Responsible Innovation 3: A European Agenda?

253 Pages·2017·3.45 MB·English

by  Lotte Asveld et al. (eds.)

Lotte Asveld · Rietje van Dam-Mieras
Tsjalling Swierstra · Saskia Lavrijssen
Kees Linse · Jeroen van den Hoven Editors
Responsible
Innovation 3
A European Agenda?
Responsible Innovation 3
Lotte Asveld • Rietje van Dam-Mieras
Tsjalling Swierstra • Saskia Lavrijssen
Kees Linse • Jeroen van den Hoven
Editors
Responsible Innovation 3
A European Agenda?
Editors
Lotte Asveld Rietje van Dam-Mieras
Department of Biotechnology & Society Leiden University
Delft University of Technology Leiden, The Netherlands
Delft, The Netherlands
Saskia Lavrijssen
Tsjalling Swierstra Tilburg, The Netherlands
Department of Philosophy
Maastricht University Jeroen van den Hoven
Maastricht, The Netherlands Delft, Zuid-Holland, The Netherlands
Kees Linse
Technology Foundation STW
Utrecht, The Netherlands
ISBN 978-3-319-64833-0 ISBN 978-3-319-64834-7 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-64834-7
Library of Congress Control Number: 2017953936
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Contents
1 Introduction: Responsible Research and Innovation
for Sustainability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Lotte Asveld and Rietje van Dam-Mieras
Part I Unravelling the Concept of RRI
2 Economic, Technological, and Socio- epistemological
Drivers Behind RRI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Tsjalling Swierstra
3 Mapping the RRI Landscape: An Overview
of Organisations, Projects, Persons, Areas and Topics . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Job Timmermans
4 “Response-able Practices” or “New Bureaucracies
of Virtue”: The Challenges of Making RRI Work
in Academic Environments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Ulrike Felt
5 The Conceptualization of RRI: An Iterative Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Pim Klaassen, Frank Kupper, Sara Vermeulen, Michelle Rijnen,
Eugen Popa, and Jacqueline Broerse
6 Responsible Innovation in Developing Countries:
An Enlarged Agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Federico Vasen
Part II Organising RRI: Application, Actors and Approaches
7 Climate Engineering: Responsible Innovation or
Reckless Folly? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Steve Rayner
v
vi Contents
8 Formal and Informal Assessment of Energy Technologies . . . . . . . . . 131
Udo Pesch, Aad Correljé, Eefje Cuppen, Behnam Taebi,
and Elisabeth van de Grift
9 Social Learning and Identity: Some Implications for RRI . . . . . . . . . 149
Lotte Asveld
10 Decision-Making in Water Governance: From Conflicting
Interests to Shared Values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Klara Pigmans, Neelke Doorn, Huib Aldewereld,
and Virginia Dignum
Part III RI in the Business Context
11 A Framework for Responsible Innovation in the Business
Context: Lessons from Responsible-, Social- and Sustainable
Innovation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Rob Lubberink, Vincent Blok, Johan van Ophem, and Onno Omta
12 Exploring Ethical Decision Making in Responsible
Innovation: The Case of Innovations for Healthy Food . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Vincent Blok, Tjidde Tempels, Edwin Pietersma, and Léon Jansen
13 Questioning the Normative Core of RI: The Challenges
Posed to Stakeholder Engagement in a Corporate Setting . . . . . . . . . 231
Merel Noorman, Tsjalling Swierstra, and Dorien Zandbergen
About the Authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Chapter 1
Introduction: Responsible Research
and Innovation for Sustainability
Lotte Asveld and Rietje van Dam-Mieras
Abstract This chapter begins with a short description of the societal challenges
that constitute the context in which Responsible Research and Innovation concept is
developing. Subsequently the emerging Responsible Research and Innovation con-
cept is mapped out. It ends with an overview of the different chapters.
