Evaluating social innovation for grand challenges through qualitative comparative analysis: the case of youth labour integration in Barrio 31, Argentina

Priscilla Alamos-Concha and Benoît Rihoux

Chapter 4 in Methodology to Address Grand Challenges, 2026, pp 61-85 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This chapter examines how qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) can enhance the evaluation of complex social interventions by analysing a corporate social innovation initiative aimed at youth labour integration in Barrio 31, a marginalized neighbourhood in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Drawing on 32 corporate social innovation cases and an abductive, field-informed approach, the study identifies key causal combinations – such as strategic and moral alignment, cross-sectoral partnerships, dynamic capabilities, and routinization – that contributed to impactful outcomes. The Barrio 31 case reveals how stakeholder engagement and the gradual institutionalization of practices reduced stigmatization and fostered sustainable inclusion within and beyond the community. Methodologically, QCA proves effective in capturing configurational causality and bridging in-depth case knowledge with systematic cross-case comparisons. The chapter advances intervention theory by showing that social impact emerges from the interplay of multiple conditions rather than single drivers, and offers practical insights for designing context-sensitive, evidence-based strategies to address grand societal challenges in diverse settings.

Keywords: Corporate Social Innovation; Grand Challenges; Slum Youth Inclusion; Barrio 31; Qualitative Comparative Analysis; Evaluation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035314300
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