Ralf Lindner | Fraunhofer ISI (original) (raw)
Papers by Ralf Lindner
Science and Public Policy, 2021
Many governments in Europe and beyond have subscribed to mission-oriented innovation policies (MO... more Many governments in Europe and beyond have subscribed to mission-oriented innovation policies (MOIPs), aiming to steer innovation systems to directly address grand societal challenges. The emerging diversity of MOIPs, however, creates difficulties to define this approach and assess its effectiveness and efficiency. In this paper, we propose a new typology for MOIPs. It consists of four ideal types of missions and extends the established dichotomy of transformer and accelerator missions. The framework emphasizes the role of the state in MOIPs, drawing attention to the implementation process and governance requirements as key features of mission implementation. A first application across the diverse missions of the German Hightech Strategy 2025 demonstrates the analytical value of the framework and allows identifying type-specific challenges. In sum, the new typology and its operationalization improve the understanding of MOIPs and enhance the possibilities for systematic comparisons ...
This edited book is the first of its kind to systematically address the intersection of e-democra... more This edited book is the first of its kind to systematically address the intersection of e-democracy and European politics. It contributes to an improved understanding of the role that new media technologies play in European politics and the potential impact that Internet-based political participation processes may have on modern-day representative democracy in Europe. A unique, holistic approach is taken to examine e-democracys current state and prospects in Europe from three, partially overlapping and interlocking perspectives: e-public, e-participation and e-voting. The authors provide both theory-inspired reflections on e-democracys contribution to the formation of the European public sphere, as well as rich empirical analyses of contemporary e-participation phenomena such as the European Citizens Initiative or e-voting practices in Estonia. Based on the presented findings, the concluding chapter combines a prospective outlook with recommendations for future paths towards meaning...
The goal to address broader societal problems by mission-oriented research and innovation policy ... more The goal to address broader societal problems by mission-oriented research and innovation policy has brought new demands for the governance and implementation to the forefront and led to a great diversity of missions. By developing a typology for the classification of different types of missions, this working paper can serve as a first step for studying the impact of the missions of the German High-Tech Strategy 2025 (HTS). Combining existing literature on mission-oriented innovation policy with insights from governance structures, we identify four types of missions two subtypes of transformer and accelerator missions each and demonstrate that this typology can be successfully applied to the 12 missions of the German HTS 2025. Thereby, we contribute to a more fine-grained understanding of the different demands and challenges inherent to different missions and thus provide the opportunity for a systematic comparison and a reflection on the varying requirements for assessing the impac...
Resumen del trabajo presentado en la XVI Triple Helix Conference, celebrada en Manchester (Inglat... more Resumen del trabajo presentado en la XVI Triple Helix Conference, celebrada en Manchester (Inglaterra) del 05 al 08 de septiembre de 2018.Around four decades ago, David Collingridge put forward a dilemma that has been widely adoptedamongst the technology assessment (TA), and later, responsible research and innovation (RRI) communities. The so-called Collingridge dilemma has permeated discussions on the governance of science, technology and innovation, enclosing an enormous challenge: that of anticipating their potential consequences and controlling emerging technologies. In this paper, we outline and reflect on some of the key challenges that influence the development and uptake of more inclusive and responsible forms of science, technology and innovation. Our analysis draws on a large body of empirical and theoretical research done by the different authors to reflect on challenges emerging from the complex and diverse organisational characteristics of universities, the enactment of responsibility in the private sector, the emergence of bottom-up, grassroots innovation and the hidden dimensions of sustainability, equity and transdisciplinarity. Taking these together, we paraphrase Collingridge¿s famous dilemma of social control of technology to introduce a complementary dilemma which might be useful in the study of RRI, that of `societal alignment¿ in science, technology and innovation. The dilemma of social alignment differs from that of control in at least five dimensions: a) the epistemic communities involved, b) governance mechanisms, c) `nature¿ of the problem, d) backward or forward looking focus and e) scale and scope of sociotechnical systems. By starting to unpack this concept, we outline an agenda that remains scattered and overlooked among some communities in the field of the governance of research and innovation
Electronic Democracy in Europe, 2016
With the rise of the WWW as a platform for mass media, the question of the Internet’s potential t... more With the rise of the WWW as a platform for mass media, the question of the Internet’s potential to change politics and democratic decision-making quickly captured the attention of many researchers and practitioners. Despite an impressive body of literature and numerous experiences with the political dimension of the new media technologies, there are still many uncertainties regarding the interplay of the Internet and political processes in contemporary representative democracies. What is more, the specific challenges of electronic democracy related to the unique institutional makeup and governance processes of the European Union remain uncharted territory.
