From Inclusion to Inclusivity: A Typological Approach to Inclusive Innovation
Inclusion is a theme that has been particularly developed over the past fifteen years to highlight excluded categories (gender, disability, or degree of informality) in innovation activities. Its academic consideration has been such that the terminology of inclusion has been supplemented by that of inclusivity to promote inclusive processes and their degree of openness. A proposed typology is presented to clarify the concepts of inclusion and inclusivity in innovation activities. To this end, we present three distinct frameworks for identifying three different levels associated with specific institutional mechanisms and forms of inclusion. The first proposes inclusion as an end goal, the second as both an end and a means, and the third as real transformative change. These frameworks provide an understanding of the evolution of inclusive approaches in terms of economic development, disadvantaged groups and new societal challenges. This typology also aims to identify appropriate innovation policies, according to the characterisation of inclusive innovation (low, medium and high).