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The Role of Stakeholders in the Context of Responsible Innovation: A Meta-Synthesis

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  • Luciana Maines da Silva

    (Unisinos Business School, Unisinos University, Porto Alegre 90.470-280, Brazil)

  • Claudia Cristina Bitencourt

    (Unisinos Business School, Unisinos University, Porto Alegre 90.470-280, Brazil)

  • Kadígia Faccin

    (Unisinos Business School, Unisinos University, Porto Alegre 90.470-280, Brazil)

  • Tatiana Iakovleva

    (UiS Business School, Stavanger University, 8600 Stavanger, Norway)

Abstract

This paper contributes to the sustainability debate by analyzing the inclusion dimension in the responsible research and innovation (RRI) process. RRI is claimed to be an important tool for addressing global challenges and achieving sustainable development goals. While stakeholder involvement is considered to be imperative for the RRI process, there is little empirical evidence on (1) who the stakeholders participating in the RRI process are; (2) when stakeholders participate; (3) how stakeholders’ inclusion contributes to the sustainable innovation process; and (4) who the agents are who orchestrate stakeholders’ inclusion. This paper addresses the issue of stakeholder involvement through the lens of innovation management literature by attempting to link the innovation process to the responsibility concept. We employed a meta-synthesis of empirical studies of RRI to develop a deep understanding of stakeholder inclusion. After screening 139 articles, we identified seven empirical papers highlighting RRI process, mainly from projects nested in academic contexts. The findings indicate that multiple stakeholders are included at a late stage of the innovation process—during the market launch. To some extent, this allows for the adaptation of the solution, but such adaptations are limited in nature. This study also identifies the agents who stimulate stakeholder inclusion as being mainly academic researchers and researchers linked to multi-institutional projects. Our findings indicate that innovation management thinking is rarely applied in the governance of research and innovation projects ‘born’ in academia. We suggest enhancing RRI theoretical development by incorporating elements of innovation management such as early inclusion of users in the innovation process. For practitioners, this means an extension of the design space to allow early stakeholder inclusion in the innovation process to ensure responsible outcomes. We also identified avenues for future research. There is a need to systematically investigate which tools and frameworks for deliberate stakeholder inclusion are relevant at the various stages of the innovation and development process.

Suggested Citation

  • Luciana Maines da Silva & Claudia Cristina Bitencourt & Kadígia Faccin & Tatiana Iakovleva, 2019. "The Role of Stakeholders in the Context of Responsible Innovation: A Meta-Synthesis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-25, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:6:p:1766-:d:216698
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    Cited by:

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    2. Carla Gonzales-Gemio & Claudio Cruz-Cázares & Mary Jane Parmentier, 2020. "Responsible Innovation in SMEs: A Systematic Literature Review for a Conceptual Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-27, December.
    3. Tatiana Iakovleva & John Bessant & Elin Oftedal & Luciana Maines da Silva, 2021. "Innovating Responsibly—Challenges and Future Research Agendas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-6, March.
    4. Seunghwan Myeong & Syed Asad Abbas Bokhari, 2023. "Building Participative E-Governance in Smart Cities: Moderating Role of Institutional and Technological Innovation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-23, October.
    5. Milena Gojny-Zbierowska & Przemysław Zbierowski, 2021. "Improvisation as Responsible Innovation in Organizations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-20, February.
    6. Khalid Rasheed Memon & Say Keat Ooi & Heesup Han, 2024. "Responsible innovation and corporate sustainability performance: A structural equation modeling‐neural network approach," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(4), pages 2712-2730, May.
    7. Asef Karimi & Haniye Rezaei & Morteza Akbari & Pantea Foroudi, 2021. "The concept of innovation network: an application of the meta-synthesis approach," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 11(1), pages 399-419, December.
    8. Hong Tian & Jiahui Tian, 2021. "The Mediating Role of Responsible Innovation in the Relationship between Stakeholder Pressure and Corporate Sustainability Performance in Times of Crisis: Evidence from Selected Regions in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-17, July.
    9. Matteo Trane & Luisa Marelli & Alice Siragusa & Riccardo Pollo & Patrizia Lombardi, 2023. "Progress by Research to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in the EU: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-37, April.
    10. Elin Merethe Oftedal & Lene Foss & Tatiana Iakovleva, 2019. "Responsible for Responsibility? A Study of Digital E-health Startups," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-21, September.
    11. Jining Zhou & Bo Zhang & Runhua Tan & Ming-Lang Tseng & Yaya Zhang, 2020. "Exploring the Systematic Attributes Influencing Gerontechnology Adoption for Elderly Users Using a Meta-Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-17, April.
    12. Xiaoyu Liu & Jahan Ara Peerally & Claudia De Fuentes & David Ince & Harrie Vredenburg, 2022. "Who Makes or Breaks Energy Policymaking in the Caribbean Small Island Jurisdictions? A Study of Stakeholders’ Perceptions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-19, February.
    13. Tjaša Štrukelj & Jelena Nikolić & Dejana Zlatanović & Simona Sternad Zabukovšek, 2020. "A Strategic Model for Sustainable Business Policy Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-28, January.
    14. Marija Mosurović Ružičić & Mirjana Miletić & Marina Dobrota, 2021. "Does a National Innovation System Encourage Sustainability? Lessons from the Construction Industry in Serbia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-19, March.
    15. Tatiana Iakovleva & Elin Oftedal & John Bessant, 2021. "Changing Role of Users—Innovating Responsibly in Digital Health," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-17, February.
    16. Razan Abdullah Al Rawaf & Abdulaziz Abdulmohsen Alfalih, 2023. "The Role of Governance in Achieving Sustainability in Family-Owned Business: Do Responsible Innovation and Entrepreneurial Culture Matter?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-23, March.
    17. Beniamino Callegari & Olga Mikhailova, 2021. "RRI and Corporate Stakeholder Engagement: The Aquadvantage Salmon Case," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-18, February.
    18. Thammarat Koottatep & Krisakorn Sukavejworakit & Thanaphol Virasa, 2020. "Roadmap for Innovators in the Process of Innovation for Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-15, December.
    19. Sara H. Wilford, 2019. "Responsible Research and Innovation: Using the Requirements Tool for Stakeholder Engagement in Developing a Universal Design for Learning Guidelines for Practice," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-16, May.

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