Drivers and Barriers to the Implementation of the RRI concept in small and medium-sized enterprises in the Chinese healthcare industry
R. ZHENG (TU Delft - Technology, Policy and Management)
Z. Roosenboom-Kwee – Mentor (TU Delft - Economics of Technology and Innovation)
Ibo van de Van De Poel – Mentor (TU Delft - Ethics & Philosophy of Technology)
More Info
expand_more
Other than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download, forward or distribute the text or part of it, without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license such as Creative Commons.
Abstract
This article explores the implementation of the Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) framework among small and medium-sized healthcare companies in China. The RRI framework has been widely discussed in Europe and the US but is still in the early stages of diffusion in emerging countries and economies. The lack of institutional support and enabling conditions in these countries make it difficult for SMEs to fulfill their mission of socially responsible innovation. Based on a single case study at Gaush Teleon, the article identifies 24 factors for implementing RRI in Chinese SMEs. It develops questionnaires to understand the diffusion of the RRI concept and the ranking of the influencing factors. The results of the data analysis show that policy factors are considered to be the most important influencing factor on the adoption of the RRI framework by Chinese SMEs, followed by organizational and financial factors. The study suggests that examining the alignment of Chinese society with RRI and exploring the feasibility of developing the RRI concept in China can help developing countries assess how emerging technologies and society can evolve together.