Fostering organizational learning through responsible crowdsourcing in prospective cohort studies

Abstract

Purpose: We provide a new multifaceted paradigm to implement Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) in medical sciences on the European level. This paper presents a roadmap from the perspective of cohort studies to combine RRI and crowdsourcing as converging approaches to promote inclusive innovation and citizen engagement in cohort research. Design: The learning organizations are three population-based cohort studies: Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP) in Germany, the Rotterdam Study in the Netherlands and the Bialystok Polish Longitudinal University Study (PLUS) in Poland. These cohorts comprise a total of 28,000 participants and in total 58 years of data (start in 1997, 1990 and 2019, respectively). Firstly, we outline the envisaged mechanism of implementing RRI using a crowdsourcing methodology. Secondly, we present a (theoretical) model for sustainably implementing RRI in institutions, which will be applied as part of the JoinUs4Health project (01/21-12/23). Finally, we discuss barriers and opportunities encountered by cohort studies on the path towards a learning organization.Findings: We formulated an institutional change roadmap that can be used by partners in and outside the consortium with the aim to implement RRI practices. From the strategies outlined in the roadmap, we focused on three key aspects of the project that will benefit organizational learning in the participating institutions: 1) digital infrastructure for crowdsourcing; 2) local citizen engagement in science; 3) formal and non-formal science education for a range of stakeholder groups.Originality: The outputs of this paper provide a foundation to promote all disciplines of a learning organization based on education, team learning, dialogue, open discussion and systematic promotion of diversity on a European level. The engagement of various societal stakeholder groups in a co-creative manner and the outline of a roadmap and theoretical model provide a valuable basis to widen the degree of diversity in scientific learning organizations. The envisioned institutional changes mutually benefit society as a learning system as well as scientific partners as learning organizations. For societal actors, enhanced access to scientific skills and resources and empowerment to influence science are likely to strengthen the capacity of critical thinking and reflection across different societal groups and strata. For scientific partners, expected positive effects related to citizen input and commitment to participate in the cohort studies (enhanced response) may provide a competitive advantage over other cohorts.