Fraunhofer Center for International Management and Knowledge Economy IMWThe Innovation Acceptance Unit examines the social prerequisites and consequences of technology and knowledge transfer processes. Our focus is on the challenges and opportunities in transferring innovative solutions with a high potential for use, particularly when there is a large distance between the context in which they are developed and where they are put to use. In our work, we tackle current challenges, employ previous findings and the methodological spectrum of social science technology research, and develop these instruments further using our own approaches. Our benchmark is always the end user and his or her specific needs. We fill the gap between macroeconomic framework conditions for transfer processes and the micro-level of individual behavior. Using this perspective, we focus on the following fields of application:
- Sustainable use of natural resources
- Urban transformation processes
- Cultural heritage management
We support our clients and partners in business, science, and politics to identify and understand the influence of relevant behavioral determinants, to determine acceptance patterns, and to use this knowledge strategically - in a technology-neutral, dialogue-based, and context-sensitive manner.
Range of services
- Understanding attitude-based and behavioral patterns regarding the transfer of innovative technological and non-technological solutions into new contexts
- Developing and applying context-specific tools to promote the acceptance of innovation
- Assisting in adapting existing solutions to specific application contexts