Springer eBooks, Oct 14, 2022
The concept of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) has experienced a remarkable career with... more The concept of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) has experienced a remarkable career within the European Union's policies for funding research and innovation, culminating in the embedding of RRI as a cross-cutting issue in the Horizon 2020 (H2020) framework programme. However, despite favourable conditions, empirical evidence shows that efforts to mainstream RRI at the level of policy practice and implementation by and large failed. With the aim of better understanding the reasons for the limited success of mainstreaming RRI, the authors draw on the concept of Deep Institutionalisation (DI) and adapt it to the analysis of institutionalisation processes related to policy practice and implementation. The adapted DI concept is applied to H2020 by using recent findings from RRI research to provide empirical illustration. The results suggest that key preconditions for the successful institutionalisation of RRI policies were not fulfilled. Specifically, broader policy debates reaching beyond the confines of a small policy arena within the European Commission, a lack of experimental embedding allowing for adjustment to different contexts, and the development of ownership in particular were not achieved. Building on the cornerstones of the DI concept, the authors conclude that attempts to mainstream RRI in H2020 have been premature.
Springer eBooks, 2023
This chapter describes and highlights current and relevant developments of technology assessment ... more This chapter describes and highlights current and relevant developments of technology assessment (TA) across 12 countries within the globalTA network 1 and clusters these according to their main areas of activity. Overall, we understand TA as a "scientific, interactive, and communicative process which aims to contribute to the formation of public and political opinion on societal aspects of science and technology" (Bütschi et al., 2004, 14). This involves various approaches and methods, including scientific assessments, policy analysis, and participatory processes, which are used to understand the societal implications of technology and innovation in a multitude of dimensions, thereby taking into account the different cultural contexts in which technology development unfolds. TA as a term is not necessarily used alike in different national contexts. Instead, other approaches such as ELSA/ELSI (ethical, legal, and social aspects/implications), Responsible Innovation (RI) or Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI), sustainability studies, societal effects of science and 1 https://globalta.technology-assessment.info/.
Springer eBooks, 2023
Modern societies are immensely permeated by technologies and thus also dependent on them. Increas... more Modern societies are immensely permeated by technologies and thus also dependent on them. Increasingly, this is also true for countries in the global South. As a result, questions about the interdependencies of technology and society, the possible mutual influences and the social governance of technology are becoming a global challenge. In addition, innovation cycles have become shorter and shorter, and more new products and services are being offered at shorter intervals. Many of these new Contribution to: Technology Assessment in a Globalized World-Facing the Challenges of Transnational Technology Governance.
Mission-oriented policies (MOIP) have become important means to foster transformative change in m... more Mission-oriented policies (MOIP) have become important means to foster transformative change in many countries. Yet, approaches for assessing these policies' impacts are still in their infancy, not least due to the complexity of MOIP. To address this gap, we propose a toolbox approach that supports policy-makers during policy design and implementation, and allows for an identification of potential impacts by a theory-based approach. To disentangle the complexity of missions, we first conceptualize MOIPs as multiple translation processes from mission formulation and design to implementation. Each translation step shapes the policies' impacts. Based on this framework, we develop a set of specific analytical tools that are intended to support the process of bringing missions into realization, but also help to assess whether missions contribute to the postulated goals. These tools include a mapping of the socio-technical systems, a typology to explore the transformative ambition...
The medical technology sector is characterised by a pronounced innovative strength, high knowledg... more The medical technology sector is characterised by a pronounced innovative strength, high knowledge intensity and social relevance due to its contributions to the health care of the population. In Germany, the situation of this future-oriented sector can be characterised as good overall: The scientific-technical basis of medical technology research and development (R&D) is internationally outstanding in many areas. As an industry, German medical technology manufacturers are very well positioned and occupy a leading place on the world market alongside the USA and Japan. Despite this favourable starting position, the industry faces a number of challenges resulting from intensifying international competition, the internationalisation of production and distribution structures and the changing conditions in the health care sector. Subject and objective of the study The promotion of medical technology and the creation of the most favourable framework conditions possible also pose considera...
