A procedural approach to distributing responsibilities in R&D networks.

Area of Science:

• * Social Sciences
• * Ethics in Technology
• * Organizational Behavior

Background:

• * Professional environments exhibit diverse and conflicting perceptions of responsibility.
• * These discrepancies can result in significant gaps in the allocation and execution of duties.
• * Existing frameworks struggle to reconcile varying viewpoints on accountability.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To develop and present a procedural model for managing divergent conceptions of responsibility.
• * To alleviate tensions arising from competing views on fairness in assigning accountability.
• * To explore the application of this model in a practical technological development context.

Main Methods:

• * Development of a procedural model grounded in Rawlsian principles of wide reflective equilibrium and overlapping consensus.
• * Application of the model to a case study involving the development of an in-house ambient technology monitoring system.
• * Analysis of the case through the lens of procedural norms: reflective learning and inclusiveness, drawing from policy and innovation network literature.

Main Results:

• * The procedural model effectively facilitates discussion on the legitimacy of diverse responsibility conceptions.
• * The approach aids in clarifying what constitutes a fair distribution of responsibilities within a group.
• * The case study demonstrated the model's utility in a pluralistic setting involving technological innovation.

Conclusions:

• * A procedural approach, emphasizing reflective learning and inclusiveness, is valuable for navigating responsibility disputes in professional settings.
• * The model offers a structured method for achieving consensus on accountability in complex projects.
• * This framework supports ethical considerations, such as social acceptance, privacy, and security, in technological advancements.