The church and The Big Society (Part 2): Two ways to identify opportunities in The Big Society?

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Disclaimer: this is a slightly more complex post than I would normally write as it is very prescriptive, trying to help churches and Christian organisations (indeed anyone) get involved in The Big Society. Apologies to those who do not find it helpful.

The Big Society is Creative Destruction

There have been complaints on the left that The Big Society is in fact the Creative Destruction of the State's responsibilities to meet the needs of society. Creative Destruction is in an economic theory that suggests that growth is sustained by the innovation of entrepreneurs that defeats companys that are industry leaders despite the fact that it also destroys the value of established companies and creates unemployment in (often large) dying industries where demand for traditional skills become obsolete.- please stay with me on this.

I think that the point these critics are making is that as social innovation grows by civil groups, it will replace many mainline public services thus destroying the welfare state which serves society particularity the poorest. Now what these critics forget is that Creative Destruction was conceived as a positive theory of social development in that it is expected to increase the overall standard of living through finding better ways of doing things that create new jobs, and reduce cost and waste. In The Big Society, I agree, some form of Creative Destruction in our public services will continue, but it will be by abandoning the lower end of their responsibilities to entrepreneurial ventures both saving money, elimnating waste, and increasing social capital.

I think that Creative Destruction will occur by the church idenitfying two sorts of local needs:

Identification Method 1: Church as a source of Disruptive Innovation

Another theory linked to Creative Destruction, not yet mentioned but very relevant is that of Disruptive Innovation. It is the first method I would suggest that the church uses to idenitfy needs that it can meet.

Disruptive innovation is about motivation. Public service leaders in every industry have vast resources at their disposal. If a charity or, church, or voluntary group trys to take on a piece of work where the established services are already providing the best service possible, these services will be motivated to keep doing what they are doing. Churches trying to usurp this work will fail.

Churches and Christians charities need instead to craft a strategy that takes advantage of areas where public services are doing the job but might be motivated to move aside and let the church do it better. Most Disruptive Innovations are technically simpler and cheaper than that provided by established leaders. To identify disruptive opportunities means you need to be very observant to what people need. If you can facilitate what they really need, and your innovation is simpler or cheaper than what the state can offer, your disruption has a better chance of success. An example of a Disruptive Innovation is the Near Neighbours charity that is taking on much of the work that The Prevent Agenda was doing. The pdf offers (click here) a model that conceptualises Disruptive Innovation more clearly.

Identification Method 2: Identifying needs not yet being met by the state

Of course it is not simply about doing what is already being done, but it can be about doing something entirely new. Therefore another way to identify a need that your church or organsiation can meet, is to identify gaps in public service provision and set up your organisation to meet them.

Managing the identification process

When looking within you local community for needs you can meet, it is vital that you understand whether you have the resources and capabilities to achieve your goal. My Big Society Needs Identification Model (click here) brings together all the practical requirements when choosing either a Disruptive Innovation or a gap in current provision. It is based very loosely on the Collis and Rukstad Sweet Spot Analysis)