Social innovation in sport: the creation of Santa Cruz as a world surfing reserve
International Journal of Innovation Science
ISSN: 1757-2223
Article publication date: 18 May 2018
Issue publication date: 15 March 2019
Abstract
Purpose
Nature-based sports such as surfing play an important role in the social harmony of regions, as they provide a way to protect the environment while incorporating a business element. The purpose of this paper is to examine how World Surfing Reserves are a form of social innovation in sport, as they are a program of Save the Waves, which aims to protect the cultural and environmental areas associated with surfing.
Design/methodology/approach
The aim of this paper is to focus on a case study of the Santa Cruz, California World Surfing Reserve created in 2012 to analyze the associated social innovation programs.
Findings
Increasingly nature-based and lifestyle sports that incorporate the natural environment have been an innovative way to encourage social issues to progress. This includes programs developed to address water quality at beaches and the development of associated programs around social innovation in terms of surfing as a way to connect people to the environment.
Research limitations/implications
Suggestions for policy development of social innovation programs in sport will be discussed in addition to directions for future research.
Originality/value
Institutional theory will be used as the theoretical framework to understand the effects of the natural environment and surfing culture on social innovation.
Keywords
Citation
Ratten, V. (2020), "Social innovation in sport: the creation of Santa Cruz as a world surfing reserve", International Journal of Innovation Science, Vol. 11 No. 1, pp. 20-30. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJIS-12-2017-0135
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited