Common Starting Point: Theoretical Framework

The JERRI MMU team carried out a systematic literature review of key theoretical terms and 'touchstones' provided by the organizational institutionalism literature, in order to provide a shared, literature-underpinned, vocabulary and understanding for the change process. On this basis, the team of MMU developed a theoretical framework for 'Deep Institutionalisation', i. e. lasting embedding of responsibility into the everyday practice, systematized techniques, methodologies, procedures, incentive structures and performance metrics of actors within an organization. Their report presents a typology of deep institutionalization along the following four axes:

  • six grand narratives of rri
  • three phases of a rri maturation process
  • the range/extent of systematized rri practices within an organization
  • three degrees of vertical alignment of rri

It also emphasizes the importance of differentiation between de facto responsible research and innovation (or rri), which refers to what actors already do, and RRI as an EC policy instrument. This analytical differentiation will help to better understand to which extent and in which direction the RRI policy will steer and influence the already ongoing de facto rri practices of RTOs. In JERRI, the framework serves as an analytical tool to guide the change process within TNO and Fraunhofer.

The full framework can be found in Deliverable 1.2 Deepening ‘Deep Institutionalisation'.


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This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 709747.