Towards inclusive and responsible technological innovation systems

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Innovation has gained prominence as a key ingredient to economic success. As aconsequence, policy makers and researchers have paid increasing attention to the factorsthat enhance innovation. In addition, recent innovation policy directions globally reflect adesire for social justice. This study, focussing specifically on technological innovation,contributes to the set of tools available for gaining an understanding of the societalimplications of innovation. It draws on three sperate but related innovation concepts:inclusive innovation, which refers to innovation activities that are intended to benefit themarginalised and enhance their social and economic well-being; responsible innovation, anapproach that recognises and aims to moderate the hazards of technological innovation tohumanity and the planet; and technological innovation systems, a framework for analysingthe status and trajectory of technologies and technological fields. Inclusive innovation,responsible innovation, and technological innovation systems fulfil different roles in theassessment of technologies and their evolution.They are however potentiallycomplementary and reciprocally beneficial . The study considers the expansion of thetechnological innovation systems framework with the aid of concepts derived from inclusiveinnovation and responsible innovation. It aims to extend the technological innovationsystems formulation to strengthen a normative element that addresses benefit to society aswell as the potential long-term harms of innovation. Particular consideration is given to theethical foundations of responsible innovation and inclusive innovation. The expandedformulation presents an analytical tool for assessing technological innovation systems,particularly in developing countries, where inclusion of the marginalised as beneficiaries of,and participants in, innovation is an imperative. Such a broadening of the technological innovation systems approach provides for richer and more nuanced analyses, increasing theutility of the approach and its potential to influence innovation policy towards societalbenefit, also in the long term, particularly in developing countries.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University