1.1 Facing Twenty-First Century Challenges
Facing and dealing with the huge twenty-first century’s challenges asks for actions
in which all planetary inhabitants are involved. Path-breaking solutions are needed
conceived in terms of fundamentally different sets of technologies, institutions and
social arrangements from those we have today. Innovative approaches on both short
and long term and the involvement of many stakeholders with often conflicting
interests are required. The inherent complexity and uncertainty of the challenges not
only asks for incremental changes leading to optimization within established frame-
works, but also for fundamental transitions resulting in structural change and
changes in framing conditions (Rikers et al. 2012).
The type of innovations needed cannot be restricted to designing and evaluating
solutions, but must also engage with a process of paradigmatic change. This strate-
gic management challenge requires special approaches. Visions of sustainable
futures have to be created, the dynamics of co-evolutionary change on several inno-
vation fronts have to be handled, the inherent uncertainty of change has to be faced
and the communication about options and their implications with stakeholders and
decisions makers has to be organized. Loorbach and Rotmans (2006) state that such
transitions require organization-exceeding innovations at the system level, which
L. Asveld (*)
Department of Biotechnology & Society, Delft University of Technology,
Delft, The Netherlands
e-mail: [email protected]
R. van Dam-Mieras
Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
e-mail: [email protected]
© Springer International Publishing AG 2017 1
L. Asveld et al. (eds.), Responsible Innovation 3,
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-64834-7_1
2 L. Asveld and R. van Dam-Mieras
are realized by a variety of agents and which fundamentally change both the struc-
ture of the system and relations among the agents and other stakeholders.
There is another aspect that deserves attention. If we accept that our present
society is a globalising society, an important point to realize is that globalisation
exceeds the traditional frames of reference societies have. Every culture has its own
specific worldview which is an important factor in its societal set of norms and val-
ues. Asking ethical questions such as ‘What is a good life in a moral sense?’ in a
global society therefore, quickly results in ‘defending our values against theirs’ (van
der Wal 2003). In a global space a multitude of different, culturally determined
moral convictions will be at stake. How can that be seen as a source for development
rather than as a source for conflicts?
Innovative development pathways should no longer focus just on the techno-
economic system that delivers economic growth, but on the whole social-cultural-
ecological system embracing the natural world, the socio-cultural world and
interactions between the two. The natural world is inherently complex which by
itself leads to indeterminacy and uncertainty. The interactions between mankind and
nature are increasingly mediated through powerful technologies and the socio-
cultural systems that interact with the natural world are, in their own ways, just as
complex and unpredictable. The threatening irreversible ecological change and the
limited capacity of humanity to adapt or respond when ecological change under-
mines the very basis of human survival or quality of life constitutes a powerful case
for a precautionary approach (Jansen et al. 2008).
Most people will agree that, if mankind wants to continue to live on Planet Earth,
societal development should become more sustainable than it presently is. In spite
of that bringing about sustainable development turns out to be extremely difficult.
The Sustainable Development Goals agreed upon within the UN context in 2015
(sustainabledevelopment.un.org) give an overview of the broad spectrum of actions
needed to deal with our present global challenges. The SDGs are:
• End poverty in all its forms everywhere
• End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustain-
able agriculture
• Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
• Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning
opportunities for all
• Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
• Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
• Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
• Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and produc-
tive employment and decent work for all
• Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization
and foster innovation
• Reduce inequality within and among countries
• Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
• Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
1 Introduction: Responsible Research and Innovation for Sustainability 3
• Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
• Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustain-
able development
• Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustain-
ably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degrada-
tion and halt biodiversity loss
• Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide
access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions
at all levels
• Strengthen the means of implementations and revitalize the global partnership
for sustainable development
Dealing with the twenty-first century challenges asks for innovative approaches
in all societal domains at all levels of scale.
1.2 Responsible Research and Innovation
Responsible research and innovation (RRI) is a research and innovation approach
aiming to take into account effects and potential impacts on environment and soci-
ety. It tries to anticipate and assess potential implications and societal expectations
with regard to research and innovation at an early stage of research and innovation
processes. RRI is increasingly used interchangeable with Responsible Innovation
(RI), also in this volume. Especially when the innovation takes place in a business
context, RI is used instead of RRI, although both refer to largely the same concept.
