Drivers of Institutional Change: A Discussion About Social Innovation, Institutional Entrepreneurship and Agency Power of the Institutional Entrepreneur

Abstract

This theoretical essay has as its central argument the discussion about social innovation and institutional entrepreneurship as drivers of institutional change, and the institutional entrepreneur as a key actor that provokes institutional reconfigurations. To carry out the discussion, the hypothesis shared by scholars of the proposed themes was taken as a guideline, seeking to understand the relationships between them. The essay demonstrated that implementing entrepreneurship and social innovations is necessary to promote institutional changes. It also demonstrated that the implementation of social innovation requires institutional change, in addition to strategic actions by institutional entrepreneurs that can change the rules of the game and transform a reality. The main contribution of this essay was the approximation of the themes social innovation and institutional entrepreneurship, relating to institutional change. It also contributes towards pointing out the institutional entrepreneur as the key actor to bring about changes that will socially transform locations into social vulnerability.

Keywords

• mudança institucional
• inovação social
• empreendedorismo institucional