Rethinking the “Reflexivity” of Responsible Innovation

• In Event: Reflecting on Reflexivity in Practice: Responsible Innovation, Engagement, and Governance - III

Abstract

As an important dimension of responsible innovation research, the study of "reflexivity" mostly stays at the stage of abstract and general principle description. Besides, the mixed use of "reflexivity" and "reflection" brings confusion to innovators about how to practice "reflexivity" in responsible research and innovation. Based on experience of education on engineering ethics and innovation management, this study proposes a heuristic framework which clarifies the difference between "reflexivity" and "reflection", as well as highlights the role of “reflexivity” in cultivating the ability of innovators to recognize risk uncertainty and their reflective governance. In this framework, “reflexivity” is specified in four levels of progressive, dynamic, and switchable contexts: (1) the moral reflection of the innovator’s personal virtue; (2) reflection on values in the process of research or products design; (3) reflection on rules and values at institutional level; (4) reflections on cultural diversity in cross-cultural collaboration.

Authors

• Yang Kai, Changsha University of Science and Technology

• Miao Liao, Changsha University of Science and Technology

• Ping Li, Tsinghua University