Responsible research and innovation in innovation value chains: focus on the catalytic role of non-governmental organizations

ABSTRACT

This study explores the role of NGOs in Innovation Value Chains (IVCs) and Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI). It investigates how NGOs' presence influences RRI adoption in ecosystems and whether their strong RRI focus enhances its diffusion. Agent-Based Modelling and Simulation are employed for analysis. Findings reveal that NGOs promote RRI when adopting intermediate RRI values for consortium evaluation, whereas strict criteria hinder RRI diffusion. Highly RRI-oriented NGOs foster knowledge dissemination and network diversity, despite limited IVC involvement. These insights offer guidance for Research Funding Organizations to promote RRI and assist Research Performing Organizations in managing dynamic innovative networks.

KEYWORDS:

• Responsible research and innovation
• innovation value chains
• complexity
• agent-based modeling
• NGOs

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 IAMRRI. Webs of Innovation Value Chains of Additive Manufacturing under Consideration of RRI. Available online: https://www.iamrri.eu/ (accessed on April 27, 2023).

2 https://ccl.northwestern.edu/netlogo/ (accessed on July 25, 2022).

3 Github I AM RRI SKIN link: https://github.com/GradoZeroTeam/IAMRRI.

4 The conceptual model includes also an Innovation Diffusion phase, but it has not been developed further at this stage of the research.