Everything and nothing: A critical review of the “social” in Innovation and Entrepreneurship studies

Over the past two decades we have witnessed growing academic and policy interest in phenomena such as social innovation and social entrepreneurship. In these instances, the “social” element has often been described as a new or rediscovered category, indicating a normative predisposition to “elevate” existing or emerging innovation and entrepreneurship processes by identifying and promoting socially-acceptable standards of behavior and goal-setting. While previous reviews on social innovation have focused on the historical development of the concept and its role in academic debate, this article critically reviews the place of the “social” in current mainstream Innovation and Entrepreneurship (I&E) studies. The aim is to understand how this literature has been evolving in relation to this element and to what extent this addition has promoted a radical shift in the research direction. Our review, based on selected articles from 16 I&E mainstream journals, advances a novel classification of the dominant approaches to the social dimension in I&E studies, identifying four main categories: disciplinary, integrationist, separationist, and essentialist. What emerges is that most I&E studies ignore, minimize, or compartmentalize the “social”, using it to extend existing frameworks rather than to evolve them. Indeed, while the “social” has been offering an avenue for critical views to challenge mainstream discourse, at present it does not seem to significantly affect the latter’s evolution.Over the past two decades we have witnessed growing academic and policy interest in phenomena such as social innovation and social entrepreneurship. In these instances, the “social” element has often been described as a new or rediscovered category, indicating a normative predisposition to “elevate” existing or emerging innovation and entrepreneurship processes by identifying and promoting socially-acceptable standards of behavior and goal-setting. While previous reviews on social innovation have focused on the historical development of the concept and its role in academic debate, this article critically reviews the place of the “social” in current mainstream Innovation and Entrepreneurship (I&E) studies. The aim is to understand how this literature has been evolving in relation to this element and to what extent this addition has promoted a radical shift in the research direction. Our review, based on selected articles from 16 I&E mainstream journals, advances a novel classification of the dominant approaches to the social dimension in I&E studies, identifying four main categories: disciplinary, integrationist, separationist, and essentialist. What emerges is that most I&E studies ignore, minimize, or compartmentalize the “social”, using it to extend existing frameworks rather than to evolve them. Indeed, while the “social” has been offering an avenue for critical views to challenge mainstream discourse, at present it does not seem to significantly affect the latter’s evolution

Everything and nothing: A critical review of the “social” in Innovation and Entrepreneurship studies

Over the past two decades we have witnessed growing academic and policy interest in phenomena such as social innovation and social entrepreneurship. In these instances, the “social” element has often been described as a new or rediscovered category, indicating a normative predisposition to “elevate” existing or emerging innovation and entrepreneurship processes by identifying and promoting socially-acceptable standards of behavior and goal-setting. While previous reviews on social innovation have focused on the historical development of the concept and its role in academic debate, this article critically reviews the place of the “social” in current mainstream Innovation and Entrepreneurship (I&E) studies. The aim is to understand how this literature has been evolving in relation to this element and to what extent this addition has promoted a radical shift in the research direction. Our review, based on selected articles from 16 I&E mainstream journals, advances a novel classification of the dominant approaches to the social dimension in I&E studies, identifying four main categories: disciplinary, integrationist, separationist, and essentialist. What emerges is that most I&E studies ignore, minimize, or compartmentalize the “social”, using it to extend existing frameworks rather than to evolve them. Indeed, while the “social” has been offering an avenue for critical views to challenge mainstream discourse, at present it does not seem to significantly affect the latter’s evolution

Stillbirth maternity care measurement and associated factors in population-based surveys: EN-INDEPTH study.