Networking and exchange are important drivers of innovation. Cross-sectoral dialogue and cooperat... more Networking and exchange are important drivers of innovation. Cross-sectoral dialogue and cooperation between leaders in the business, research, politics and civil society communities is essential to developing and disseminating societally relevant innovations. Presenting examples of successful (mission-oriented) cluster concepts, matching solutions and cooperative infrastructures from Sweden, Israel, Canada, the EU and Australia, our study examines each to identify relevant lessons that are applicable to Germany and Europe. The results of this study are published as a results paper within the framework of the Reinhard Mohn Prize 2020 project, "Fostering Innovation. Unlocking potential." This Bertelsmann Stiftung project is tasked with identifying promising mechanisms, institutions and strategies that could be applied to efforts advancing innovative capacity in Germany and Europe. The twofold aim of such efforts is to ensure, for one, that we remain technologically – and th...
This data set contains the documentation of the first International Mutual Learning Workshop that... more This data set contains the documentation of the first International Mutual Learning Workshop that was carried out within the JERRI project.
Science and Public Policy, 2021
Many governments in Europe and beyond have subscribed to mission-oriented innovation policies (MO... more Many governments in Europe and beyond have subscribed to mission-oriented innovation policies (MOIPs), aiming to steer innovation systems to directly address grand societal challenges. The emerging diversity of MOIPs, however, creates difficulties to define this approach and assess its effectiveness and efficiency. In this paper, we propose a new typology for MOIPs. It consists of four ideal types of missions and extends the established dichotomy of transformer and accelerator missions. The framework emphasizes the role of the state in MOIPs, drawing attention to the implementation process and governance requirements as key features of mission implementation. A first application across the diverse missions of the German Hightech Strategy 2025 demonstrates the analytical value of the framework and allows identifying type-specific challenges. In sum, the new typology and its operationalization improve the understanding of MOIPs and enhance the possibilities for systematic comparisons ...
This edited book is the first of its kind to systematically address the intersection of e-democra... more This edited book is the first of its kind to systematically address the intersection of e-democracy and European politics. It contributes to an improved understanding of the role that new media technologies play in European politics and the potential impact that Internet-based political participation processes may have on modern-day representative democracy in Europe. A unique, holistic approach is taken to examine e-democracys current state and prospects in Europe from three, partially overlapping and interlocking perspectives: e-public, e-participation and e-voting. The authors provide both theory-inspired reflections on e-democracys contribution to the formation of the European public sphere, as well as rich empirical analyses of contemporary e-participation phenomena such as the European Citizens Initiative or e-voting practices in Estonia. Based on the presented findings, the concluding chapter combines a prospective outlook with recommendations for future paths towards meaning...
The goal to address broader societal problems by mission-oriented research and innovation policy ... more The goal to address broader societal problems by mission-oriented research and innovation policy has brought new demands for the governance and implementation to the forefront and led to a great diversity of missions. By developing a typology for the classification of different types of missions, this working paper can serve as a first step for studying the impact of the missions of the German High-Tech Strategy 2025 (HTS). Combining existing literature on mission-oriented innovation policy with insights from governance structures, we identify four types of missions two subtypes of transformer and accelerator missions each and demonstrate that this typology can be successfully applied to the 12 missions of the German HTS 2025. Thereby, we contribute to a more fine-grained understanding of the different demands and challenges inherent to different missions and thus provide the opportunity for a systematic comparison and a reflection on the varying requirements for assessing the impac...
