From responsible to responsive innovation: A systemic and historically sensitive approach to innovation processes

Malte B. Rödl; Frank Boons; Wouter Spekkink

doi:10.1016/j.techfore.2021.121231

From responsible to responsive innovation: A systemic and historically sensitive approach to innovation processes

Malte B. Rödl^*, Frank Boons, Wouter Spekkink

^*Corresponding author for this work

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8 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Responsible innovation has emerged as a field of research dedicated to introduce sensitivity to societal values in innovation processes. However, much of the academic literature on RI deals with single technologies instead of technological systems and is future-orientated without explicitly using specialised knowledge of past developments. In this paper, we present a problem-focused approach to RI that aims to support researchers and stakeholders in developing potential solutions from a perspective of systemic awareness and historical sensitivity. We then describe the application of this approach in an 18 months long interdisciplinary research project on plastics. We show that the approach has generated new and unexpected research projects, formed new inter- and transdisciplinary collaborations, and has impacted some participants’ understanding of the systems in which their work is embedded. We conclude that with appropriate willingness to engage by individual researchers, our approach is able to, firstly, influence highly experienced researchers to engage more responsibly with their work, and secondly, to make research projects responsive by including societal concerns and their historical emergence from the start.

Original language	English
Article number	121231
Journal	Technological Forecasting and Social Change
Volume	174
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2021.121231
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was supported by the EPSRC through the UKRI Plastics Research Innovtion Fund, grant number EP/S025200/1 .

Funding Information:
Without the help and support of our partners this project would never have been conceived or executed. Their time and enthusiasm has been invaluable. We thank Alison Browne, Claire Hoolohan, and Michael Shaver for their enthusiasm and support conducting the Change Points workshop and Sandpit workshop respectively. We would also like to thank Barbara Ribeiro and two anonymous reviewers for their comments on earlier versions of this paper. This work was supported by the EPSRC through the UKRI Plastics Research Innovtion Fund, grant number EP/S025200/1.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021

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10.1016/j.techfore.2021.121231Licence: CC BY

Cite this

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abstract = "Responsible innovation has emerged as a field of research dedicated to introduce sensitivity to societal values in innovation processes. However, much of the academic literature on RI deals with single technologies instead of technological systems and is future-orientated without explicitly using specialised knowledge of past developments. In this paper, we present a problem-focused approach to RI that aims to support researchers and stakeholders in developing potential solutions from a perspective of systemic awareness and historical sensitivity. We then describe the application of this approach in an 18 months long interdisciplinary research project on plastics. We show that the approach has generated new and unexpected research projects, formed new inter- and transdisciplinary collaborations, and has impacted some participants{\textquoteright} understanding of the systems in which their work is embedded. We conclude that with appropriate willingness to engage by individual researchers, our approach is able to, firstly, influence highly experienced researchers to engage more responsibly with their work, and secondly, to make research projects responsive by including societal concerns and their historical emergence from the start.",

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From responsible to responsive innovation: A systemic and historically sensitive approach to innovation processes

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