DEKIN Innovation System (2018)

A framework for understanding social positions behind innovation

Two years ago, I developed a framework called DEKIN Innovation System for understanding the landscape of innovation in the digital age. The name DEKIN is for remembering my father Dejin Ding.

The 3P Focus

This DEKIN framework was developed with a 3P focus: People, Position and Practice.

First, I considered the innovation system as a social practice which focuses on the innovative activities.

Second, I chose “People — Practice” as my unit of analysis.

Third, I added “Position” as mediation for “People — Practice”.

Social Positions

The most unique insights of DEKIN framework discovered is the 12 types of social positions with are embedded in the innovation system. I organized these 12 types of social positions into 3 groups: D-positions, C-Positions and R-positions.