Collaborative Services: Communities Innovating towards Sustainability

Abstract: The current global economic system is driving an unsustainable society. The planet has limited resources, and the economic system exists within these limits. To move society towards sustainability, one must consider how to provide necessary services to a growing population while decreasing dependencies on resource consumption. This research aims to show that Collaborative Services offer one solution to communities by providing a platform for sharing and exchange of resources through innovation and participation. Collaborative Services are designed and utilized on a local scale, to meet specific community needs and have been found to provide Social, Natural, Human, Political, Cultural, Built and Financial Community Capital returns on investment. Successful Collaborative Services have certain ‘ingredients’ that guide them which include: leadership and vision, strategies to involve key stakeholders, organizational resilience considerations as well as financial, technical and physical supports for Collaborative Services. This research shows the benefits and ingredients of successful Collaborative Services, in order to promote their emergence and provide support for communities working with Collaborative Services. Using a strategic sustainable development lens this research suggests that Collaborative Services can act as a tool to pull communities towards sustainability.