Resumen del trabajo presentado en la XVI Triple Helix Conference, celebrada en Manchester (Inglat... more Resumen del trabajo presentado en la XVI Triple Helix Conference, celebrada en Manchester (Inglaterra) del 05 al 08 de septiembre de 2018.Around four decades ago, David Collingridge put forward a dilemma that has been widely adoptedamongst the technology assessment (TA), and later, responsible research and innovation (RRI) communities. The so-called Collingridge dilemma has permeated discussions on the governance of science, technology and innovation, enclosing an enormous challenge: that of anticipating their potential consequences and controlling emerging technologies. In this paper, we outline and reflect on some of the key challenges that influence the development and uptake of more inclusive and responsible forms of science, technology and innovation. Our analysis draws on a large body of empirical and theoretical research done by the different authors to reflect on challenges emerging from the complex and diverse organisational characteristics of universities, the enactment of responsibility in the private sector, the emergence of bottom-up, grassroots innovation and the hidden dimensions of sustainability, equity and transdisciplinarity. Taking these together, we paraphrase Collingridge¿s famous dilemma of social control of technology to introduce a complementary dilemma which might be useful in the study of RRI, that of `societal alignment¿ in science, technology and innovation. The dilemma of social alignment differs from that of control in at least five dimensions: a) the epistemic communities involved, b) governance mechanisms, c) `nature¿ of the problem, d) backward or forward looking focus and e) scale and scope of sociotechnical systems. By starting to unpack this concept, we outline an agenda that remains scattered and overlooked among some communities in the field of the governance of research and innovation
Electronic Democracy in Europe, 2016
With the rise of the WWW as a platform for mass media, the question of the Internet’s potential t... more With the rise of the WWW as a platform for mass media, the question of the Internet’s potential to change politics and democratic decision-making quickly captured the attention of many researchers and practitioners. Despite an impressive body of literature and numerous experiences with the political dimension of the new media technologies, there are still many uncertainties regarding the interplay of the Internet and political processes in contemporary representative democracies. What is more, the specific challenges of electronic democracy related to the unique institutional makeup and governance processes of the European Union remain uncharted territory.
Springer eBooks, Oct 14, 2022
The concept of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) has experienced a remarkable career with... more The concept of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) has experienced a remarkable career within the European Union's policies for funding research and innovation, culminating in the embedding of RRI as a cross-cutting issue in the Horizon 2020 (H2020) framework programme. However, despite favourable conditions, empirical evidence shows that efforts to mainstream RRI at the level of policy practice and implementation by and large failed. With the aim of better understanding the reasons for the limited success of mainstreaming RRI, the authors draw on the concept of Deep Institutionalisation (DI) and adapt it to the analysis of institutionalisation processes related to policy practice and implementation. The adapted DI concept is applied to H2020 by using recent findings from RRI research to provide empirical illustration. The results suggest that key preconditions for the successful institutionalisation of RRI policies were not fulfilled. Specifically, broader policy debates reaching beyond the confines of a small policy arena within the European Commission, a lack of experimental embedding allowing for adjustment to different contexts, and the development of ownership in particular were not achieved. Building on the cornerstones of the DI concept, the authors conclude that attempts to mainstream RRI in H2020 have been premature.
Springer eBooks, 2023
This chapter describes and highlights current and relevant developments of technology assessment ... more This chapter describes and highlights current and relevant developments of technology assessment (TA) across 12 countries within the globalTA network 1 and clusters these according to their main areas of activity. Overall, we understand TA as a "scientific, interactive, and communicative process which aims to contribute to the formation of public and political opinion on societal aspects of science and technology" (Bütschi et al., 2004, 14). This involves various approaches and methods, including scientific assessments, policy analysis, and participatory processes, which are used to understand the societal implications of technology and innovation in a multitude of dimensions, thereby taking into account the different cultural contexts in which technology development unfolds. TA as a term is not necessarily used alike in different national contexts. Instead, other approaches such as ELSA/ELSI (ethical, legal, and social aspects/implications), Responsible Innovation (RI) or Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI), sustainability studies, societal effects of science and 1 https://globalta.technology-assessment.info/.
Springer eBooks, 2023
Modern societies are immensely permeated by technologies and thus also dependent on them. Increas... more Modern societies are immensely permeated by technologies and thus also dependent on them. Increasingly, this is also true for countries in the global South. As a result, questions about the interdependencies of technology and society, the possible mutual influences and the social governance of technology are becoming a global challenge. In addition, innovation cycles have become shorter and shorter, and more new products and services are being offered at shorter intervals. Many of these new Contribution to: Technology Assessment in a Globalized World-Facing the Challenges of Transnational Technology Governance.
