The epiknowledge of socially responsible innovation.

Abstract

In their discussion of socially responsible innovation (SRI) and its links to industrial R&D and academic applied research, Flipse et al [1] acknowledge that the nature and purpose of academic and industrial research have changed “to demonstrate social or environmental responsibility to contribute to a more positive corporate image.” We wish the authors had focused more on that last word, “image,” for it is an admission of the theatrical play being acted out in today's academic and industrial research to conceal the true nature of SRI. Any ensuing discussion about establishing mutual understanding and common language between the social and the natural sciences to “efficiently work together” misses the heart of the issue: how political forces change the nature and purpose of research, and how it similarly changes the role of social scientists and humanists. SRI is now considered an indispensable factor for socially robust R&D. Ideally, it is performed upstream or midstream in the early stages of research rather than as an afterthought, so …