Social Innovation Labs as Platforms for Inclusive Value Co-creation: The Moroccan Experience

Abstract

Social innovation labs have emerged as collaborative platforms addressing complex societal challenges, yet little is known about how value co-creation unfolds within these ecosystems, particularly in the Global South. This article examines the mechanisms of value co-creation in four Moroccan social innovation labs representing distinct governance models. Drawing on a qualitative multi-case study anchored in Service-Dominant Logic and the Quadruple Helix framework, the analysis conceptualizes labs as engagement platforms that integrate heterogeneous resources. Findings highlight three key organizational levers sustaining inclusive co-creation: trust-based governance, user-centered methodologies, and structured value-sharing mechanisms. The study also identifies structural fragilities, including financial instability, governance tensions, and limited impact-evaluation tools, which threaten long-term sustainability. These results extend the co-creation theory to fragile institutional contexts and provide implications for policymakers and ecosystem builders.