A Social Entrepreneurship Approach for the Development of an Active-Ageing Smartphone Application

Abstract

Trends in the world population are shown to favor the increase market of elderly people aged 65 and over. This creates a new and promising market with many peculiarities and a variety of needs to be satisfied in terms of improving quality of life. The proposed solution to this problem which is investigated in this paper comes from technology. Especially, smart phone technology can lead to the creation of innovative products and services facilitating the elderly in their daily lives. The purpose of this study is to explore how a smart phone application (Active Ageing), could upgrade the quality of life of the elderly people and how to motivate them by making them feel safe and comfortable to go out for a walk. Further, the proposed app development takes a stakeholder’s approach where the society, the state, local actors and private investors, are involved. In this way opportunities can be seized and be a deterministic factor in this new market with many economic, social and environmental benefits. At the same time, the study examines the conceptual framework of an innovative business model which will contribute to the sustainable development of the application in the Greek society by taking a social entrepreneurship approach. Going through a critical literature review in relation to Active Ageing, the benefits and risks of walking, social entrepreneurship, market research methods and smart cities, an appropriate survey instrument was developed for evaluating the potential of the envisioned Active Aging app. Elements in the survey examined key issues that concern the elderly. Specifically, market needs have been identified regarding the necessary information to create confidence, safety, enjoyment and high quality of life in a framework of sustainable mobility.