Complementary currency design as resilient service systems: Transforming limits into strategic innovation opportunities

The socio-economic crisis of 2008 persists in creating a need for structural change and radical transformation by applying systemic thinking and holistic approaches to design solutions. This paper presents a part of a PhD research that questions those limits with regards to economic failures of income distribution among social entrepreneurs in co-working spaces. The argument focuses on exploring the potential for introducing alternative solutions where design can cut across traditional models and lead to economic transformations through new service models. Complementary currency systems structurally diversify monetary eco-systems and act as a mechanism for territorial and social cohesion. Strategic design is summoned here to focus on a new currency through the development of an integrated and resilient service system, a model for activating idle capabilities of community members into innovative collaboration opportunities. On-field research encompassing interviews, survey and persona design methods have been conducted with members of the Impact HUB social business network. The analysis of existing collaborative service models serves as an enabling action platform for service innovation to take place, driven by bottom-up behaviour changes towards social innovation. This research sets the stage to open up possibilities for empowering professionals and capacity building approaches to be implemented in emerging collaborative economies.