BACKGROUND: Household surveys remain important sources of maternal and child health data, but until now, standard surveys such as Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) have not collected information on maternity care for women who have experienced a stillbirth. Thus, nationally representative data are lacking to inform programmes to address the millions of stillbirths which occur annually. METHODS: The EN-INDEPTH population-based survey of women of reproductive age was undertaken in five Health and Demographic Surveillance System sites in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau and Uganda (2017-2018). All women answered a full birth history with additional questions on pregnancy losses (FBH+) or full pregnancy history (FPH). A sub-sample, including all women reporting a recent stillbirth or neonatal death, was asked additional maternity care questions. These were evaluated using descriptive measures. Associations between stillbirth and maternal socio-demographic characteristics, babies' characteristics and maternity care use were assessed using a weighted logistic regression model for women in the FBH+ group. RESULTS: A total of 15,591 women reporting a birth since 1 January 2012 answered maternity care questions. Completeness was very high (> 99%), with similar proportions of responses for both live and stillbirths. Amongst the 14,991 births in the FBH+ group, poorer wealth status, higher parity, large perceived baby size-at-birth, preterm or post-term birth, birth in a government hospital compared to other locations and vaginal birth were associated with increased risk of stillbirth after adjusting for potential confounding factors. Regarding association with reported postnatal care, women with a stillbirth were more likely to report hospital stays of > 1 day. However, women with a stillbirth were less likely to report having received a postnatal check compared to those with a live birth. CONCLUSIONS: Women who had experienced stillbirth were able to respond to questions about pregnancy and birth, and we found no reason to omit questions to these women in household surveys. Our analysis identified several potentially modifiable factors associated with stillbirth, adding to the evidence-base for policy and action in low- and middle-income contexts. Including these questions in DHS-8 would lead to increased availability of population-level data to inform action to end preventable stillbirths

Spatial variations and determinants of receiving cash and food from the productive safety net program among households in Ethiopia: spatial clustering and multilevel analyses

BackgroundThere is a global struggle with food insecurity and undernutrition among women, and Ethiopia has been particularly impacted by these issues. To address this challenge, Ethiopia has implemented a cash and food safety net program over many years. However, there is limited information available regarding the program’s factors and spatial distributions, with no recent national evidence from Ethiopia. Consequently, the objective of this study is to investigate the spatial clustering and determinants of the Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) in Ethiopia.MethodThis study utilized data from the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey. The sample included 8,570 weighted households. Given the hierarchical nature of the data, a multilevel logistic regression model was employed to identify factors influencing the outcome variable. Geographical clusters of individuals receiving assistance from the PSNP were examined using SaTScan software and the Bernoulli model, along with the Kulldorff methods. The nationwide distribution of the program beneficiaries was visualized using ArcGIS version 10.8. Variables were considered statistically significant if their p-value was <0.05.ResultsThe overall coverage of the PSNP was 13.54% [95% confidence interval (CI): 12.84–14.29] among households in Ethiopia. The study revealed that people from richer households adjusted odds ratio [AOR = 0.46 (95% CI: (0.33, 0.64))], those from the richest households [AOR = 0.26 (95% CI:(0.17,0.41))], and those with educated household heads [AOR = 0.45 (95% CI:(0.28, 0.71))] have a lower likelihood of utilizing the PSNP compared to their counterparts. Conversely, a unit increase in household heads’ age [AOR = 1.02 (95% CI:(1.01, 1.02))] and family size [AOR = 1.05 (95% CI:1.021.10)] showed a higher likelihood of joining the PSNP, respectively. Household heads who have joined community health insurance [AOR = 3.21 (95% CI:(2.58, 4.01))] had significantly higher odds of being included in the PSNP than their counterparts. Heads who belong to a community with a high poverty level [AOR = 2.68 (95% CI:(1.51, 4.79))] and community health insurance [AOR = 2.49 (95% CI:(1.51, 4.11))] showed more inclination to utilize the PSNP compared to their counterparts.ConclusionPSNP was judged to have a low implementation status based on the findings gathered regarding it. We found factors such as age, sex, region, wealth, education, family size, regions, and health insurance to be statistically significant. Therefore, encouraging women empowerment, community-based awareness creation, and coordination with regional states is advisable

