Responsible Research Research Articles

Infrastructuring citizenry in Smart City Vienna: investigating participatory smartification between policy and practice

ABSTRACT The notion ‘smart city' has found a prominent place in urban visions, policies, planning, and infrastructure development, often promising citizens’ participation in shaping urban futures. This paper examines the frictions emerging between powerful Smart City Vienna policy imaginaries and their realization in real-world participatory experiments. Drawing on Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) sensitivities, we highlight the challenges of giving voice to citizens and, in particular, the limits of participation in projectified (i.e. clearly temporalized) urban transformations. We not only observe the messiness, the unknowns, and uncertainties of participatory smartification processes but also the quite powerful infrastructuring of citizenry through these processes. This points to the need to design participatory processes able to respond to this open-endedness and processuality of temporalized urban transformation, always being attentive to who is experimenting with what and who can participate in shaping urban futures.

A pathway to strengthening open science: comments on the draft South African Ethics in Health Research Guidelines.

The recently released draft South African Ethics in Health Research Guidelines: Principles, Processes and Structures (Draft Guidelines) by the National Health Research Ethics Council recognize open data and provide guiding principles for this in the context of health research in South Africa. While its inclusion is a positive development, there is room for improvement. Although the Draft Guidelines leverage the Draft National Policy on Data and Cloud, it lacks incorporation of other relevant government policies, notably the Draft National Open Science Policy, and fails to sufficiently detail the principles of open science and open access. This limited scope and lack of comprehensive definition and detailed guidance present challenges for researchers in conducting ethical and responsible health research in South Africa. It constrains the Draft Guidelines from fully aligning with national imperatives and from fostering African-centric approaches. To address these issues, it is recommended that the Draft Guidelines integrate broader policies and principles, enhance clarity through comprehensive definitions, provide detailed guidance on open access, and promote African-centric approaches. Implementing these solutions will strengthen the Draft Guidelines, aligning them with national visions of open science, and thereby harnessing the full potential of South Africa's diverse scientific community in advancing health research.

Demonstrating the deep institutionalisation of de facto responsible research and innovation (rri) in participatory market contexts: examples from Bolivia and the Netherlands

ABSTRACT Our paper reprises the concept deep institutionalisation of responsible innovation considering why and how it matters to add the adjective ‘deep’. We distinguish de facto responsible research and innovation (rri) as the study of how actors frame and govern responsibility through existing practices (‘in the wild’) and investigate how these practices become institutionalised. We present a diagnostic framework comprising four axes which facilitates the critical and reflexive empirical interrogation of deep institutionalisation (DI). Deploying the framework, the paper explores DI in two very different cases: an inter-organisational case of Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) in Bolivia; and an intra-organisational case of societal engagement within TNO in the Netherlands. Controversially perhaps, we argue that normative features of responsibility are enacted, amplified and potentially institutionalised through markets. Both cases show how particular market features become recursively qualified through the four mutually reinforcing processes that comprise deep institutionalisation: (i) historical contingency; (ii) institutional amplification; (iii) systemic overflowing; and (iv)multi-level alignment.

Perspectives of COPD patients, publicly funded scientists, and industry representatives on responsibility and stakeholder engagement in drug discovery research

ABSTRACT Ensuring societal influence in research and innovation through stakeholder engagement is vital in the Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) framework. By studying a drug discovery project, we examine how stakeholders can influence drug discovery and development meaningfully. Through semi-structured interviews, we explore: How do patients as potential users of a new drug, the scientists who discover it, and the industry that might develop it, think about responsibility and stakeholder engagement in drug discovery? Most of the responses voiced by our informants about responsibility and stakeholder engagement relate to the broader institutional and political context of health-related innovation, rather than the specific research project. We argue, that in order to make stakeholder engagement work within some forms of drug discovery research, it should be used as a forum for mobilizing political and organizational debate, taking critical dialogues beyond project-specific engagement in innovation.

