Operationalising Responsible Research and Innovation – tools for enterprises

Abstract

Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) is an emerging paradigm and a novel approach to governing science and innovation with the aim of making them ethically acceptable and socially desirable. RRI concept has become a popular term as a result of making it a cross-cutting theme for the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme. Up to date, research on the topic has focused on conceptual problems (relation with similar concepts as well as ethical, moral, philosophical, cultural underpinnings and assumptions) and on the possibilities of making the concept relevant to the Research & Innovation community in Europe and worldwide. Despite some initial efforts, there is still a need to further develop methods and techniques that could make RRI a useful framework for conducting innovation activities, especially in the business environment. The aim of this paper is to propose a range of approaches that help operationalise RRI. The approaches employ methods such as weighted indicators, maturity models and scorecards.

Keywords

• responsible research and innovation
• responsibility
• innovation
• engineering
• technology management
• technology assessment