University-Society Integration Through Action Research Projects
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a product, service, governmental action or process, changing the scenario gradually
over time (Christensen et al. 2006; Mckeown 2008). These different focuses vary by
sector, i.e., the incremental type focuses on products and services, the institutional
kind, focuses the market, and in the disruptive typology the focus, is politics through
social movements such as fair trade (Nicholls and Dees 2015).
In addition to this typology, social innovation can be understood through factors
considered during the process, such as (1) leaders who encourage and reward
successful innovations, (2) funding to support innovation, (3) incubation processes
that feed innovation (4) promoting interactions between organizational, sectoral or
disciplinary boundaries, (5) empowering actors, users and stakeholders to drive innovation, and (6) opening markets and governance processes for stakeholder groups,
users and private companies (Mulgan 2006; Biggs et al. 2010). Social innovation
also includes the reengagement of citizens in vulnerable situations: one way to
reintegrate people in this context is by creating social actions or practices through
entrepreneurship or social innovation (Westley and Antadze 2010).
In social innovation, stakeholders can build social capital ties through the dimensions of social capital: (1) structural, (2) relational and; (3) cognitive. In the structural dimension, tie configurations, network density and degree of the hierarchy are
analyzed. In the relational dimension, trust, norms of reciprocity, and bonds of friendship are identified. Finally, the cognitive dimension contemplates shared codes and
language (Nahapiet and Ghoshal 1998).
1.2 University-Society Integration
The university’s primary mission is “actively integrating teaching, research and
extension activities in order to provide professionals with knowledge and skills that
contribute to social development of their community” (Martinez et al. 2006, p. 1).
The integration of the university with society for social development is based on
interdependencies related to stakeholder problems (Vargo and Lusch 2014; Martinez
et al. 2006; Vargo et al. 2008).
Universities should play their role in local and regional development where they
operate, as their role focuses on training professionals, but also on expanding the
boundaries of their contribution to the daily lives of communities and the region,
such as improving the living standards of populations (Martinez et al. 2006). The
contribution of universities lies in promoting research and development and sharing
of scientific and cultural knowledge, as well as contributing to finding more effective
approaches and means for solving local, regional, and even national problems.
A prerequisite for the integration of the university in society and society in the
university is called a peaceful university, i.e., a university that invites and promotes
openness, dialogue, democracy, mutual integration, care, and joint responsibility
(Norgard and Bengtsen 2016). Ideally, universities should open its doors to the
483
a product, service, governmental action or process, changing the scenario gradually
over time (Christensen et al. 2006; Mckeown 2008). These different focuses vary by
sector, i.e., the incremental type focuses on products and services, the institutional
kind, focuses the market, and in the disruptive typology the focus, is politics through
social movements such as fair trade (Nicholls and Dees 2015).
In addition to this typology, social innovation can be understood through factors
considered during the process, such as (1) leaders who encourage and reward
successful innovations, (2) funding to support innovation, (3) incubation processes
that feed innovation (4) promoting interactions between organizational, sectoral or
disciplinary boundaries, (5) empowering actors, users and stakeholders to drive innovation, and (6) opening markets and governance processes for stakeholder groups,
users and private companies (Mulgan 2006; Biggs et al. 2010). Social innovation
also includes the reengagement of citizens in vulnerable situations: one way to
reintegrate people in this context is by creating social actions or practices through
entrepreneurship or social innovation (Westley and Antadze 2010).
In social innovation, stakeholders can build social capital ties through the dimensions of social capital: (1) structural, (2) relational and; (3) cognitive. In the structural dimension, tie configurations, network density and degree of the hierarchy are
analyzed. In the relational dimension, trust, norms of reciprocity, and bonds of friendship are identified. Finally, the cognitive dimension contemplates shared codes and
language (Nahapiet and Ghoshal 1998).
1.2 University-Society Integration
The university’s primary mission is “actively integrating teaching, research and
extension activities in order to provide professionals with knowledge and skills that
contribute to social development of their community” (Martinez et al. 2006, p. 1).
The integration of the university with society for social development is based on
interdependencies related to stakeholder problems (Vargo and Lusch 2014; Martinez
et al. 2006; Vargo et al. 2008).
Universities should play their role in local and regional development where they
operate, as their role focuses on training professionals, but also on expanding the
boundaries of their contribution to the daily lives of communities and the region,
such as improving the living standards of populations (Martinez et al. 2006). The
contribution of universities lies in promoting research and development and sharing
of scientific and cultural knowledge, as well as contributing to finding more effective
approaches and means for solving local, regional, and even national problems.
A prerequisite for the integration of the university in society and society in the
university is called a peaceful university, i.e., a university that invites and promotes
openness, dialogue, democracy, mutual integration, care, and joint responsibility
(Norgard and Bengtsen 2016). Ideally, universities should open its doors to the