Towards responsible research assessment: How to reward research quality.

Researchers would be more willing to prioritize research quality over quantity if the incentive structure of the academic system aligned with this goal. The winner of a 2023 Einstein Foundation Award for Promoting Quality in Research explains how they rose to this challenge.

Taking stock: Is gene drive research delivering on its principles?

Gene drive technology has been recognized for its potential to provide durable and cost-effective solutions for previously intractable problems in public health, conservation, and agriculture. In recognition of the rapid advances in this field, in 2016 the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine issued a report making several recommendations aimed at researchers, funders, and policymakers for the safe and responsible research and development of gene drive technology. Subsequently, in 2017 sixteen global organizations self-identifying as sponsors and supporters of gene drive research became public signatories committed to the 'Principles for Gene Drive Research' which were inspired by the report's recommendations. Herein we reflect on the progress of gene drive research in relation to the ethical principles laid out and committed to by the signatories to the Principles. Our analysis indicates high levels of alignment with the Principles in the field of gene drive research. The manuscript also discusses the Gene Drive Research Forum, which had its genesis in the publication of the Principles. Discussions between participants at the latest meeting of the Forum point to the work that lies ahead for gene drive research in line with the Principles. Going forward the gene drive research community can productively focus on: i) safety and efficacy criteria for open release, ii) risk assessment frameworks and methods, iii) more downstream technical, regulatory and policy considerations for field evaluations and implementation, iv) continued transparency and developing mechanisms of accountability, and v) strengthening capacity in locales of potential release and expected drive spread.

The Role of Latino High School Students as Data Collectors in Community-Based Participatory Research

ABSTRACT An important aspect of conducting studies related to Latino health and well-being is gaining access to the community and obtaining accurate information about their status. However, a significant barrier to obtaining these data is their reluctance to speak with researchers. To assess Latino healthcare needs, a study was conducted amid the COVID-19 pandemic in a rural Midwest community where the Latino population has nearly doubled since 2010. The study used a community‐based participatory research (CBPR) approach that involved bilingual Latino high-school students as data collectors. This manuscript describes the methodology used to recruit students, train them in responsible research methods, and gather their experiences during and after the data collection period. The students’ reflections detailed how their experiences with CBPR influenced their awareness of community issues and their personal or professional development. We demonstrate how “youth of the community” can be a valuable resource in Latino community research.

Meta-research on reporting guidelines for artificial intelligence: are authors and reviewers encouraged enough in radiology, nuclear medicine, and medical imaging journals?

To determine how radiology, nuclear medicine, and medical imaging journals encourage and mandate the use of reporting guidelines for artificial intelligence (AI) in their author and reviewer instructions. The primary source of journal information and associated citation data used was the Journal Citation Reports (June 2023 release for 2022 citation data; Clarivate Analytics, UK). The first- and second-quartile journals indexed in the Science Citation Index Expanded and the Emerging Sources Citation Index were included. The author and reviewer instructions were evaluated by two independent readers, followed by an additional reader for consensus, with the assistance of automatic annotation. Encouragement and submission requirements were systematically analyzed. The reporting guidelines were grouped as AI-specific, related to modeling, and unrelated to modeling. Out of 102 journals, 98 were included in this study, and all of them had author instructions. Only five journals (5%) encouraged the authors to follow AI-specific reporting guidelines. Among these, three required a filled-out checklist. Reviewer instructions were found in 16 journals (16%), among which one journal (6%) encouraged the reviewers to follow AI-specific reporting guidelines without submission requirements. The proportions of author and reviewer encouragement for AI-specific reporting guidelines were statistically significantly lower compared with those for other types of guidelines (P < 0.05 for all). The findings indicate that AI-specific guidelines are not commonly encouraged and mandated (i.e., requiring a filled-out checklist) by these journals, compared with guidelines related to modeling and unrelated to modeling, leaving vast space for improvement. This meta-research study hopes to contribute to the awareness of the imaging community for AI reporting guidelines and ignite large-scale group efforts by all stakeholders, making AI research less wasteful. This meta-research highlights the need for improved encouragement of AI-specific guidelines in radiology, nuclear medicine, and medical imaging journals. This can potentially foster greater awareness among the AI community and motivate various stakeholders to collaborate to promote more efficient and responsible AI research reporting practices.

