International Handbook on Responsible Innovation
A Global Resource
Edited by René von Schomberg and Jonathan Hankins
Chapter 8: Is innovation always good for you? New policy challenges for research and innovation
Luc Soete
Abstract
Traditionally innovation is being associated with a positive image. At the policy level, it is practically impossible to be negative about innovation. Yet, the policy slogan ‘“Innovation is good for you’ remains surprising given that innovation failure rather than innovation success appears to have been the most common feature of innovation processes. Both the historical and international evidence highlights that innovation, and more broadly the introduction of new technologies, do not always represent Schumpeterian processes of ‘creative destruction’, that is, processes which renew a society’s dynamics leading to higher levels of economic development, destroying a few incumbents to the benefit of many, but now and then seem to represent the exact opposite pattern: processes of ‘destructive creation’ with innovation benefiting a few at the expense of many. The underlying causes for such destructive-creation processes and the policy challenges they pose call for close attention.
You are not authenticated to view the full text of this chapter or article.
Elgaronline requires a subscription or purchase to access the full text of books or journals. Please login through your library system or with your personal username and password on the homepage.
Non-subscribers can freely search the site, view abstracts/ extracts and download selected front matter and introductory chapters for personal use.
Your library may not have purchased all subject areas. If you are authenticated and think you should have access to this title, please contact your librarian.