The article analyzes a conceptual framework to compares experiences of social innovation in Latin America, finding social innovation as a social shared competence, that crosses the borders between social and economic areas. The selected experiences are originated and guided by the satisfaction of a human need and the generation of relationships between individuals and groups of different spaces and scale. The impact of those experiences is recognized under the understanding of social innovation as a shared competence among actors. It is concluded that the different conceptualizations lead to a conceptual framework in which three key elements are proposed for their understanding: first, the orientation to social values; second, the human factor as motor, promoter and source of development; and third, alliances between different actors.