Validating a scale to measure social innovation capacity in social organizations: An empirical contribution to open innovation research

This study aimed to validate a multidimensional scale designed to measure the capacity for social innovation in social organisations, understood as the set of organisational competencies that enable the generation and sustainability of innovative processes oriented toward social value creation. A quantitative, non-experimental and cross-sectional design was applied to a sample of 668 Spanish third-sector organisations. The instrument, based on the theoretical framework of the Social Innovation Capabilities Model, was validated through expert judgement, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, and predictive models using logistic regression and neural networks. The results confirmed a five-factor structure—social orientation, social capillarity, participatory governance, adaptability, and innovation management—with high internal consistency and excellent model fit indices (α = 0.95; CFI = 0.97; RMSEA = 0.065). The logistic and neural analyses demonstrated the predictive validity of the construct, highlighting participatory governance and adaptability as the most influential dimensions in generating social innovation. These findings substantiate the robustness of the scale and the coherence between theoretical and empirical evidence. The validated instrument represents a relevant methodological contribution to the empirical study of social innovation and provides a practical tool for diagnosing, comparing, and enhancing innovative capacity within social organisations. The study advances understanding of how collaborative, adaptive, and participatory organisational dynamics drive innovation in the third sector, reinforcing the link between social innovation and open innovation paradigms and offering valuable insights for research, public policy, and institutional development.