Releasing the Power of Users - articulating user interest to accelerate new innovative pathways in the digital health and welfare sector

About the project

Such principles suggest a broader stakeholder inclusion into the decision-making process, anticipation of societal needs and reflection of concerns, which calls for new innovation policies.

1 million EUROS over 4 years

Our project is funded by the Norwegian Research Council and aims to develop and extend the Responsible Research and innovation (RRI) and the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) frameworks to make them accessible and useful tools for practitioners.

It focuses on the inclusion of diverse users in innovation processes and creating of innovative eco-system where stakeholders in the e-health sector - system integrators, municipalities, healthcare professionals, small and start-up entrepreneurs and end users, can co-create innovations together in a “safe spaces” within which experimentation, prototyping, learning from “intelligent failure” can take place.

Focus and Impact

Digital technologies open up opportunities for change. Digitalization of healthcare allows empowering patients to shape and direct the technologies in their own interests. New technologies empower the patient to become a part of innovation process.

In our project, we found a new type of user distributed across a spectrum in terms of their willingness and their capability for involvement in innovation and implementation of new ideas:

1. the 'informed patient', equipped to use technology based on improved understanding;
2. the 'involved patient', playing an active role within a wider healthcare delivery system and enabled to do so by technology;
3. the 'innovating patient', providing ideas of their own based on their deep understanding of their healthcare issue.

In this project, we aim to go deeper into the new type of user, to understand how responsible innovation in digital technologies can mobilize the knowledge and resources in each user, enabling them to play a larger role in the emerging new health paradigm. 

We employ diverse methods, including surveys, interviews, longitudinal case studies and action-based methods (interventions) in this project.

This project develop new forms of interaction where authorities, public agencies in the research and innovation system, companies and civil society come together as partners to engage with societal challenges within healthcare.

Our project suggest a demonstration facility bridging users with innovative firms and with broader eco-system. Secondly, we develop and test a set of scalable techniques allowing wider implementation of inclusive and responsible innovation in welfare technologies, including user-centred engagement and corporate reporting/ accounting practices for enhanced responsibility.

By engaging the broader eco-system in the co-creation of innovations, which create both social and commercial value, we would develop a template for RRI that offers the potential for creating radical innovations, which have significant economic potential and address societal challenges

Publications 2021

• Iakovleva, T., Oftedal, E., & Bessant, J. (2021). Changing Role of Users—Innovating Responsibly in Digital Health. Sustainability, 13(4), 1616. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13041616
  
• Iakovleva, T., Bessant, J., Oftedal, E., & da Silva, L. M. (2021). Innovating Responsibly—Challenges and Future Research Agendas. Sustainability, 13(6), 3215. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063215
  
• Gomes, L. A., Gregório, M. J., Iakovleva, T. A., de Sousa, R. D., Bessant, J., Oliveira, P., Branco, J.C., Canhao, H. & Rodrigues, A. M. (2021). A home-based ehealth intervention for an older adult population with food insecurity: Feasibility and acceptability study. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 23(8). https://doi.org/10.2196/26871
  
• Jacinto, M. J., Oliveira, P., & Canhão, H. (2021). Innovations Developed by Patients and Informal Caregivers for Needs Associated to Rheumatic Diseases. Frontiers in medicine, 8, 268. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2021.647388
  
• Davidsson, P., Recker, J., & von Briel, F. (2021). COVID-19 as External Enabler of entrepreneurship practice and research. BRQ Business Research Quarterly, 24(3), 214-223.
  
• Berger, E., Von Briel, F., Davidsson, P., & Kuckertz, A. (2021). Digital or not – The future of entrepreneurship and innovation: Introduction to the special issue. Journal of Business Research, 125, 436-442. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.12.020
  
• Laasch, O. & Ribeiro B. (2021). Innovating. Principles of Management. Practicing Ethics, Responsibility, Sustainability. Laasch, O (Ed.) pp. 533-584. London: Sage.
  
• Jacinto, M. J., Oliveira, P., & Canhão, H. (2021). Innovations Developed by Patients and Informal Caregivers for Needs Associated to Rheumatic Diseases. Frontiers in medicine, 8, 268. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2021.647388
  
• van Leersum, C. M., Bults, M., Sloof, M., Pouwe, F., van Manen, J. G., & Konijnendijk, A. A. (2021). Patiëntparticipatie bij de ontwikkeling en toepassing van e-health. TSG-Tijdschrift voor gezondheidswetenschappen, 99(3), 110-119. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12508-021-00313-y
  
• Skeie, K. B., van Leersum, C. M., & van der Zwart, J. (2021) User Motivation for Participating in Innovation Processes: A Scoping Review. I: Proceedings on the 2021 ISPIM innovation conference : Innovating our common future. ISPIM Lappeenranta University of Technology Press. ISBN 9789523354678.

