Connecting innovation to human capabilities: a case study of township innovators in South Africa

A collaborative study between Erika Kraemer-Mbula, Alejandra Boni & Larry Onyango
The concept of “capabilities” has become central to diverse bodies of literature, from production theory to innovation studies and development paradigms. In all these literatures, capabilities are central to transformation, be it production processes, innovation systems, or individual freedoms. This paper aims to integrate the concept of innovation capabilities with that of human capabilities, in order to (1) explore the extent to which innovation capabilities and their underlying learning processes are important in expanding valuable human capabilities and (2) explore if core elements of the human capabilities approach (such human capabilities, functionings and agency) provide an analytical approach to assess the process and the effects of innovation.