Prevalence and determinants of incomplete or not at all vaccination among children aged 12–36 months in Dabat and Gondar districts, northwest of Ethiopia: findings from the primary health care project

Objective Ethiopia is one of the Africa’s signatory countries for implementation of the primary healthcare strategy including immunisation. In Ethiopia, however, 16% of child death is due to vaccine-preventable disease. Thus, this study aimed to assess the prevalence and determinants of incomplete or not at all vaccination among children aged 12–36 months in Dabat and Gondar districts, Northwest Ethiopia.Study design The study is community-based cross-sectional study.Study setting Dabat and Gondar Zuria districts, Northwest Ethiopia.Participants Mothers/caregivers with children aged 12–36 months were enrolled in the study. Participants were randomly selected through systematic sampling and a total of 603 participants were included in the analysis.Methods A binary logistic regression analysis was done. In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, a p value of <0.05 and adjusted OR (AOR) with 95% CI were used to identify statistically associated factors with incomplete or not at all vaccination.Outcomes Incomplete or not at all vaccination.Results The prevalence of incomplete or not at all vaccinated children was 23.10% (95% CI 16.50 to 29.70). The multivariable analysis revealed that the odds of incomplete or not at all vaccination were higher among mothers who had no antenatal care (ANC) visit (AOR: 1.81, 95% CI 1.21 to 4.03) and no postnatal care (PNC) visit (AOR=1.52, 95% CI 1.05 to 2.25).Conclusions In the study area, nearly one-fourth of children are incompletely or not at all vaccinated. Our finding suggests that ANC and PNC visits are key determinants of incomplete or not at all vaccination. Thus, in low-resource settings like Ethiopia, the health system approaches to improved ANC and PNC services should be intensified with more effective advice on child immunisation to reduce vaccine preventable disease

Long-term behavioral adaptation of Oldowan toolmakers to resource-constrained environments at 2.3 Ma in the Lower Omo Valley (Ethiopia)

International audienceThe long stratigraphic sequence of the Shungura Formation in the Lower Omo Valley documents 3 million years (Ma) of hominin evolution, which, when combined with detailed paleo-depositional environmental data, opens new perspectives for understanding the complex interactions between hominin landscape use and the development of stone tool-mediated activities. Stone tool assemblages produced by Paranthropus aethiopicus and/or a species of early Homo from ~ 2.3 Ma , reflect their ability to deal with the raw material scarce environment of the Lower Omo Valley. It remains to be seen whether this activity can be related to a single, brief occupation event or the expression of an emergent new adaptation. Here we report on the newly investigated site complex of OMO 79, which produced the first evidence for multiple phases of hominin tool-making and use in the Shungura Formation. The development of this long-lasting techno-economic behavior marks a cognitive tipping point around 2.3 Ma in the Lower Omo Valley, evidenced by the adaptability of the early hominins to resource-constrained environments

Long-term behavioral adaptation of Oldowan toolmakers to resource-constrained environments at 2.3 Ma in the Lower Omo Valley (Ethiopia)

The long stratigraphic sequence of the Shungura Formation in the Lower Omo Valley documents 3 million years of hominin evolution, which, when combined with detailed paleo-depositional environmental data, provide a unique window onto the complex interactions between hominin landscape use and the development of stone tool mediated behaviors. It remains to be seen whether this behavior was related to a unique brief occupation event or the expression of an emerging long-term tradition. The hominins, Paranthropus aethiopicus and/or early member of the genus Homo , who occupied the Lower Omo Valley developed tool assisted behaviors from ~ 2.3 Ma in the stable riverine environments of the ancestral Omo River. This new technological behavior is concomitant in the Shungura Formation with the emergent ability of the toolmakers to deal with an environment poor in lithic resources. Here we report on the newly investigated site complex of OMO 79, which produced the first evidence for multiple phases of hominin settlement dedicated to non-ephemeral mixed activities. The development of this long-lasting techno-economic tradition could relate to a more generalized cognitive tipping point around 2.3 Ma marked by hominin increased capacities in resource processing