RRI has been part of several European Framework Programmes. An Expert
Group on the State of the Art in Europe of Responsible Research and Innovation
chaired by Jeroen van den Hoven describes RRI in the following way. ‘RRI refers to
the comprehensive approach of proceeding in research and innovation in ways that
allow all stakeholders to be involved in the processes of research and innovation at
an early stage (A) to obtain relevant knowledge on the consequences of the out-
comes of their actions and on the range of options open to them and (B) to effec-
tively evaluate both outcomes and options in terms of societal needs and moral
values and (C) to use these considerations (under A and B) as functional require-
ments for design and development of new research, products and services. The RRI
approach has to be a key part of the research and innovation process and should be
established as a collective, inclusive and system-wide approach’. (Options for
Strengthening Responsible Research and Innovation, European Commission,
Directorate General for Research and Innovation Science in Society, EUR25766EN,
https://ec.europa.eu).
RRI thus is about making science with society for society. The RRI Tools com-
munity project for research, technological development and demonstration (rri-
tools.eu), funded by the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme,
approaches RRI from six different perspectives in which different aspects come to
4 L. Asveld and R. van Dam-Mieras
the fore. In RRI for Policy Makers ‘Address grand societal challenges’, ‘Increase
public trust’ and ‘Build a responsible future’ are important aspects. In RRI for
Researchers aspects in focus are ‘Incorporate other views’, ‘Evaluate the impact’,
‘Anticipate, reflect, engage, act’, ‘Share the process, make it worthy’ and ‘Share
your responsibility’. RRI for Business and Industry is about ‘Invite all relevant
actors’, ‘Boost socially acceptable innovation’, ‘Find new business opportunities’,
‘Reinforce your customers’ trust’, ‘Add value, secure your future’. In RRI for the
Education Community aspects are ‘Responsibility is a learnt behaviour’, ‘Stimulate
curiosity’, ‘Contextualize science’ and ‘Empower future generations’. RRI for
Civil Society Organisations and RRI for citizens both deal with ‘Your voice and
ideas are important’, ‘Co-create the future’, ‘Be informed, be critical’ and ‘the
media are key actors’.
The RRI approach and the RRI Tools community project are aiming at involving
all stakeholders in research and innovation processes from an early stage on, which
looks like a promising approach. It is important to realise that the description of RRI
and RRI-tools given above is mainly from a European perspective. As it would be
rather naïve, however, to think that a European RRI concept and RRI tools could be
seen as a ‘cure all solution’ in a global society. Dealing with uncertainty, tensions
among nations for geopolitical and cultural reasons, and differences in access to
resources and technology will lead to different perceptions of solutions and priori-
ties in different parts of the world. Therefore the RRI concept and tools will need
contextualisation for application in other parts of the world.
1.3 Responsible Innovation 3: A European Agenda?
This volume of Responsible Innovation, the third in a series, reports on the develop-
ments of RRI in the context of the Responsible Innovation Research programme of
the Dutch Science Council (NWO-MVI), but is certainly not limited to Dutch
research only. It brings together cases that shed a light on how the RRI approach can
be applied to specific innovations, with reflections and overviews on a more general
level and a discussion of what RRI might mean in non-western cultural settings. The
chapters are a selection of the fourth NWO conference on Responsible Innovation
held in 2015 in The Hague. An overview of its contents is given below.
The first part of the book deals with general, conceptual issues relevant to RRI.
Tsjalling Swierstra (Chap. 2) describes the political and technological trends that
explain the current prominence of RRI in Europe and the US. He links the financial
crisis, social media, the rise of citizen science and intimate technologies to the four
prominent dimensions of RRI: anticipation, reflectivity, inclusion and responsive-
ness and identifies hurdles for the further development of RRI.
Job Timmermans (Chap. 3) provides a comprehensive overview of the current
RRI landscape, comprising the main contributors, the terms by which RRI is per-
ceived and the areas it is being applied to. The analysis shows which actors act as
hubs in the different thematic or regional segments that together make up the