Innovation Beyond Technology—Introduction

For a few decades now, innovation—mainly derived from technological advances—has been considered a driving force of economic and societal development and prosperity. The dominant view is that, in the context of globalization, and the accompanying rise of international competition, OECD countries have a choice between two options: innovate or perish. However, the last two decades, which can be regarded as the golden age of innovation, saw a gradual shift in ideology. There has been indeed growing doubt about the relevance of the dominant model of innovation. This introductory chapter’s main goal is to analyze the conditions of a shift from a techno-centric society to a human-centric society, one where technology’s potential for positive impact is not disregarded, but where social and human well-being is central to realize this potential. Another goal is to discuss non-technological aspects of innovation and their importance in dealing with complex contemporary societal issues, while also making a critical assessment of the relationship between science, technology, innovation (STI) and society.