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Roadblocks to responsible innovation: Exploring technology assessment and adoption in U.S. public highway construction

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  • Kimmel, Shawn C.
  • Toohey, Nathan M.
  • Delborne, Jason A.

Abstract

U.S. public highway construction industry professionals are responsible for assessing and adopting new technology that can improve the cost and quality of roadways. This paper investigates features of the technology assessment and adoption process in the U.S. public highway construction industry that both facilitate and hinder responsible innovation. Often technological innovations are incongruent with current specifications, i.e., regulatory construction standards, whereby specification reform serves as a precursor to implementation. We examine this aspect of technology assessment and adoption through a novel application of Kingdon's theory of policy agenda setting to a highly technical state bureaucratic institution using a case study on Intelligent Compaction. Specification reform relating to Intelligent Compaction is occurring in nearly a quarter of U.S. states. Analysis of interviews with industry professionals revealed that institutional incentives for supporting innovations were not the main drivers for adoption, and there exists a conservative culture that inhibits change. Individuals that go against this grain by championing change do so based on their personal character, ideological affiliations and a perceived sense of social obligation, which coincides with the principles set forth in the responsible research and innovation literature. These individuals, whom we identify as Kingdon's policy entrepreneurs, appear to present themselves in four roles in this industry: explorer, pioneer, gatekeeper, and leader. Our findings indicate that alignment of these roles creates an environment conducive to responsible technology assessment and adoption, and therefore greater societal benefit. Ultimately, we hope this study will benefit U.S. Highway Construction Industry regulatory environments by enhancing identification of specification processes, key roles, and personal/ethical ideologies that may be conducive to fostering a culture of responsible innovation.

Suggested Citation

  • Kimmel, Shawn C. & Toohey, Nathan M. & Delborne, Jason A., 2016. "Roadblocks to responsible innovation: Exploring technology assessment and adoption in U.S. public highway construction," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 66-77.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:teinso:v:44:y:2016:i:c:p:66-77
    DOI: 10.1016/j.techsoc.2015.12.002
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Daim, Tugrul & Yates, Diane & Peng, Yicheng & Jimenez, Bertha, 2009. "Technology assessment for clean energy technologies: The case of the Pacific Northwest," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 31(3), pages 232-243.
    2. Sharon M. Oster & John M. Quigley, 1977. "Regulatory Barriers to the Diffusion of Innovation: Some Evidence from Building Codes," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 8(2), pages 361-377, Autumn.
    3. Assefa, G. & Frostell, B., 2007. "Social sustainability and social acceptance in technology assessment: A case study of energy technologies," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 63-78.
    4. Sovacool, Benjamin K., 2009. "The cultural barriers to renewable energy and energy efficiency in the United States," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 31(4), pages 365-373.
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    Cited by:

    1. Miklós Lukovics & Beáta Udvari & Nikoletta Nádas & Erik Fisher, 2019. "Raising Awareness of Researchers-in-the-Making Toward Responsible Research and Innovation," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 10(4), pages 1558-1577, December.
    2. Loureiro, Paulo Maia & Conceição, Cristina Palma, 2019. "Emerging patterns in the academic literature on responsible research and innovation," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    3. Nihit Goyal & Michael Howlett & Namrata Chindarkar, 2020. "Who coupled which stream(s)? Policy entrepreneurship and innovation in the energy–water nexus in Gujarat, India," Public Administration & Development, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 40(1), pages 49-64, February.
    4. Lukovics, Miklós & Flipse, Steven M. & Udvari, Beáta & Fisher, Erik, 2017. "Responsible research and innovation in contrasting innovation environments: Socio-Technical Integration Research in Hungary and the Netherlands," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 172-182.
    5. Yang, Kun & Wang, Wan & Xiong, Wan, 2021. "Promoting the sustainable development of infrastructure projects through responsible innovation: An evolutionary game analysis," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    6. Wang, Nannan & Gong, Zheng & Xu, Zhuhuizi & Liu, Zhankun & Han, Yu, 2021. "A quantitative investigation of the technological innovation in large construction companies," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    7. Duygan, Mert & Fischer, Manuel & Ingold, Karin, 2023. "Assessing the readiness of municipalities for digital process innovation," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).

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