Transformative Innovation Policy: Directionality, participation and reflexivity

Abstract

Transformative innovation policy focuses on facilitating societal transformation by incorporating diverse actors and novel social practices. This normative turn in innovation policy is conceptually in sync with the long-term, cross-cutting, and fundamental transformation processes such as sustainability transitions and deep transitions. Note that whereas "transition" focuses on the process of how to change socio-technical systems, "transformation" focuses on the direction of change itself and what are the emergent patterns of change. The latter emphasizes the participation and relationships of a wider range of actors, including non-human actors, as well as the motivations and values of individuals. What is required here is not only systemic reflexivity, such as monitoring and evaluation, but also individual reflexivity, in which actors themselves change their perceptions, attitudes and actions, and thereby researchers in social sciences and humanities are expected to transform themselves into proactive players in creating innovation.