«Abstract: The healthcare sector is facing challenges due to the forthcoming demographic shift in the ageing population. Technology is essential to bridge the gap in supply and demand of care, but if firms take a technology-push approach to technology development, solutions risk being unsuitable for the elderly end- users. Responsible research and innovation proposes a solution in which end-user involvement is central. In order to successfully include end-users in innovation, the users’ motivation for participating should be accounted for, as motivated users appear to be beneficial for creativity and active engagement in the innovation process. This scoping literature review aims to explore previous work on the role of elderly user motivation in health-related innovation processes.»

• Huang, H., & Thomas, E. (2021). A Review of the Living Lab Research Development and Methods. In ISPIM Conference Proceedings (pp. 1-23). The International Society for Professional Innovation Management (ISPIM).
  
• Huang, H., & Thomas, E. (2021). A Review of the Living Lab Research Development and Methods. In ISPIM Conference Proceedings (pp. 1-23). The International Society for Professional Innovation Management (ISPIM).
  
• Huang, J. Hong & Thomas, E. (2021). A Review of Living Lab Research and Methods for User Involvement. Technology Innovation Management Review, 11 (9/10): 88-107. http://doi.org/10.22215/timreview/1467
  
• Ødegård, A., Waldahl, R. H., Willumsen, E., Iakovleva, T., & Strype, J. (2021). The conceptual and methodological development of the Social Innovation Measurement Model Questionnaire (SIMM-Q). Academic Quarter| Akademisk kvarter, (23), 156-171. https://doi.org/10.5278/academicquarter.vi23.7035
  
• Berger. E.C.S, von Briel, F.; Davidsson, P.; Kuckertz, A. (2021) Digital or not?the future of entrepreneurship and innovation. Journal of Business Research, 125, s.436-442. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.12.020
  
• Ribeiro, B. (2021, 13-15 April) Experiments in digital sociology: Investigating the birth and death of an online community of practice [Conference paper] British Sociological Association 70th Anniversary Virtual Conference.
  
• Ribeiro, B. (2021, 6-7 July) Learning for Impact through Responsibilisation in Management Education [online workshop] Regional Chapter UK and Ireland 7th Annual Conference.

Publications 2020

• Iakovleva, T. & Willumsen, E (2020). Pasienter og brukere som digitale partnere. I E. Willumsen & A. Ødegård (Red.), Samskaping: sosial innovasjon for helse og velferd. (s. 222-243). Universitetsforlaget. https://www.universitetsforlaget.no/samskaping-1
  
• Iakovleva, T. (2020). Responsible Innovations in Healthcare Sector. In: Liyanage, J., Amadi-Echendu, J., Mathew, J. (eds.) Engineering Assets and Public Infrastructures in the Age of Digitalization. Lecture Notes in Mechanical
  Engineering. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-48021-9_90
  
• Da Silva, L.M., Bitencourt, C.C., Faccin, K., Iakovleva, T.A. (2020). The Role of Stakeholders in the Context of Responsible Innovation. In: Liyanage, J., Amadi-Echendu, J., Mathew, J. (eds) Engineering Assets and Public Infrastructures in the Age of Digitalization. Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-48021-9_91
  
• Davidsson, P. (2020). Look out! See change? Sea change ahead!  Academy of Management Discoveries, 6(3), 321-324. https://doi.org/10.5465/amd.2019.0141
  
• Davidsson, P., Recker, J., & von Briel, F. (2020). External enablement of new venture creation: A framework. Academy of Management Perspectives, 34(3), 311-332. https://doi.org/10.5465/amp.2017.0163
  
• Ribeiro,B., Shapira, P., Benneworth, P., Bengtsson, L.,; Bührer, S., Castro-Martínez, E., Hansen, M., Jarmai, K., Lindner, R., Olmos-Peñuela, J., Ott, C. (2020) Considering the dilemma of societal alignment: A response. SocArXiv papers. https://doi.org/10.31235/osf.io/ayd6c
  
• Du, S., & Xie, C. (2021). Paradoxes of artificial intelligence in consumer markets: Ethical challenges and opportunities. Journal of Business Research, 129, 961-974. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.08.024
  
• Bessant, J. (2020) Creating the open lab. In Fritzsche, A., Jonas, J. M., Roth, A., & Möslein, K. M. (Eds.), Innovating in the Open Lab: The new potential for interactive value creation across organizational boundaries (Vol. 1). Walter de Gruyter GmbH Berlin/Boston https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110633665
  
• Da Silva, L.M, Bitencourt, C.C., Faccin K., Iakovleva. T., & Bessant J. (2020 7-10 june). Dynamic Capabilities for Stakeholder Inclusion in Responsible Innovation Process. [Conference paper] LUT Scientific and Expertise Publications, Berlin.  ISBN 978-952-335-466-1
  

«Abstract: The search for responsible innovation establishes the management of (external) stakeholders' interests as a way to minimize uncertainty and maintain or develop a competitive advantage. For inclusion to be leverage, dynamic capabilities are required. This paper analyzed how dynamic capabilities leverage the inclusion of stakeholders in the innovation process. Two equipment developer companies from the healthcare sector, recognized worldwide, were analyzed. The analysis of the cases pointed to specific processes and routines for the inclusion of stakeholders, which constitutes the microfoundations of dynamic capabilities. From the microfoundations, we identified generic and specific dynamic capabilities, which leverage the inclusion.»

