio-material realities in specific contexts. In this field, a multi-level approach that highlights the role of managers and organizational capabilities is required. From a multi-level approach, we can explore the influence of individual and organizational variables in the development of social innovations. Using a mixed method, we study the effects of managerial capabilities, a variable of the individual level, and dynamic capabilities, a variable of the organizational level, through psychometric measures, gamification, and social network analysis. In this project, we will focus on these multi-level interrelations in organizations of the solidary economy (e.g., cooperatives and associations) in the Colombian agri-food system. The project will first provide a better understanding of the managerial profile of those involved in organizations aiming for sustainability objectives in food systems. Second, this inquiry will help to understand better the relationship between these specific profiles and the dynamic capabilities of these organizations. Third, the project will provide a clearer picture of the interrelation of the manager, the collective processes within the organizations that aim to create social impact, and the emergence of transformative processes of social innovation.