Oral Cavity Cancers: Ethnic Differences in Radiotherapy Outcomes in a Majority South Asian Leicester Community

AimsSquamous cell carcinoma oral cavity cancers (SCCOCCs) have a higher reported incidence in South Asian countries. We sought to compare presenting stage and outcome by ethnicity in patients with SCCOCC treated with radical radiotherapy in a single centre in the UK. Materials and methodsAll patients with SCCOCC treated with radical radiotherapy at an oncology department in Leicester (UK) between 2011 and 2017 were identified. Baseline demographic, clinical data and 2-year treatment outcomes were reported. ResultsOf the 109 patients included, 40 were South Asian and 59 were non-South Asian. South Asians had significantly poorer 2-year disease-free survival compared with non-South Asians (54.6% versus 73%, P = 0.01). ConclusionOur analysis suggests that South Asians with SCCOCC have poorer outcomes despite a younger age and similar disease characteristics. Environmental, social factors and differing biology of disease may be responsible and further research is required to inform targeted interventions.

Changing the paradigm for primary research dissemination.

The predominant research publishing system is not equitable by design, nor optimised to advance research to create knowledge and ultimately to benefit society. Open Research Central (ORC) was created to foster the re-imagination of the research dissemination system to facilitate trust, transparency and equitable participation. In five years of operation, before dissolving, the non-profit organisation produced outputs and learnings valuable to the development of a responsible research dissemination system. We are sharing our experience in the hope that it will provide others who share the same vision and goals with useful materials to build on. We think that there remains a need for global, cross-stakeholder exploration to build collective understanding of research validation and dissemination and to pilot solutions. However, as this article will explore, enabling and supporting the development of such a collective voice and consequent action is a challenging endeavour in the current landscape and funding environment.

Towards a sustainable and responsible model for monitoring open science and research—analysis of the Finnish model for monitoring open science and research

Abstract Advancing and supporting the development of open science practices is of global interest, and subsequently also the monitoring of the ongoing developments is more and more on the agenda. In Finland, monitoring open science has a relatively long history, and the first evaluation of research performing and research funding organisations took place already in 2015. The system has evolved over the years, and in 2019 the responsibility for monitoring was transferred from the Ministry of Education and Culture to the research community. This article looks at the latest monitoring, conducted in Spring 2022 from the point of view of its compliance with the principles of responsible research assessment. To structure the analysis we have used the SCOPE framework designed to enable planning and conducting evaluations responsibly. As a conclusion we find there are four main challenges in the current model for monitoring open science in Finland: 1) the model leaves very little room for internal discussion or decision-making within organisations, 2) the model focuses too much on organizational developments and largely ignores national and international developments, 3) the model essentially reduces very complex issues into numbers, and 4) the organisations are monitored against a set of objectives without giving them enough time to realize expected reforms.

Corporate Social Responsibility Research: An Ongoing and Worthwhile Journey

We “tell the story” of corporate social responsibility (CSR) research by presenting a curated Collection of 19 articles published from 1973 through 2022 in all Academy of Management journals: Academy of Management Annals, Academy of Management Discoveries, Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Learning and Education, Academy of Management Perspectives, and Academy of Management Review. We describe our curation process and our criteria for evaluating CSR research. Next, we use the Collection to trace the history of CSR research decade by decade and synthesize the field’s current state. With the benefit of hindsight, we then offer a critical analysis of CSR research in terms of the following criteria: (a) construct definition (i.e., content domain) and operationalization (i.e., dimensionality, measurement, methodological rigor), (b) integration (i.e., levels of analysis, disciplinary perspectives, cross-national and comparative approaches and disciplines), and (c) impact (i.e., stakeholders considered; evaluation of initiatives in terms of intended beneficiaries; translation of results for practice, education, policy, and sustainable development). We conclude by providing recommendations for enhancing the impact of CSR research that is more transdisciplinary, participative, inclusive regarding stakeholders, methodologically rigorous, translational, and attentive to specific CSR initiative characteristics and intended beneficiaries.

