17186: Reconfiguring University Business Models: A Contingency Perspective on Social Impact (session 25537)

Universities are experiencing mounting pressure to generate social impact through social innovation, despite their ongoing emphasis on economic knowledge production. The application of the theory of contingency holds promise as a means to promote social innovation through the design of university business models that are conducive to this purpose. However, the challenge for higher education institutions lies in fostering prosocial behaviors among university stakeholders to facilitate the effective creation of social innovation. This examination, guided by the findings from 45 interviews with university stakeholders across Europe, aims to illuminate the diverse interpretations of social innovation within academic institutions and their implications for fostering university-wide social impact. A categorization of interpretations is hereby proposed, comprising four distinct categories that are in alignment with university business models. These interpretations are further delineated by their capacity to generate social impact, a process that is contingent upon the consideration of contextual factors. This study makes significant theoretical contributions and offers practical suggestions for universities to reconfigure their business models to create social impact. The paper also highlights the importance of context and how changes in business models can help universities achieve social impact.

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