Research governance for change: funding project-based measures in the field of responsible research and innovation (RRI) and their potential for organisational learning
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to look at the implementation of project-funded research governance and its potential to induce organisational learning on responsible research and innovation (RRI). This paper analysed what types of organisational learning and change can take place within organisations of an Europe-funded project and to what extent. This paper examined whether and how change occurs and how it is shaped and co-produced with other orderings.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is based on materials and evidence collected while working on the internal evaluation of a Horizon 2020-funded project. Analysis of the results of the mixed methods evaluation design was used to characterise occurrences of organisational learning and change.
Findings
The authors identified different forms of learning (single-loop learning, double-loop learning, reflexive and reflective learning and situational learning). The extent of learning that could lead to long-lasting organisational change was limited. This was due to the project-based and organisational design, the key-based definition of RRI and the indeterminacy of what constitutes learning and change – both at the level of funding and performing the project. For organisational change to occur, the authors argue for governance mechanisms based on reflexive learning that consider a range of structural conditions and measures.
Originality/value
Organisational learning plays an important role in change processes, which has so far been given too little consideration concerning the governance and implementation of RRI through project-based funding. The authors argue for a restructuring of governance and funding mechanisms to create more space for reflexivity and learning.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors are extremely grateful to Professor Roger Strand and Thomas Völker, Raffael Himmelsbach and Shauna Stack for their valuable thoughts, fruitful comments and discussions during the development of the paper. The authors also acknowledge the valuable feedback and critical suggestions of the anonymous reviewers and editors who helped improve earlier versions of this paper, and the authors thank the Editors-in-Chief for their patience.
The authors also acknowledge the valuable feedback and critical suggestions of the anonymous reviewers and editors who helped improve earlier versions of this paper, and the authors thank the Editors-in-Chief for their patience in the publishing process.
Funding: The project that this article deals with received funding from the the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 709747.
Citation
Wicher, M.J. and Frankus, E. (2023), "Research governance for change: funding project-based measures in the field of responsible research and innovation (RRI) and their potential for organisational learning", The Learning Organization, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/TLO-10-2021-0119
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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