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Social innovation is a new field which borrows from both entrepreneurship and engineering disciplines. As such, questions arise over how engineering and business practices can be best applied to the successful development and deployment of cutting- edge solutions. In this session, we examine this latter piece, asking: what are the key barriers to technology adoption in low- resource settings? We suggest, that if we can identify the factors that influence more successful adoptions of social innovation in developing countries, we can then potentially maximize the social impact of those solutions as well. In this session, we explore the four leading barriers to developing country technology adoption: cost, information, bundling and social norms. • High Cost. Cost (relative to household income) constitutes an immediate barrier towards new technology adoption in low-resource environments, where there is often limited financial resources. • Information. A lack of information on the benefits that a new technology can provide serves as a constraint to technology adoption. If there is a perception that the product or service is difficult to use, and provides little value over the current way of doing things, it will not be adopted. • Hidden Bundling. If the transaction cost of using a technology rises due to "hidden" product bundling requirements, then adoption is also at risk, as users will be leery of committing to solutions that are unaffordable long-term. • Social Norms. Unstated social norms, influenced by religion, gender, culture and social acceptance can stall adoption of a new technology, if not understood.

Search Terms: Social Innovation | Social Entrepreneurship | Product Pilots

Panelists include: 

• Brian Cayce, Venture Capitalist, GrayGhost Ventures. Brian has been an investor and board member on numerous early-stage social enterprises for over a decade. 
• Jill Kickul, Professor of Clinical Entrepreneurship and Research Director, Brittingham Social Enterprise Lab. Jill was formerly at NYU's Stern School of Business as Director of Social Entrepreneurship and the Chair for the 30-course MBA specialization in social Innovation and Impact. 
• Jennifer Walske is a Faculty Fellow at the Blum Center for Developing Economies, UC Berkeley, and a Social Impact Fellow at Berkeley-Haas. As a writer, researcher and investor, Dr. Walske works closely with and invests in social enterprises, sitting on numerous for-profit and non-profit boards, including Net Impact, Better VC, and the San Francisco Ballet. 
• Sophie Bacq is an Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the D'Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University in Boston. Dr. Bacq's research interests include social entrepreneurship, governance and management issues in hybrid organizations, and international new ventures. Her research has been published in leading academic journals.
• Dori Pap, Assistant Director, Institute for Leadership and Entrepreneurship, Georgia Institute of Technology. Dori is a leading advisor in the field of social enterprise, most especially with a focus on developing countries.