Advantages and disadvantages of societal engagement: a case study in a research and technology organization. Issue 3 (1st September 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Steen, Marc; Nauta, Joram
• Is Part Of: Journal of responsible innovation. Volume 7:Issue 3(2020)
• Page Start: 598
• Page End: 619
• Publication Date: 2020-09-01
• Subjects: Responsible innovation -- societal engagement -- civil society -- research and technology organization -- ethics; Technological innovations -- Moral and ethical aspects -- Periodicals; Technological innovations -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Technological innovations -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; 174.96
• DOI: 10.1080/23299460.2020.1813864
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2329-9460

Abstract

ABSTRACT: We view Societal Engagement (SE) as a key element of Responsible Innovation (RI) and want to better understand the advantages and disadvantage of SE, both in theory and in practice. Moreover, we are interested in the role that Research and Technology Organizations (RTOs) might play in bridging the gap between fundamental research in academia and applied research, development and deployment. We reviewed relevant literature in order to identify and discuss the potential advantages and disadvantages of SE, and conducted a case study of one SE initiative within a RTO in order to understand the advantages and disadvantages of SE in practice . The paper closes with a discussion of responsibility and ethics that the organizing of SE would require.