Social Responsibility and Citizen‐Driven Innovation in Sustainably Mastering Global Socio‐Economic Crises

Abstract

Why solely rely on governmental action, private sector management or science as the principal providers of solutions to societal problems, if most citizens could become fully self-reliant troubleshooters and problem solvers for the complex challenges and crises our societies face? Even though in times of acute crisis, top-down interventions may be necessary to keep a societal system viable, citizen-driven innovation policy could be a better long-term approach to society's challenges. We, as a society, should focus on the collaborative capabilities and creativity of ourselves; civic change processes should be based on a broad system understanding, strong values and citizen participation. To foster a climate inspiring collaboration across various levels of society, changes within governmental, political and private sector management policies must accompany this approach. Further, to equip citizens with the particular competences needed to successfully participate in citizen-driven innovation when dealing with crises, educational programs from kindergarten to graduate school should include training in social responsibility and sustainable development. Combinations of both top-down interventions and citizen-driven innovations will likely lead to more sustainable crises resolution than either approach alone.

Sustainable Corporate Entrepreneurship: Performance and Strategies Toward Innovation

“…Drucker () proposed four types of strategy for this task: (a) aiming at leadership positions, (b) creative imitation, (c) acquiring a practical monopoly, and (d) changing values and characteristics inside companies (Drucker, ; Schumpeter, ). The targeted outcomes of such strategies are incremental or radical innovations such as (re)designed products, cutting‐edge technologies, new product components or ingredients, reworked value‐creating processes, or new business models (Chien et al ., ; Murthy, ; Steiner et al ., ).…”

From probabilistic functionalism to a mental simulation of innovation: by collaboration from vulnerabilities to resilient societal systems

“…Regarding its field of application, innovation does not merely refer to technological, structural, and social innovation at the organization level, but, at the micro-level, encompasses also citizen-driven innovation, and, at the macro-level, policy innovation as two extremes within the larger societal system (e.g., Steiner et al 2013Steiner et al , 2014. In the context of its impact, innovation is increasingly viewed as a vehicle toward meta-objectives of a society within a progressively globalized and interlinked world (e.g., Steiner 2014) and part of a future-oriented societal strategy aiming toward sustainable development (e.g., Boons et al 2013;Cash et al 2003;Kirschten 2005;Kemp et al 2007;Provasnek et al 2016a, b;Smith et al 2010;Steiner 2009).…”

“…The argument is that the planning and understanding of complex real-world problems stresses different competences compared to creatively imagining and inventing solutions, which introduce new technologies, mechanisms, processes, etc., to a certain system with respect to particular aims. This may include personal, professional domain, systemic, creativity, and sociocultural competences (Steiner 2013(Steiner , 2014Steiner et al 2013Steiner et al , 2014. Within their working procedures (either as one identical or two different groups), both groups might follow a transdisciplinary process as a form of cooperation between science and society based on principles such as mutual learning and co-leadership (as suggested by, e.g., Scholz and Steiner 2015).…”

Institutional Economics and Social Dilemmas: a Systems Theory Perspective

“…Alphen, 2014;Mulej et al, 2014;Hielscher and Will, 2014), citizen-driven innovation (e.g. Steiner et al, 2014), participatory democracy and inclusive governance (e.g. McIntyre-Mills and de Vries, 2013;Sacchetti, 2013).…”