Responsible Innovation in the Wild: A Process Model of How Responsible Innovation Practices Emerge in Heterogeneous Organizational Networks

Abstract

Academic Summary With the power and pervasiveness of innovative digital products outpacing regulation for managing the consequences, the development of effective governance mechanisms for innovation is increasingly recognized as a societal imperative. In this article, we develop a process model for the emergence of responsible innovation “in the wild,” focusing on the development of responsible innovation management and new product development practices among organizations collaborating in heterogeneous networks. In contrast to studies of the adoption of responsible innovation in single‐sector and structured network settings, we draw on case studies of multi‐sector, informally structured networks developing digital products for civil war contexts. Our findings offer a novel “emergent” perspective on the development of responsible innovation practices, complementing the “prescriptive” account which is dominant in the literature. We theorize a process whereby influential organizations imprint their internal modes of managing institutional complexity on the network, resulting in distinct network‐level configurations of emergent responsible innovation practice, which we term “selective” or “collective” responsibility. Through this, we expand the options available to managers and policymakers seeking to encourage responsible innovation in heterogeneous network settings. Managerial Summary With technology innovation outpacing the development of effective methods for governing the consequences, businesses and policymakers face significant risks of unintended harm to individuals and society. In this article, we explore how responsible innovation practices, which guard against harm, can emerge among diverse networks of collaborating organizations. Through studying the development of digital products for humanitarian use (including in civil war zones), we reveal two organizing approaches which enable responsible practice within diverse networks: “collective responsibility” and “selective responsibility”. The collective approach relies on the inclusive engagement and consensus of network members to build shared understandings of responsibility and agree shared practices, whereas the selective approach compartmentalizes responsibility to (sub‐groups of) members according to their knowledge and expertise. In both cases, the approach mirrors how influential organizations in the networks manage internal conflicts between the competing objectives of commercial performance and social responsibility. We highlight the importance of managers carefully considering who is included in the innovation process, as well as how and when, while recognizing the potential of influential organizations to unconsciously shape innovation practices. For policymakers, our research points to the importance of cultivating diverse innovation networks that include organizations with experience managing dual social and economic objectives.