THE ROLE OF SOCIAL INNOVATION IN MANAGERIAL PRACTICE

Purpose: Main goal of the paper is to explain how "business literacy" and activity in area of innovations, especially in the social type relates to the length of managers' experience. Is the business experience source of motivation to be innovative? Design/methodology/approach: A primary research was made to get relevant opinion about innovation, innovative activities in several companies in the Czech Republic. A sample of pilot 34 interviews was provided with business owners to discuss their "business literacy" in area of innovations, especially in social innovations (September - December 2018). Key information was evaluated on Likert scale to be able to compare the results. Findings: There were four dependent variables such as age, gender, qualification and length of business experience. A business experience was chosen in that paper in connection to being able to describe and realize innovations. It has been found that managers not to have enough knowledge of innovation and their possible classification. Secondly, their innovative activity is not based only on business experience, but it is closely connected with managerial education. Research/practical implications: It would be appropriate to explain this issue to managers in first case, according developed matrix and original classification system based on end-user approach. Better level of innovation literacy would provide to relevant responses in a future survey. Originality/value: A value could be seen in provided qualitative study, where an innovative literacy description and original classification of social innovations was obtained. This classification not have been used before (pure and combined) in any study. Previous study classified only types not innovation "impact" presented by pure and combined approach.