Social Impact Research
Why Social Impact Research is Necessary for Organizations
By Samuel Muthoka
In today’ s increasingly polarized world, businesses and not-for-profit organizations face a complex challenge when it comes to making a positive impact on our planet and society.
As communities become more socially and environmentally conscious, societal benefits are emerging as a critical dimension of nearly all initiatives undertaken by organizations. There is also growing pressure for governments and funding agencies on organizations to show evidence of their impact in the society. This makes it crucial for businesses and not-for-profit organizations to measure and report impact of their programmes and initiatives.
Yet for a field like research, the science of measuring impact is still developing. According to the Financial Times survey of best-in-class social research, most performance measures of research rely on academics citing each other in journal articles or broader references in the media and social networks.
This is why it is crucial for social impact to be integrated in any research work. This practice combines data, rigorous analysis, and real-world experience to explore solutions to complex social and environmental issues.
Social impact is aggregated from measurable indicators such as number of beneficiaries in a programme, groups impacted, gains of the programme otherwise called social return on investment( SROI), metrics related to reduced carbon emissions, waste reduction, or other environmental improvements, economic opportunities or jobs created, increase in average household income, or support for micro-enterprises, and sustainability initiatives in place- just to quote but a few.
Researchers face increasing pressure to demonstrate that their work has relevance to more than just the academic world. For example, funders often want to know what societal or economic impact a project is likely to have. Social impact research, therefore, expresses and measures the actual benefit for society of the research output, with the ultimate beneficiary of the work being the society, and the economy. It examines the practices of social sector and evaluates innovative social programs and methods to increase their impact.
Social impact as a concept is, however, something that is still being defined. In a broad sense, it represents actions that address social change and contemporary challenges, in each environment, based on research and science. It can also be conceived as the change that knowledge brings to ways of thinking or acting by social actors.
It is therefore important for researchers to work together with relevant stakeholders of social programmes so as to generate societal impact in terms of knowledge utilization. Governments and philanthropists have already realized the value of such collaborations and that’ s why they are increasingly putting more emphasis on social impact research.
Social impact research plays a critical role in evaluating, improving, and advocating for community initiatives ultimately contributing to the success of businesses and society.
The benefits of social impact research are many, especially for organizations venturing into new regions, geographies and countries where there is limited data on what community initiatives can work, why others have failed and what strategies need to be employed for more impact.
When organizations involve their staff in developing initiatives that align with shared values, it cultivates a deeper sense of purpose and belonging within the workplace. Employees who witness their company ' s active commitment to social good often experience a boost in morale and develop stronger loyalty to their employer.
In unchartered regions and countries, organizations need to know which strategies, systems, and policies lead to improved outcomes and social impact. Discovering what doesn’ t work is just as valuable, saving others time, effort, and money.
Social community initiatives often require significant investment of resources, whether it ' s funding, personnel, or other resources. Social impact research therefore helps policymakers and funders to make informed decisions about where to allocate these resources for maximum impact. This will ensure organizations
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