Responsibility in product development: mapping the knowledge landscape

Responsible innovation has become an increasingly relevant yet conceptually fragmented theme in product development. This paper employs scientometric analysis of 3438 publications (1951-2023) to map the articulation of responsibility, sustainability, and green/eco-innovation in the product development literature. We observe a shift from technically focused product development and engineering design toward socially and environmentally oriented themes, such as social responsibility, environmental sustainability, and green innovation, with an increasing convergence among key constructs in the most recent decade. Building on periodised cluster maps, we develop a Responsibility in Innovation Matrix that locates constructs along two dimensions: triple-bottom-line emphasis (economic, environmental, social) and level of analysis (project-level 'zooming in' vs. organisational-level 'zooming out'). The matrix clarifies overlap zones and persistent boundary issues and provides a structured lens for scholars and managers seeking to locate, compare and evaluate constructs of responsible product development.