The critical role of innovation for the well-being of our society: a multilateral approach matters

di Andrea Billi, Christin Pfeiffer

DOI 10.12910/EAI2018-061

The article analyzes the importance of innovation in promoting social well-being and its possible role in driving prosperity and accelerating regional development. It elaborates on the paramount role of small and medium sized enterprises in generating jobs and spurring employment. International cooperation must take these aspects into account in order to promote economic, environmental and social sustainability and contribute to the reduction of inequalities

Innovation, a kind of “buzz word” over the last decade, seems to be at the center of each and every discussion today: be it with regard to research (normally indicating the way forward towards the commercialization of results), or concerning the long-lasting debate on the future of our youth, invited to take their stake on knowledge-driven entrepreneurship, the basis for sustainability and inclusive growth.

Innovation on the one hand stands for hope; for a better future, for a fully-connected digital world, in which security is given its deserved place. On the other hand, it can lead to mistrust and doubts, for example when following the debate on artificial intelligence, blockchain, the Internet of Things and scenarios, that once were mere protagonists of science-fiction films and considered just a crazy phantasy. …