A societal readiness tool for responsible product innovation

Bennet Francis; Tynke Schepers; Andrea Porcari; Philip Brey

doi:10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103183

A societal readiness tool for responsible product innovation

Bennet Francis
, Tynke Schepers
, Andrea Porcari
, Philip Brey

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

Abstract

This paper introduces the Societal Readiness Tool (SRT), an approach that supports actors in product design and innovation in aligning product development with societal needs and expectations. The tool serves two functions. First, it provides guidance for developers, enabling them to navigate the product development process in a manner that builds in ethical, legal and social impact considerations from the very earliest stages. Second, the tool enables developers and other stakeholders to conduct qualitative self-assessments of the societal readiness level of a product. The substantive claim embodied by the tool is that technical and commercial readiness of new products should be supplemented by societal readiness, which is accomplished by embedding concern for ethical, legal and social impacts in product development.

Original language	English
Article number	103183
Number of pages	10
Journal	Technology in Society
Volume	85
Early online date	Dec 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103183
Publication status	Published - Jun 2026

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

Keywords

Ethics by design
Legal readiness
Product design ethics
Product quality assurance
Responsible innovation
Social impacts
Societal readiness

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10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103183

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AU - Brey, Philip

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AB - This paper introduces the Societal Readiness Tool (SRT), an approach that supports actors in product design and innovation in aligning product development with societal needs and expectations. The tool serves two functions. First, it provides guidance for developers, enabling them to navigate the product development process in a manner that builds in ethical, legal and social impact considerations from the very earliest stages. Second, the tool enables developers and other stakeholders to conduct qualitative self-assessments of the societal readiness level of a product. The substantive claim embodied by the tool is that technical and commercial readiness of new products should be supplemented by societal readiness, which is accomplished by embedding concern for ethical, legal and social impacts in product development.

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KW - Social impacts

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A societal readiness tool for responsible product innovation

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

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