Social Impact Measurement. An evaluation and synthesis of existing tools and frameworks

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction

1.1 Background

1.2 Problem statement and research objective

1.3 Structure

Chapter 2: Literature review

2.1 Social value creation

2.2 The importance of measuring social impact

2.3 Current limitations of social impact measurement

2.4 An overview of existing tools and frameworks

Chapter 3: Evaluation and comparison of existing tools and frameworks

3.1 Description and evaluation

3.1.1 Balanced Scorecard

3.1.2 Base of the Pyramid Impact Assessment Framework

3.1.3 Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (CEA)

3.1.4 Practical Quality Assurance System for Small Organizations (PQASSO)

3.1.5 Prove It! Toolkit

3.1.6 Social Accounting and Audit (SAA)

3.1.7 Social IMPact measurement for Local Economies (SIMPLE)

3.1.8 Social Return on Investment (SROI)

3.1.9 Wellbeing Valuation

3.2 Comparison and main findings

Chapter 4: Synthesis and extension of existing frameworks

4.1 Objective

4.2 Description of a blended framework for social impact measurement

4.3 Discussion

Chapter 5: Limitations

Chapter 6: Conclusion

Research Objectives and Key Topics

This dissertation aims to evaluate the diverse landscape of existing social impact measurement tools and frameworks. Its primary research objective is to review these methodologies and propose a synthetic, blended framework that addresses current limitations—such as the lack of standardization and difficulties in reporting to external stakeholders—while facilitating organizational development, resource allocation, and social change.

• Theoretical conceptualization of social value creation versus economic value.
• Comprehensive analysis of the challenges in quantifying and measuring social impact.
• Critical evaluation of nine prominent tools and frameworks, ranging from the Balanced Scorecard to SROI and Wellbeing Valuation.
• Development of a holistic, blended framework integrating internal learning with external reporting standards.

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

Chapter 1: Introduction: This chapter introduces the background of social economy organizations, the necessity for performance measurement, and the research objectives of the dissertation.

Chapter 2: Literature review: This section explores the conceptual definitions of social value, the importance of impact measurement, and existing limitations in the field.

Chapter 3: Evaluation and comparison of existing tools and frameworks: This chapter provides a detailed analysis and evaluation of nine specific measurement tools, categorizing them and highlighting their advantages and disadvantages.

Chapter 4: Synthesis and extension of existing frameworks: This section proposes a new, blended framework for social impact measurement designed to combine the strengths of existing practices.

Chapter 5: Limitations: This chapter reflects on the scope and constraints of the research presented in this dissertation.

Chapter 6: Conclusion: This chapter summarizes the research findings and suggests future directions for the developed framework.

Keywords

Social Impact Measurement, Social Value Creation, Social Enterprises, Performance Measurement, Framework Evaluation, Impact Quantification, Resource Allocation, Stakeholder Engagement, Social Return on Investment, Balanced Scorecard, Accountability, Social Innovation, Sustainability, Organizational Learning, Causality

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the core focus of this research?

This work fundamentally explores the challenge of measuring social impact in the third sector. It investigates why organizations struggle to track their performance and how they can improve resource allocation by effectively utilizing existing measurement tools.

What are the primary thematic areas covered?

The dissertation covers the conceptual divide between economic and social value, the critical barriers to accurate measurement, the comparative analysis of nine specific frameworks, and the design of an integrated, blended approach for the future.

What is the main objective of this study?

The goal is twofold: first, to conduct a comprehensive critical review of available impact measurement tools, and second, to propose a synthesized framework that bridges the gap between internal organizational learning and external reporting requirements.

Which scientific methods are employed?

The dissertation utilizes qualitative secondary research, including the synthesis of academic literature, practitioner reports, and organizational documentation to classify and evaluate various social impact frameworks.

What does the main body of the work address?

The main body examines the "how-to" of impact measurement, detailed evaluations of tools like SROI and the Balanced Scorecard, and the logical steps involved in moving toward a standard-based, blended framework for the sector.

Which keywords best characterize this work?

The work is defined by terms such as Social Impact Measurement, Social Value Creation, Accountability, and Framework Evaluation, reflecting its practical and theoretical utility for social entrepreneurs.

How does this dissertation address the "deadweight" problem?

The author discusses deadweight—the outcomes that would have occurred without the intervention—as a key hurdle for causality. The proposed blended framework explicitly incorporates estimates of deadweight, attribution, and displacement to enhance accuracy.

What distinguishes the proposed "blended framework"?

Unlike singular tools that often focus either on internal management or external reporting, the blended framework proposed in Chapter 4 aims to unify both perspectives by incorporating standardized external valuation with organization-specific internal monitoring.