Towards inclusive and responsible technological innovation systems

Date
2019-04
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Innovation has gained prominence as a key ingredient to economic success. As a consequence, policy makers and researchers have paid increasing attention to the factors that enhance innovation. In addition, recent innovation policy directions globally reflect a desire for social justice. This study, focussing specifically on technological innovation, contributes to the set of tools available for gaining an understanding of the societal implications of innovation. It draws on three sperate but related innovation concepts: inclusive innovation, which refers to innovation activities that are intended to benefit the marginalised and enhance their social and economic well-being; responsible innovation, an approach that recognises and aims to moderate the hazards of technological innovation to humanity and the planet; and technological innovation systems, a framework for analysing the status and trajectory of technologies and technological fields. Inclusive innovation, responsible innovation, and technological innovation systems fulfil different roles in the assessment of technologies and their evolution. They are however potentially complementary and reciprocally beneficial . The study considers the expansion of the technological innovation systems framework with the aid of concepts derived from inclusive innovation and responsible innovation. It aims to extend the technological innovation systems formulation to strengthen a normative element that addresses benefit to society as well as the potential long-term harms of innovation. Particular consideration is given to the ethical foundations of responsible innovation and inclusive innovation. The expanded formulation 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 the utility of the approach and its potential to influence innovation policy towards societal benefit, also in the long term, particularly in developing countries.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Innovasie word beskou as 'n belangrike komponent van 'n land of gebied se ekonomiese sukses. As gevolg hiervan gee beleidmakers en navorsers toenemende aandag aan die faktore wat innovasie bevorder. Daarbenewens weerspieël onlangse innovasiebeleide wêreldwyd 'n begeerte vir sosiale geregtigheid. Hierdie studie, wat spesifiek fokus op tegnologiese innovasie, dra by tot die stel analitiese instrumente wat beskikbaar is om begrip van die sosiale implikasies van innovasie te bevorder. Dit behels drie aparte maar verwante innovasiekonsepte: inklusiewe innovasie, wat verwys na innovasie-aktiwiteite wat bedoel is om gemarginaliseerde belanghebbendes te bevoordeel en hul sosiale en ekonomiese welsyn te verbeter; verantwoordelike innovasie, 'n benadering wat die gevare van tegnologiese innovasie erken en die doel het om hierdie gevare te modereer; en tegnologiese innovasiestelsels, 'n raamwerk vir die ontleding van die status en die trajek van tegnologieë en tegnologiese velde. Inklusiewe innovasie, verantwoordelike innovasie en tegnologiese innovasiestelsels vervul verskillende rolle in die evaluering van tegnologieë en hul evolusie. Hulle is egter potensieel komplementêr en wederkerig voordelig. Die studie oorweeg die uitbreiding van die raamwerk vir tegnologiese innovasiestelsels met behulp van konsepte verkry uit inklusiewe innovasie en verantwoordelike innovasie. Dit is daarop gemik om 'n normatiewe element in die formulering van tegnologiese innovasiestelsels te versterk, sodat voordeel vir die samelewing sowel as die potensiële langtermyn nadele van innovasie aangespreek word. Die etiese grondslae van verantwoordelike innovasie en inklusiewe innovasie word spesifiek ondersoek. Die uitgebreide formulering bied 'n analitiese instrument vir die evaluasie van tegnologiese innovasiestelsels, veral in ontwikkelende lande, waar die insluiting van gemarginaliseerde groepe as begunstigdes van en deelnemers aan innovasie 'n noodsaaklikheid is. Hierdie verbreding van die tegnologiese innovasiestelselbenadering maak voorsiening vir ryker en meer genuanseerde ontledings. Dit verhoog die nuttigheid van die benadering en sy potensiaal om innovasiebeleide in die rigting sosiale voordeel te beïnvloed, ook op die langtermyn, en veral in ontwikkelende lande.
Description
Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2019.
Keywords
Technological innovations -- Systems, Applied ethics, Business ethics, Social responsibility of business, UCTD
Citation