Is Responsible Innovation Possible?

This editorial, written from Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, reflects on the concept of responsible innovation during the author’s travels through Indonesia and Malaysia. Despite not being directly linked to the field of innovation management, interactions with locals demonstrated how innovation impacts community life—exemplified by the use of drones in agriculture in Sekinchan. The piece discusses the broader implications of innovation, stressing that while firms traditionally focus on non-societal value, there is a growing imperative to consider societal benefits as integral to innovation processes. Responsible innovation, as defined by von Schomberg (2013), involves a transparent, interactive process that ensures the ethical acceptability, sustainability, and societal desirability of innovations. The editorial highlights the challenges and complexities of implementing responsible innovation in practice, noting examples from Jakarta where sustainability efforts in food delivery inadvertently increase waste. The commentary concludes by promoting the forthcoming special issue of Research-Technology Management (RTM) on responsible innovation for emerging technologies, encouraging submissions that explore responsible innovation in action. This call to action underscores the necessity for firms to adopt responsible innovation frameworks that not only enhance business value but also positively affect the broader ecosystem.