Mission-oriented policies (MOIP) have become important means to foster transformative change in m... more Mission-oriented policies (MOIP) have become important means to foster transformative change in many countries. Yet, approaches for assessing these policies' impacts are still in their infancy, not least due to the complexity of MOIP. To address this gap, we propose a toolbox approach that supports policy-makers during policy design and implementation, and allows for an identification of potential impacts by a theory-based approach. To disentangle the complexity of missions, we first conceptualize MOIPs as multiple translation processes from mission formulation and design to implementation. Each translation step shapes the policies' impacts. Based on this framework, we develop a set of specific analytical tools that are intended to support the process of bringing missions into realization, but also help to assess whether missions contribute to the postulated goals. These tools include a mapping of the socio-technical systems, a typology to explore the transformative ambition...
The medical technology sector is characterised by a pronounced innovative strength, high knowledg... more The medical technology sector is characterised by a pronounced innovative strength, high knowledge intensity and social relevance due to its contributions to the health care of the population. In Germany, the situation of this future-oriented sector can be characterised as good overall: The scientific-technical basis of medical technology research and development (R&D) is internationally outstanding in many areas. As an industry, German medical technology manufacturers are very well positioned and occupy a leading place on the world market alongside the USA and Japan. Despite this favourable starting position, the industry faces a number of challenges resulting from intensifying international competition, the internationalisation of production and distribution structures and the changing conditions in the health care sector. Subject and objective of the study The promotion of medical technology and the creation of the most favourable framework conditions possible also pose considera...
Networking and exchange are important drivers of innovation. Cross-sectoral dialogue and cooperat... more Networking and exchange are important drivers of innovation. Cross-sectoral dialogue and cooperation between leaders in the business, research, politics and civil society communities is essential to developing and disseminating societally relevant innovations. Presenting examples of successful (mission-oriented) cluster concepts, matching solutions and cooperative infrastructures from Sweden, Israel, Canada, the EU and Australia, our study examines each to identify relevant lessons that are applicable to Germany and Europe. The results of this study are published as a results paper within the framework of the Reinhard Mohn Prize 2020 project, "Fostering Innovation. Unlocking potential." This Bertelsmann Stiftung project is tasked with identifying promising mechanisms, institutions and strategies that could be applied to efforts advancing innovative capacity in Germany and Europe. The twofold aim of such efforts is to ensure, for one, that we remain technologically – and th...
This data set contains the documentation of the first International Mutual Learning Workshop that... more This data set contains the documentation of the first International Mutual Learning Workshop that was carried out within the JERRI project.
This edited book is the first of its kind to systematically address the intersection of e-democra... more This edited book is the first of its kind to systematically address the intersection of e-democracy and European politics. It contributes to an improved understanding of the role that new media technologies play in European politics and the potential impact that Internet-based political participation processes may have on modern-day representative democracy in Europe. A unique, holistic approach is taken to examine e-democracy’s current state and prospects in Europe from three, partially overlapping and interlocking perspectives: e-public, e-participation and e-voting. The authors provide both theory-inspired reflections on e-democracy’s contribution to the formation of the European public sphere, as well as rich empirical analyses of contemporary e-participation phenomena such as the European Citizens’ Initiative or e-voting practices in Estonia. Based on the presented findings, the concluding chapter combines a prospective outlook with recommendations for future paths towards meaningful integration of e-democracy in European politics and governance.
Chapter on RRI ar European universities
Science, 2020
Historically, scientific and engineering expertise has been key in shaping research and innovatio... more Historically, scientific and engineering expertise has been key in shaping research and innovation (R&I) policies, with benefits presumed to accrue to society more broadly over time (1). But there is persistent and growing concern about whether and how ethical and societal values are integrated into R&I policies and governance, as we confront public disbelief in science and political suspicion toward evidence-based policy-making (2). Erosion of such a social contract with science limits the ability of democratic societies to deal with challenges presented by new, disruptive technologies, such as synthetic biology, nanotechnology, genetic engineering, automation and robotics, and artificial intelligence. Many policy efforts have emerged in response to such concerns, one prominent example being Europe's Eighth Framework Programme, Horizon 2020 (H2020), whose focus on “Responsible Research and Innovation” (RRI) provides a case study for the translation of such normative perspectives into concrete policy action and implementation. Our analysis of this H2020 RRI approach suggests a lack of consistent integration of elements such as ethics, open access, open innovation, and public engagement. On the basis of our evaluation, we suggest possible pathways for strengthening efforts to deliver R&I policies that deepen mutually beneficial science and society relationships