Why do we need ‘Problem-oriented Innovation System (PIS)’ for solving macro-level societal problems?



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https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0040162518317013
DOI: 
10.1016/j.techfore.2019.119749
Provider: 
Licensing of resource: 
Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY)
Type: 
journal article
Journal: 
Technological Forecasting and Social Change
Number: 
January 2020
Volume: 
150
Author(s): 
Ghazinoory S.
Nasri S.
Ameri F.
Montazer G.A.
Shayan A.
Publisher(s): 
Description: 

The number of theories of innovation systems has grown considerably over the past two decades and several innovation system approaches have been developed. The focus of most has been on the development of technological innovations which create economic value.However, addressing macro-level societal problems – sociotechnical and environmental challengesin which the production, dissemination and use of social and technical knowledge and technology can potentially resolve the problem – has been overlooked. The present study argues that in order to resolve such problems, a combination of technical innovations (covering the technological aspects of the problem) and social innovations (covering the social aspects of the problem) are required.Instead of focusing on the development of a particular technology or industry, an innovation system must focus on solving problems; it must utilize technical innovations alongside economic and social innovations to do so.To this end, the present study highlights the need for a framework for the analysis of macro-level societal problems by reviewing innovation systems literature and proposes a new approach named “Problem-oriented innovation systems”

Publication year: 
2020
Keywords: 
Problem-oriented Innovation System
PIS functions
Macro level societal problems
Socio-technical systems
Technological innovation
social innovation