The Economic, Political and Managerial Challenges of Responsible Innovation

The special issue “The economic, political and managerial stakes of responsible innovation” aims to highlight the major challenges facing the development of responsible innovation, stemming in particular from the complexity of this notion and the difficulties raised by its operationalization. This introductory article presents (i) the definition and history of responsible innovation (RI), (ii) the managerial challenges of RI, (iii) the challenges for innovation support policies, and (iv) the main challenges posed by the concept of RI for research in economics and management of innovation. Several key perspectives linked to the implementation of RI are discussed and illustrated by the contributions in this special issue, such as the multiplicity of actors involved in the dynamics of a RI process, the diversity of innovation strategies, and the need for new forms of governance and conflict management. The article also highlights the importance of global economic regulation of RI, as well as the ethical challenges posed by new digital technologies. All in all, this article and the main contributions to this special issue represent an in-depth reflection on responsible innovation that enriches current academic and professional debates on the subject.
JEL Code: M14