Agents of Change

A Brookings Institution Press and Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation publicationWhile governments around the world struggle to maintain service levels amid fiscal crises, social innovators are improving social outcomes for citizens by changing the system from within. In Agents of Change, three cutting-edge thinkers and entrepreneurs present case studies of social innovation that have led to significant social change. Drawing on original empirical research in the United States, Canada, Japan, Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands, they examine how ordinary people accomplished extraordinary results.Sanderijn Cels, Jorrit de Jong, and Frans Nauta offer lively illustrations and insightful interpretations of how innovators, social entrepreneurs, and change agents are dealing with powerful opponents, the burdens of bureaucracy, and the challenge of securing resources and support. This book will appeal to anyone who is intrigued by imaginative, cross-boundary thinking and transformative change. It will be of particular interest to those who want to know how exactly innovators pull it off. With practitioners, scholars, and students of public policy and management in mind, the authors dissect the strategies and tactics that social innovators employ to navigate the risky waters of their institutional environments.ContentsPart 1: Introduction: Chess Masters and Acrobats1. Strategy and Tactics2. Crafting the Case: The Art of Making a Start3. Prompting Progress: The Art of Making Things Happen4. Managing Meaning: The Art of Making SensePart 2: Front-Line Innovations5. Under the Radar: Medical Informatics in Japan6. Relentless Incrementalism: Financial Literacy Training for Newcomers in Canada7. Join the Club! Alzheimer Cafés in the Netherlands8. Just a Tool? Implementing the Vulnerability Index in New OrleansPart 3: Innovations in Governance9. The Sun Kings: Solar Energy in Germany10. Change on Steroids: Public Education in New Orleans11. The Value of Values: Higher Education in Virginia12. A Window of Opportunity: Institutional Reform in DenmarkConclusion: Innovating Strategically