ABSTRACT
As discussed in the introduction of this volume, we will focus on three issue areas that are critical for an understanding of where the field of PE is developing (innovativeness), what the potential function of PE is as a tool for governing research and innovation (participatory performance), and how PE activities can be reliably evaluated (evaluation and success of PE). Corresponding with these issue areas, we define the research questions of this study as follows:
Innovativeness – What are the characteristics of innovative PE? We will address this question from several analytical perspectives, by using different analytical grids in the study of the 38 cases of innovative PE from our sample. The analytical grids applied include several categories of actors, PE tools and approaches, varied substantive, practical and normative outputs produced, as well as different strategies and approaches to institutional collaboration and societal influencing.
Participatory performance – What are the performative functions of PE? We will address this question in particular by focusing on how ‘participatory performance’ of PE can be measured in the context of research project definition and research programme development (as contrast to function of PE in some other contexts, for example, national debates on R&I)? We will also study the factors that can contribute to higher or lower levels of participatory performance in these contexts.
Successfulness – How can the success of PE be evaluated and characterised? In particular, we are interested in developing a synthetic model of PE evaluation that appreciates the various performative functions of PE, including a broader view of PE not merely as a tool for communicating science but as a tool for research governance and as an approach for inducing transformative change in R&I institutions.
The three broad issue areas do not only call for better academic understanding of the trends, functions and evaluation of PE innovations, but they also raise issues of practical relevance. How PE processes can be introduced to different contexts of R&I, and what resources and activities are needed for their successful introduction? To this end, we will also provide a short overview of the most repeated processual obstacles of PE processes, as well as some recommendations on how to overcome them.