The Origin, Robustness, and Future of Responsible Innovation

Over the past decade, in response to mounting global concern that the once lauded innovation was often more detrimental than it was beneficial, there has been a burgeoning literature addressing the issue of responsible innovation (RI), which this special issue aimed to help developing further. To illustrate the contributions of the articles in this special issue, we conduct a bibliometric analysis of research in the field of RI, aiming to elucidate the dynamics, key contributors, and primary topics within this emergent area. Our findings reveal a general upward trend in RI publications, yet this trend conceals significant disparities, indicating a more complex landscape. We identify three critical pitfalls for the future of RI research: the risk of the topic becoming niche due to the concentration of scientific outputs in a limited range of journals, a preference for quantity over quality in publications, as evidenced by challenges in engaging mainstream journals and researchers, and the existence of independent and fragmented research communities within the RI field. Additionally, we propose two non-mutually exclusive explanations for the trends observed in RI literature. Firstly, there is a notable reluctance to embrace dominant theories or theoretical modelling which is not accompanied by the development of alternative theories. Secondly, an overly simplistic and often idealistic approach to RI is prevalent, which overlooks potential conflicts and challenges among stakeholders in the development of RI. We conclude by offering suggestions for addressing these issues and enhancing the field of RI research. These recommendations also serve as a prelude to introducing the articles in this special issue, providing a comprehensive overview of the current state and future directions of RI research.