UK Partner
Diego Vazquez-Brust, professor of Global Business Sustainability and Strategy, Faculty of Business and Law
Ukraine Partner
Svіtlana Filyppova, professor, director of Institute of Economics and Management
Co-Investigators
Chris Simms, professor of Innovation, Faculty of Business and Law
Svitlana Cherkasova, Associate Professor of the Department of Accounting, Analysis and Audit of the Institute of Economics and Management of the Odessа Polytechnic National University
Hanna Oborska, leading specialist of the management sector of international projects and programs, department of marketing and innovation policy, Odessа Polytechnic National University
Pavlo Vugelman, graduate of the third level of education of the Odessа Polytechnic National University
Maryna Tkachenko, graduate of the second level of education at the Odessа Polytechnic National University
Project objectives
The project complies with the paragraphs 1, 5, 70 of Topics of scientific research and scientific and technical (experimental) developments of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine for 2022 ‒ 2026. Having realized the negative social and environmental consequences of unfettered innovation and uncontrolled entrepreneurship, developed countries have started to implement the principles of sustainable development, with research moving to the recognition of inclusive social responsibility as the next stage of corporate social responsibility and responsible innovation. Ukraine should also ensure the transition to a new level of social development, where social responsibility principles are an integral part of socio-economic relations and the innovation process. A better understanding of how to operationalize the concept of inclusive social responsibility can provide the foundations for solving the socio-economic problems related to accelerated technological development and the unpredictability of its outcomes. This is particularly relevant in wartime when the industrial potential is displaced as a result of hostilities. In this context, Ukraine has been reorienting almost all scientific priorities towards national security in order to intensify innovative search in this area. As a result, the time for finding and launching innovations is significantly reduced, increasing the likelihood of innovation risks and the importance of turning social responsibility into inclusive social responsibility to prevent the marginalization of disadvantaged sectors. Therefore, preventive research is needed right now, to be able to narrow the growing gap between the risks of innovation processes and the social responsibility of its stakeholders and subjects.
Project goals
Aim: To help policymakers and companies in bridging the gap between the risks (social and environmental externalities) generated by the innovation process and the social responsibility of innovation stakeholders and beneficiaries.
Objectives: Development of a theoretical framework providing a new architecture of the innovation process with boundary conditions that will contribute to prevent social instability, social exclusion and violations of national security.
Development of tools and policies for the systematic harmonization of stakeholders’ interests through mechanisms promoting the coordination of inclusive social responsibility with innovative development Methodology.
Combination of literature review, theory development and modelling. Theory building will involve the extrapolation of theories of social responsibility in innovation economics to the field of management. The harmonization approach will extend to all the actors currently involved in innovation processes and potential actors that should be actively involved to improve social inclusion and enhance the potential of innovation to solve Ukranian society’s social problems. This will include the investigation of innovative support of small entrepreneurship of sustainable development initiated by ATO participants, temporarily displaced persons, refugees and asylum seekers.
Data collection will involve desk research and fieldwork (questionnaires and focus groups). Data analysis will involve quantitative analysis (regressions and structural equation modelling) and qualitative analysis (process theorizing based on pattern-matching and thematic analysis).
Activities
1) To review literature in inclusive social responsibility to identify: theoretical foundation, empirical support, factors influencing the transformation of social responsibility into inclusive social responsibility and knowledge gaps.
2) To identify the prerequisites, barriers, drivers, enablers and tools for inclusive social responsibility formation in the innovation process, stakeholders, including those caused by war.
3) To identify international standards for the implementation of social responsibility in the context of the innovation process and ensuring the national security, with focus on Great Britain.
4) To conceptually describe the structure and functionality of the social responsibility of the stakeholders of the innovation process in modern and post-war processes of socio-economic development and ensuring national security.
5) Data collection: a) open online questionnaire of up to 100 actors involved in innovation processes (politics, business, science, education) b) compilation of grant applications presented for entrepreneurs among temporarily displaced persons, refugees and asylum seekers in Ukraine, c) survey of up to 150 entrepreneurs and potential entrepreneurs among temporarily displaced persons, refugees and asylum seekers. d) focus groups ( up to 6, 6-10 participants each) with a selection of respondents surveyed in a) and c)
6) To identify carriers of innovative business ideas as subjects of sustainable development entrepreneurship:
- qualitative analysis of their business plans in the context of social responsibility, innovativeness of business ideas and usefulness for the post-war economy of Ukraine,
- quantitative analysis of indicators of innovativeness of their grant applications.
7) To map the stakeholders involved in innovation processes in Ukraine and identify the peculiarities of inclusive social responsibility formation in the innovation risk-generating economics of Ukraine after the war.
8) To conduct preliminary quantitative and qualitative analysis of data leading to the development of the theoretical framework and model.
Role of each Partner
Partners will work collaboratively in all tasks. UK partners will take the lead in activities 1, 2, 3 and 4. Ukraine partners will take the lead in 5, 6, 7 and 8 and be in charge of the collection of information in Ukraine. The partners have complementary expertise. The UK provides expertise in business models for social inclusion, Corporate Social Responsibility and innovation processes. Ukraine provides expertise in innovation economics, small business and entrepreneurship for sustainable development and indicators for sustainable development.
Timing
Project Start Date: March 2023
Project End Date: August 2023
Expected results
1. One paper (possibly 2) submitted to an ABS 3/4 management or innovation journal based on the results of activities 1, 2, 3 and 4. Lead author from UK
2. One paper (possibly 2) submitted to an ABS 3/4 economics or management journal based on the results of activities 5, 6, 7 and 8. Lead author from Ukraine
3. One bid submission prepared. Likely funder to be identified during the project.
d) Systematization and classification of factors for levelling the negative impact of innovations on the stability of socio-economic relations and national security;
e) Development of a model of national system of innovation with incentives and restrictive measures to adjust the innovation process into the system of social responsibility principles with the aim of harmonizing the innovation process with the needs of sustainable development and national security of Ukraine.