Ethics and Integrity in Research: Why Bridging the Gap Between Ethics and Integrity Matters

Ethics and integrity should be intertwined within the concept of Responsible Research. Integrity Officers should also be Ethics Officers, enforcing compliance with rules and norms, but also raising awareness on the meaning of ethics in researchers’ daily work. Paul Ricoeur’s definition of Ethics – “the aim of living a good life with and for others in just institutions” (Ricoeur in Oneself as Another. University of Chicago Press, 1994) –, points out the relational dimension of Ethics that matters to all the stakeholders in scientific research. The dialogical interaction between Ethics and Integrity can help to prevent researchers from assuming self-regulation as the only possible path to be followed. In this paper, the challenges and the opportunities posed by this approach will be outlined and discussed, mainly, the challenges of building trust bottom up, while setting up restrictions to comply with rules and norms top down. Concerning the opportunities, the focus will be on making better science and building a solid network among the various stakeholders of the research system.

The role of research funders in providing directions for managing responsible internationalization and research security

The role of research funders in providing directions for managing responsible internationalization and research security

Feminist Corporate Social Responsibility: Reframing CSR as a Critical Force for Good

AbstractWhile corporate social responsibility (CSR) research is now impressively broad, we identify fresh opportunities at the intersection of feminist and critical analysis to reframe this field as a force for good. We focus on the epistemological grounding of CSR in its potential to understand and change how managerial activity is interpreted and influenced for progressive ends. We approach this through a reading of the debate on CSR's limited practical use, to imagine a better methodological and purposeful future for CSR. This involves a different, feminist, political and ethical stance for researchers in relation to CSR as an object, to bring CSR theory and practice into alignment in order to revive its sense of purpose as a driving organizational force for good. Our change‐orientated approach is based on a reading of Judith Butler's notion of critique as praxis of values; it is politically aware, reflexive, and focused on the goal of good organization to address grand, often existential, challenges. We conclude by showing how this approach to CSR brings a more transparent way of analysing practice, requiring reflexive action on the part of those working with CSR initiatives both as practitioners and as researchers to co‐produce better futures.

Public acceptance in direct potable water reuse: a call for incorporating responsible research and innovation

ABSTRACT As global issues such as climate change and diminishing resources become increasingly pressing, water recycling has moved into the focus. However, the successful implementation of Direct Potable Water Reuse (DPR) projects hinges on securing public acceptance, which remains challenging. This paper aims to flesh out possible reasons for the lingering public rejection of DPR. We will do so by conducting a literature review on how public acceptance is understood and what approaches are proposed to enhance it. These approaches are analyzed using Responsible Research and Innovation principles and the `opening up', `closing down' and `leaving ajar' approaches. Our research identifies an overreliance on the controversial information deficit model, closing down large parts of public engagement. We advocate for becoming more inclusive through the `leaving ajar' approach. Particularly, attention should be paid to reflexivity and responsiveness to public concerns to ensure meaningful public engagement.

Recentering responsible and explainable artificial intelligence research on patients: implications in perinatal psychiatry.

