Consider the following scenario:

Two separate manufacturing companies have the same idea: move a portion of their operations to rural areas to reduce costs on materials, taxes, and shipping. Both companies expand to struggling towns that offer few sources of gainful employment. To further reduce costs, the first company builds a facility as cheaply as possible, offers low wages, and fails to provide benefits. The second company, however, not only invests in an expanded facility and offers competitive wages and benefits, but they also sponsor the construction of a public park, overstock the local food pantry, and donate a large sum of money to the local schools.

In this scenario, the second company obviously incurred more costs than the first company, but how might those situations differ long-term based on the impact each company had on its surrounding community? When both companies are making hiring decisions 20 years later, how might those hiring experiences compare?  

In this Discussion, you will explore the role of social innovation within an organization. 

To prepare for this Discussion:

• Based on this week’s Learning Resources, consider the pros and cons of social innovation.
• Also, think about what it means to be an agent of change, as well as specific ways in which you could help foster positive social change within an organization.

BY DAY 3

Post an analysis of the value of social innovation to an organization, as well as an explanation of how you, as a change agent, could support your current (or future) organization to incorporate more innovation into its business practices.

• Explain whether you agree or disagree with the idea that social innovation is a needed commodity in business, and provide a rationale for your explanation.
• Identify one or more potential benefits and one or more potential challenges and/or negative impacts to a business from incorporating social innovation.
• Explain what it means to be a change agent for an organization and propose at least one specific idea of how you might help guide an organization toward innovation.

Refer to the Week 6 Discussion Rubric for specific grading elements and criteria. Your Instructor will use this grading rubric to assess your work.

Read some of your colleagues’ postings.