Sociological perspectives on innovation: key research issues and interdisciplinary prospects

Abstract

Innovation is a fundamental feature of contemporary societies. The systematic application of knowledge to production, consumption and the provision of public goods is one of the major drivers of economic growth and social change. It mediates access to resources that are important for people’s lives in a multiplicity of domains, including health, work and education. Innovation is also interlinked with values and ways of thinking, and shapes social relationships and institutional forms. In sum, current societies could be characterized as ‘innovation societies’ since the incorporation of knowledge into practical aspects of the economy and social life is a constituent part of our social organization and culture.