Are there ethical considerations we should consider during the the entire innovation process? If so, what are they? Do they occur at every step of the process? Can an innovation be morally neutral, yet be unethical or socially irresponsible when carried out or applied? Solution The words innovative and innovation are bantered about in the media, in business, and in our everyday lives. The words evoke a feeling of progress with technology moving us upward and forward while simultaneously pushing aside existing, soon-to-be-outdated, technology. How does business handle this disruption? How can we think about the responsibility for the innovation and the associated wake of changed beliefs, behaviors, and relationships? The goal of innovations is to upset current beliefs, behavior, relationships, and technologies for a given community. The automobile disrupted the horse and buggy system. The telegraph disrupted the Pony Express By viewing the innovative process as bringing together technology and communities, the innovation and its consequences become a shared responsibility. The community has a responsibility to use the technology within a given range of permissible behaviors and to incorporate rules and norms to support the technology. The innovating firm, however, has a responsibility to understand the community into which the innovation is being introduced. As Evans notes in his book on innovators in the United States, .

1. Are there ethical considerations we should consider during the the entire innovation process? If
so, what are they? Do they occur at every step of the process? Can an innovation be morally
neutral, yet be unethical or socially irresponsible when carried out or applied?
Solution
The words innovative and innovation
are bantered about in the media, in
business, and in our everyday lives. The
words evoke a feeling of progress with
technology moving us upward and
forward while simultaneously pushing
aside existing, soon-to-be-outdated,
technology. How does business handle
this disruption? How can we think about
the responsibility for the innovation and
the associated wake of changed beliefs,
behaviors, and relationships?
The goal of innovations is to upset
current beliefs, behavior, relationships,
and technologies for a given community.
The automobile disrupted the horse and
buggy system. The telegraph disrupted
the Pony Express
By viewing the innovative process
as bringing together technology and
communities, the innovation and
its consequences become a shared
responsibility. The community has a
responsibility to use the technology
within a given range of permissible
behaviors and to incorporate rules
and norms to support the technology.
The innovating firm, however, has

2. a responsibility to understand the
community into which the innovation
is being introduced.
As Evans notes in his book on
innovators in the United States,