Determinants of the Continuum of Maternal Healthcare Services in Northwest Ethiopia: Findings from the Primary Health Care Project

Background. The maternity continuum of care is the continuity of maternal healthcare services that a woman uses, which includes antenatal care (ANC 4+), skill birth attendant (SBA), and postnatal care (PNC) within 48 hours of delivery. It is one of the essential strategies for reducing maternal and newborn mortality. This study aimed to assess the factors associated with the completion of a continuum of maternal healthcare services among mothers who gave birth in the past five years. Methods. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from May 01 to June 29, 2019, among 565 randomly selected mothers who gave birth in five years before the study in primary healthcare project implementation districts of north Gondar zone, Amhara National Regional State, Ethiopia. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis were computed, and in the multivariable logistic regression analysis, adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) and a p value of less than 0.05 were used to identify the associated factors with completion of the continuum of maternal healthcare services. Results. The study revealed that the overall completion of the continuum of maternal healthcare services was 21.60% (95% CI: 18.20, 24.90). Women who were able to read and write (AOR: 2.70, 95% CI: 1.22, 6.04), using car/motorcycle as a means of transportation to get the health facility (AOR: 5.59, 95% CI: 2.29, 9.50), travel time less than an hour to get the health facility (AOR: 4.98, 95% CI: 2.97, 8.38), being satisfied with the service delivery (AOR: 1.89, 95% CI: 1.15, 3.11), and getting health education on maternal healthcare services in the last 6 months (AOR: 2.77, 95% CI: 1.52, 5.05) were factors associated with the completion of the continuum of maternal healthcare services. Conclusions. The completion of the continuum of maternal healthcare services was relatively low, indicating that women were not getting the likely health benefit from the present health services. Therefore, interventions should focus on increasing women’s awareness, improving the availability of services at nearby health facilities, and improving service delivery by considering women’s preferences and needs to increase their satisfaction are essential to increase the completion of maternal healthcare services

High Hidden Burden of Diabetes Mellitus among Adults Aged 18 Years and Above in Urban Northwest Ethiopia

Background. Ethiopia is one of the sub-Saharan African countries with a rapidly increasing burden of diabetes mellitus (DM). There is limited updated information about the community-based burden of the disease and its associated factors in Ethiopia which is very crucial to plan effective prevention and control measures against the disease. This study is aimed at determining the burden of DM and its associated factors in urban northwest Ethiopia. Methods. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from April to May 2019 among residents aged≥18 years in Gondar town and urban kebeles (lowest administrative units of the country) of Health and Demographic Surveillance System site (HDSS) in Dabat district. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 773 participants. World Health Organization (WHO) stepwise approach for noncommunicable disease surveillance was used to collect the data. Fasting blood glucose FBS≥126 mg/dl was used to diagnose DM. Descriptive statistics were done to describe the variables of the study. Prevalence with its 95% confidence interval (CI) was estimated. Binary logistic regression model was fitted, variables with p value < 0.05 were considered to have a significant association with the outcome, and odds ratio (OR) was used to measure the strength of association. Result. Of the total participants, 6.34% (95% CI; 4.82, 8.29) were found to be diabetic. Of these, 40 (81.6%) were newly diagnosed. Besides, the prevalence of prediabetes was 9.31% (95% CI: 7.45, 11.58). Increased age (AOR=1.06, 95% CI; 1.04, 1.09) and eating vegetables one to three days per week (AOR =0.29, 95% CI; 0.13, 0.65) were significantly associated with diabetes. Conclusion. The overall prevalence of DM is a bit higher than the national estimate, while the proportion of undiagnosed DM which can easily progress to disabling and life-threatening complications was alarmingly high. Age and frequency of eating vegetables per week were associated with diabetes. In light of this finding, future prevention and control measures against the diseases should consider the identified factors. There should also be improved access to screening services