Abstract
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) research projects engage stakeholders who contribute towards different aspects of research and innovation. One of the aspects that stakeholders contribute towards in ICT research projects is responsibility. There is a need for those engaged in ICT research projects to take into consideration the impacts of their activities on society as part of responsible research and innovation (RRI) through finding solutions to emerging societal problems and developing sustainable processes of carrying out research and innovation. In this paper, the focus is two-fold. Firstly, I focus on understanding how stakeholders are identified to contribute towards responsibility in ICT research projects and secondly, I focus on how stakeholders contribute towards responsibility in such projects. I conducted an interpretive case study in which data were collected by semi-structured interviews with 11 stakeholders from two ICT research projects. Through thematic data analysis, their perceptions and understanding of their contribution towards responsibility were conceived. From the study findings, I established that there are problems in understanding the meaning of term ‘responsibility’ among stakeholders which later affects the identification of roles that deal with it. Despite the ambiguity of the meaning, I found that stakeholders contribute towards responsibility in many ways although there are barriers that affect their contribution.
Highlights
In recent years there has been an upsurge of technological innovation through Information and Communication Technology (ICT) research projects
The findings are categorised into three main areas that consist of stakeholder identification, the contribution of stakeholders towards responsibility and barriers to stakeholder contribution towards responsibility
Understanding how they are identified, and their roles defined is very crucial in engaging stakeholders that will perhaps contribute towards responsibility in ICT research projects in an effective manner
Summary
In recent years there has been an upsurge of technological innovation through ICT research projects. Taking this stance translates into having an understanding of responsibility regarding the moral commitment of stakeholders that are engaged in the realisation of these outcomes (Noorman, 2014; Sand, 2016; Sullins, 2012) Another angle could be looking at responsibility within ICT research projects in connection to the social and ethical desirability of the innovation and research process as mentioned in RRI accounts (Guston 2011; Owen et al 2013b; Von Schomberg 2013; Simon 2017; Jirotka et al 2017; Stahl et al 2017). Responsibility in ICT research projects could be looked at regarding an active collective understanding that seeks to prevent harm and identify more positive outcomes for the innovation process (Lenk & Maring, 2001; Pellé & Reber, 2015) This distinction between the meanings of responsibility is imperative because it highlights a profound issue with regards to stakeholders’ contribution towards responsibility or responsible behaviour. I will present the method used in the study that informs this paper
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