A framework for mission-oriented innovation policy: Alternative pathways through the problem-solution space

Iris Wanzenböck, Joeri Wesseling, Koen Frenken, Marko Hekkert and Karl Matthias Weber

No njahp, SocArXiv from Center for Open Science

Abstract: We aim for a better conceptualization of Mission-oriented Innovation Policy (MIP). Our starting point is an analytical decomposition of societal problems and innovative solutions based on the degrees of wickedness regarding three aspects: i) contestation, ii) complexity and iii) uncertainty. We argue that both problems and solutions can be diverging (contested, complex, uncertain) or converging (uncontested, well-defined, informed). Based on the resulting problem-solution topology, we suggest a process-oriented view on MIP and discuss three alternative pathways along which convergence between problems and solutions can be achieved to transform wicked problems into legitimate solutions. We illustrate the pathways with the examples of smoking bans, CCTV and wind energy. For policy makers, locating a societal challenge in this problem-solution space, and implementing policy strategies accordingly, is expected to accelerate both the legitimacy of a mission and the resulting solutions.

Date: 2019-02-13
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ino and nep-reg
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

Downloads: (external link)
https://osf.io/download/5c6569d514312700179e6f3f/

Related works:
Journal Article: A framework for mission-oriented innovation policy: Alternative pathways through the problem–solution space
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:osf:socarx:njahp

DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/njahp

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in SocArXiv from Center for Open Science
Bibliographic data for series maintained by OSF (contact@cos.io).