In the setting of underdiagnosed and undertreated perinatal depression (PD), Artificial intelligence (AI) solutions are poised to help predict and treat PD. In the near future, perinatal patients may interact with AI during clinical decision-making, in their patient portals, or through AI-powered chatbots delivering psychotherapy. The increase in potential AI applications has led to discussions regarding responsible AI and explainable AI (XAI). Current discussions of RAI, however, are limited in their consideration of the patient as an active participant with AI. Therefore, we propose a patient-centered, rather than a patient-adjacent, approach to RAI and XAI, that identifies autonomy, beneficence, justice, trust, privacy, and transparency as core concepts to uphold for health professionals and patients. We present empirical evidence that these principles are strongly valued by patients. We further suggest possible design solutions that uphold these principles and acknowledge the pressing need for further research about practical applications to uphold these principles.

Corporate social responsibility and individual behaviour.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) research can help to address some of society's grand challenges (for example, climate change, energy sustainability and social inequality). Historically, CSR research has focused on organizational-level factors that address environmental and social issues and the firm's resulting financial performance, with much less focus on individual-level factors. In response to research calls to consider the individual level of analysis, we provide a narrative review to improve our understanding of the interconnections between CSR and individual behaviour. We organize existing research around three individual-level categories: CSR perceptions, CSR attitudes and CSR behaviours. We summarize research elucidating how perceptions and attitudes influence behaviours and how organization and higher-level CSR context and individual-level CSR readiness moderate perceptions-behaviours and attitudes-behaviours relationships. We offer a conceptual model that organizes the diverse, conflicting and multidisciplinary research on the CSR-individual behaviour link and that can be used to guide future research.

Nanotechnology and Its Impact on Physical Sciences

Purpose: The main objective of this study was to explore nanotechnology and its impact on physical sciences.&#x0D; Methodology: The study adopted a desktop research methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive’s time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library.&#x0D; Findings: The findings revealed that there exists a contextual and methodological gap relating to nanotechnology and its impact on physical sciences. Preliminary empirical review revealed that nanotechnology has significantly transformed physical sciences, particularly in physics, chemistry, materials science, and condensed matter physics. It has facilitated the development of novel materials and devices, enabling advancements in quantum technologies and nanoelectronics. Interdisciplinary collaboration is key, emphasizing the need for researchers from diverse scientific backgrounds to work together to harness nanotechnology's full potential. Additionally, the study underscores the importance of ongoing research to address ethical, safety, and environmental concerns associated with nanotechnology, ensuring its sustainable integration into physical sciences.&#x0D; Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The Quantum Confinement Theory, Materials Science and Nanomaterials Theory and the Interdisciplinary Collaboration Theory may be used to anchor future studies on nanotechnology. The recommendations stemming from the study advocated for fostering interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers, investing in nanoscience education, promoting ethical and responsible research practices, and supporting long-term environmental assessments. These suggestions aim to facilitate the seamless integration of nanotechnology into the physical sciences, ensuring that it leads to innovative breakthroughs while addressing ethical, safety, and environmental considerations.

Navigating the perils of artificial intelligence: a focused review on ChatGPT and responsible research and innovation

While the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) tools holds promise for delivering benefits, it is important to acknowledge the associated risks of their deployment. In this article, we conduct a focused literature review to address two central research inquiries concerning ChatGPT and similar AI tools. Firstly, we examine the potential pitfalls linked with the development and implementation of ChatGPT across the individual, organizational, and societal levels. Secondly, we explore the role of a multi-stakeholder responsible research and innovation framework in guiding chatbots’ sustainable development and utilization. Drawing inspiration from responsible research and innovation and stakeholder theory principles, we underscore the necessity of comprehensive ethical guidelines to navigate the design, inception, and utilization of emerging AI innovations. The findings of the focused review shed light on the potential perils of ChatGPT implementation across various societal levels, including issues such as devaluation of relationships, unemployment, privacy concerns, bias, misinformation, and digital inequities. Furthermore, the proposed multi-stakeholder Responsible Research and Innovation framework can empower AI stakeholders to proactively anticipate and deliberate upon AI’s ethical, social, and environmental implications, thus substantially contributing to the pursuit of responsible AI implementation.