To this day, a great variety of tools, frameworks and best practices, aiming to measure the social impact of organisations, have been developed and used in practice. This variety reflects the fact that there is no perfect measurement tool and that there are still a lot of challenges to be faced by organisations that want to measure their social impact successfully.
The challenges with impact measurement can be categorised into three different areas: Measurement limitations, limitations of an organisation’s resource base and limitations arising from the external environment. The problems presented here will be discussed in more detail in part 2.3 of the literature review.
The present dissertation has two objectives. Firstly, it aims at reviewing existing impact
measurement tools and frameworks. Secondly, it aims at proposing a new framework that
synthesises and extends the existing social impact measurement practices.
This study aims to aid third sector organisations to improve their performance
measurement, which would contribute to a better resource allocation in the social economy
and at the same time support organisational development and the transformation towards
sustainable business models. In short, this research is intended to facilitate social change.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Chapter 1: Introduction
- Background
- Problem statement and research objective
- Structure
- Chapter 2: Literature review
- Social value creation
- The importance of measuring social impact
- Current limitations of social impact measurement
- An overview of existing tools and frameworks
- Chapter 3: Evaluation and comparison of existing tools and frameworks
- Description and evaluation
- Comparison and main findings
- Chapter 4: Synthesis and extension of existing frameworks
- Objective
- Description of a blended framework for social impact measurement
- Discussion
- Chapter 5: Limitations
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This dissertation aims to evaluate and synthesize existing tools and frameworks for social impact measurement. It examines the current landscape of social impact measurement, identifying both its strengths and weaknesses. The research then proposes a blended framework to improve the process.
- Social value creation and its measurement
- Limitations of current social impact measurement tools
- Comparative analysis of existing frameworks (e.g., Balanced Scorecard, SROI)
- Development of a blended framework for enhanced measurement
- Discussion of limitations and future research directions
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
Chapter 1: Introduction: This introductory chapter sets the stage for the dissertation. It establishes the background of social impact measurement, highlighting the need for robust and reliable methods. The chapter clearly defines the research problem, outlining the existing gaps in the field and specifying the dissertation's objective. The structure of the dissertation is also presented, providing a roadmap for the reader.
Chapter 2: Literature review: This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of existing literature on social impact measurement. It explores the concept of social value creation and its significance, examining why accurately measuring social impact is crucial. The chapter also critically analyzes the current limitations of existing tools and frameworks, highlighting the challenges in accurately capturing and quantifying social impact. Finally, it offers a systematic overview of various established tools and frameworks, preparing the ground for the subsequent evaluation and comparison.
Chapter 3: Evaluation and comparison of existing tools and frameworks: This chapter delves into a detailed evaluation and comparison of several prominent social impact measurement tools and frameworks. Each tool is described, its advantages and disadvantages are analyzed, and a comparative analysis is conducted across all the tools. This systematic comparison informs the synthesis and development of a novel blended framework in the following chapter. The chapter culminates in a discussion of the main findings from the comparative analysis, emphasizing both the strengths and limitations of the reviewed approaches.
Chapter 4: Synthesis and extension of existing frameworks: Building upon the insights from the previous chapters, this chapter proposes a blended framework for social impact measurement. It begins by clearly stating the objective of creating a more comprehensive and effective approach. The chapter then presents a detailed description of the proposed blended framework, highlighting its key components and mechanisms. A discussion of the framework's potential benefits, limitations, and implications is provided, aiming for a balanced assessment of the new approach.
Chapter 5: Limitations: This chapter acknowledges the inherent limitations of the research, including limitations in the scope of the study, methodology, and the generalizability of the findings. It reflects on the challenges encountered during the research process and discusses areas for potential future research. This section contributes to the overall academic rigor of the dissertation.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Social impact measurement, social value creation, evaluation frameworks, comparative analysis, blended framework, limitations, social return on investment (SROI), balanced scorecard, cost-effectiveness analysis.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Comprehensive Language Preview
What is the purpose of this dissertation?
This dissertation aims to evaluate and synthesize existing tools and frameworks for social impact measurement, identifying their strengths and weaknesses and proposing a blended framework for improvement.
What are the key themes explored in the dissertation?
Key themes include social value creation and its measurement, limitations of current social impact measurement tools, comparative analysis of existing frameworks (like Balanced Scorecard and SROI), development of a novel blended framework, and a discussion of limitations and future research directions.
What chapters are included in the dissertation?
The dissertation includes five chapters: Chapter 1 (Introduction), Chapter 2 (Literature Review), Chapter 3 (Evaluation and Comparison of Existing Tools and Frameworks), Chapter 4 (Synthesis and Extension of Existing Frameworks), and Chapter 5 (Limitations).
What does Chapter 1 cover?
Chapter 1 sets the stage by establishing the background of social impact measurement, defining the research problem, outlining existing gaps, specifying the dissertation's objective, and presenting its structure.
What is the focus of Chapter 2?
Chapter 2 provides a comprehensive literature review on social impact measurement, exploring social value creation, analyzing limitations of existing tools, and offering an overview of various established frameworks.
What does Chapter 3 entail?
Chapter 3 delves into a detailed evaluation and comparison of several prominent social impact measurement tools and frameworks, analyzing their advantages and disadvantages and presenting a comparative analysis to inform the synthesis of a new framework.
What is the main contribution of Chapter 4?
Chapter 4 proposes a blended framework for social impact measurement, detailing its components and mechanisms, and discussing its potential benefits, limitations, and implications.
What is addressed in Chapter 5?
Chapter 5 acknowledges the research's limitations, including scope, methodology, and generalizability of findings, and discusses areas for future research.
What are the key words associated with this dissertation?
Key words include social impact measurement, social value creation, evaluation frameworks, comparative analysis, blended framework, limitations, social return on investment (SROI), balanced scorecard, and cost-effectiveness analysis.
What type of document is this preview?
This is a comprehensive language preview that includes the title, table of contents, objectives and key themes, chapter summaries, and keywords of the dissertation.
- Quote paper
- Tobias Flam (Author), 2014, Social Impact Measurement. An evaluation and synthesis of existing tools and frameworks, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/429021