Publications 2019

• Rama, K., Canhão, H., Carvalho, A. M., & Vinga, S. (2019). AliClu-Temporal sequence alignment for clustering longitudinal clinical data. BMC medical informatics and decision making, 19(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12911-019-1013-7
  
• Da Silva, L. M., Bitencourt, C. C., Faccin, K., & Iakovleva, T. (2019). The role of stakeholders in the context of responsible innovation: A meta-synthesis. Sustainability, 11(6), 1766. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11061766

Publications related to the Research Project "Digitalize or Die"

• Oftedal, E. M., Foss, L., & Iakovleva, T. (2019). Responsible for Responsibility? A Study of Digital E-health Startups. Sustainability, 11(19), 5433. doi:10.3390/su11195433
  
• Iakovleva, T., Oftedal, E. and Bessant, J.(2019) “Responsible innovation in digital health” In Iakovleva, T., Oftedal, E. and Bessant, J.(2019) Responsible Innovation in Digital Health: Empowering the Patient, Edward Elgar Publisher, (pp. 1-8)
  
• Iakovleva, T., Oftedal, E. and Bessant J. (2019) “Responsible innovation as a catalyst of the firm innovation process” in Iakovleva. T. Ofredal. El. and Bessant J. (eds) Responsible Innovation in Digital Health: Empowering the Patient, Edward Elgar Publisher (pp. 9-22) https://www.e-elgar.com/shop/gbp/responsible-innovation-in-digital-health-9781788975056.html
  
• Oftedal, E., Iakovleva, T. and Bessant J. ( 2019) “Challenges in healthcare - the changing role of patients” in Iakovleva. T. Oftedal. El. and Bessant J. (eds) Responsible Innovation in Digital Health: Empowering the Patient, Edward Elgar Publisher (pp. 23-41) https://www.e-elgar.com/shop/gbp/responsible-innovation-in-digital-health-9781788975056.html
  
• Laudal, T. and Iakovleva, T. (2019), “Patient-initiated innovation - Evidence and research agenda”, in Iakovleva. T. Oftedal. El. and Bessant J. (eds) Responsible Innovation in Digital Health: Empowering the Patient, Edward Elgar Publisher (pp. 56-78) https://www.e-elgar.com/shop/gbp/responsible-innovation-in-digital-health-9781788975056.html
  
• Thapa, R. and Iakovleva, T. (2019) “Responsible Research and Innovation: Innovation initiatives for Positive Social Impact” in Iakovleva. T. Oftedal. El. and Bessant J. (eds) Responsible Innovation in Digital Health: Empowering the Patient, Edward Elgar Publisher (pp. 109-126) https://www.e-elgar.com/shop/gbp/responsible-innovation-in-digital-health-9781788975056.html
  
• Bessant, J., Iakovleva, T. and Oftedal, E. (2019) “The future of responsible innovation” in Iakovleva. T. Oftedal. El. and Bessant J. (eds) Responsible Innovation in Digital Health: Empowering the Patient, Edward Elgar Publisher (pp. 232-250). https://www.e-elgar.com/shop/gbp/responsible-innovation-in-digital-health-9781788975056.html
  
• Thapa, R. K., Iakovleva, T., & Foss, L. (2019). Responsible research and innovation: a systematic review of the literature and its applications to regional studies. European Planning Studies, 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1080/09654313.2019.1625871
  
• Silva, L., Bitencourt, C., Faccin, K. and Iakovleva, T. (2019) The Role of Stakeholders in the Context of Responsible Innovation to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals: A Meta-Synthesis, Sustainability 11(6), 1766 https://doi.org/10.3390/su11061766
  
• Ødegård, A., Waldahl, R. H. , Willumsen, E., Iakovleva, T. og Strype, J. (2018). Social Innovation Measurement Model - Questionnaire (SIMM-Q). Nordlandsforskning, Rapport nr. 10/2018. ISBN: 978-82-7321-751-6 
  
• Silva, L., Btencourt, C., Faccin, K and Iakovleva, T. “The role of stakeholders in the context of responsible innovation”. In: J.P. Liyanage, J.A-E Idriss El-Thalji (Eds). Proceedings of The 13th World Congress on Engineering Asset Management (WCEAM 2018): Engineering assets and Public infrastructures in the Age of digitalization, Springer publisher
  
• Iakovleva, T. “Digitalize or Die-Responsible Innovations in Healthcare and Welfare Sectors” Edited by J. P. Liyanage, J. A-E, Idriss El-Thalji, Proceedings of The 13th World Congress on Engineering Asset Management (WCEAM 2018): Engineering assets and Public infrastructures in the Age of digitalization; Springer publisher