Enacting Responsible Innovation in a Region: Stakeholder Perceptions and Insights From Australia

ABSTRACT Responsible innovation (RI) refers to collectively managing the diversity of ethical, environmental, and social implications of innovation. Regions are places that could benefit from such approaches, but effectively implementing RI in these complex contexts requires greater understanding. We examined such efforts through a single in‐depth case study and engaged scholarship approach, reflecting years of researcher engagement in a region. The study focused on a regional management organization (RMO) tasked with driving regional innovation and involved two waves of interviews with key regional stakeholders participating in innovation capability development workshops. Our analysis focused on exploring how these regional stakeholders viewed the enablers and challenges of building innovative activity in practice and in this context, which we analyzed through an RI lens. We identified inhibitors relating to knowledge generation systems, industry closures, and aspects of regional culture, alongside facilitators such as the urgency for action to address acute regional challenges and strong place attachment. We also surfaced regional characteristics that create what we term “tension generators” that can both inhibit and facilitate efforts toward RI, highlighting the complexity of implementing governance processes that can capture diverse perspectives and build community engagement. Our findings expand place‐based RI literature and offer insights for stakeholders and policymakers who shape the context in which such innovative activity occurs.