Categorizing realist, critical, and pragmatist perspectives on innovation ecosystems: A research agenda and an initial application to artificial intelligence

Categorizing realist, critical, and pragmatist perspectives on innovation ecosystems: A research agenda and an initial application to artificial intelligence

We are delighted to share a new publication funded by the European Commission, through the STRATEGIC project: an open‑access research note by Smolka, Neudert, Boschen, Stahl, and Klerkx that distinguishes realist, critical, and pragmatist perspectives on innovation ecosystems and proposes a focused research agenda. Applied to AI, the paper highlights implications for governance, responsible scaling, and sociotechnical transformation, and argues that connecting these perspectives can produce more reflexive policymaking and inclusive innovation practices. Read the full article in Technological Forecasting & Social Change: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2026.124719