Title: Can responsible innovation be a moderator of entrepreneurship? - Learnings from the debate on advanced biotechnology

Authors: Karsten Bolz; Harald König

Addresses: Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis, P.O. Box 3640, 76021 Karlsruhe, Germany; University of Wuppertal, Schumpeter School of Business and Economics, Wuppertal, Germany ' Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis, P.O. Box 3640, 76021 Karlsruhe, Germany

Abstract: In this article we introduce the concept of responsible innovation into entrepreneurship research, present ideas on how to operationalise it, and share notions on operational issues from the debate on advanced biotechnology and the bio-economy. Therefore, we first examine the role of entrepreneurship as an agent of innovation and connect it to responsible innovation. Second, introducing the 'prism of responsible innovation' as a moderator for the entrepreneurial process in converting opportunity into innovation, we propose a theoretical framework of how the concept of responsible innovation could be integrated into the entrepreneurial process. Finally, we present insight from the debate on advanced biotechnologies regarding potential operationalisation strategies for responsible innovation.

Keywords: responsible innovation; entrepreneurship; entrepreneurial process; sustainability; sustainable development; biotechnology; synthetic biology; collaboration; SME; innovation; stakeholder; business environment; opportunity; operationalisation; qualitative analysis.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBG.2018.095480

International Journal of Business and Globalisation, 2018 Vol.21 No.3, pp.308 - 326

Received: 12 Nov 2016
Accepted: 23 Mar 2017
Published online: 08 Oct 2018 *

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