Bridging AI Regulation and Transformative Innovation Policy: My Research Stay at INGENIO

Bridging AI Regulation and Transformative Innovation Policy: My Research Stay at INGENIO

Gabrielle Canalli

 

During my one-month research stay at INGENIO, Universitat Politècnica de València, I had the chance to deepen my doctoral research on how artificial intelligence is regulated in Brazil. I wanted to look into different approaches used in this type of regulation, so I had the opportunity to engage closely with the Transformative Innovation Policy (TIP) framework and the researchers who have shaped it.

My thesis examines AI regulation in Brazil, and one of its central challenges has been finding a theoretical lens capable of capturing not just how regulation is designed, but what ends it’s directed toward. Before this stay, my analysis lacked a clear framework for tackling this second question. Working closely with Alejandra Boni at INGENIO gave me direct access to deep knowledge of TIP theory, and through sustained discussion I was able to connect concepts that had previously stayed disparate in my thinking — particularly the idea of directionality, which asks not simply whether a policy intervenes in a sector, but whether it steers that sector toward a particular transformative goal. This distinction proved central to reframing my own research questions and to making more deliberate, better-supported analytical decisions going forward.

One of the most valuable outcomes of the stay was learning from researchers at INGENIO how they approach wicked problems. AI regulation is exactly this kind of problem: it involves competing values, uncertain future consequences, and stakeholders with divergent interests. Learning how they frame and analyze such problems gave me new conceptual tools for approaching AI regulation in Brazil not as a technical or legal puzzle to be solved, but as a socio-political process to be steered.

Beyond one-on-one discussions, I also attended the colloquiums held at INGENIO during the stay. While my role there was passive, these sessions exposed me to a range of applications of transition studies beyond my own topic.

Although the stay didn’t result in a publication at this stage, its main output was conceptual and structural: it allowed me to formulate a whole new chapter of my thesis. This chapter examines AI regulation in Brazil through multiple theoretical “lenses.” It’s a substantial addition to my thesis, and one that wouldn’t have taken shape without direct engagement with TIP theory and the researchers at INGENIO.

In terms of overall impact on my PhD, the stay was transformative in a very literal sense: it changed the theoretical architecture of my research. Access to Alejandra Boni’s expertise let me ask questions, test interpretations, and get direct feedback in a way that considerably accelerated my understanding. The result is a stronger, more coherent theoretical backbone for my thesis, and a clearer sense of the contribution my work can make.

Overall, this one-month stay at INGENIO gave me both a sharper theoretical foundation and a new working chapter for my thesis, while also connecting me to a research community whose way of framing transformative policy problems I intend to keep drawing on throughout the rest of my doctoral work.

Advancing Sustainable Fashion Research at SPRU.

Advancing Sustainable Fashion Research with SPRU

Lin Lin

 

My Eu-SPRI Early Career Researcher and PhD Researcher Circulation Scheme visit with SPRU at the University of Sussex gave me the opportunity to deepen my doctoral research on sustainable business model innovation in the fashion industry and strengthen its links with sustainability transitions, innovation policy and consumer engagement.

As a PhD researcher at Politecnico di Milano, my research examines how certification mechanisms, particularly B Corp certification, influence the adoption and development of sustainable business models across fashion supply chains. During my three-month visit, hosted by Dr Xiangming “Tommy” Tao, I refined my conceptual and analytical framework, sharpened my qualitative case study design and further developed my interview protocols.

One of the most valuable outcomes of the visit was progress on several academic outputs. I completed a manuscript on how sustainable business models are accommodated in fashion through an activity-based perspective, which has been submitted to the Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management. I also advanced a second paper exploring the role of digital platforms in educating and engaging consumers in sustainable fashion, comparing B Corp-certified and non-certified companies. In addition, I began developing a further manuscript focused on standardisation and policy innovation.

The visit also enabled me to participate in seminars and research discussions with SPRU and colleagues across the wider University of Sussex. Sessions on science and politics, circular resource use and consumer culture broadened my perspective and helped me position sustainable fashion within a wider system involving firms, consumers, governments, intermediaries and cultural contexts. These conversations encouraged me to move beyond observing industry practices and focus more closely on the underlying mechanisms that shape sustainability transitions.

Looking ahead, I plan to build on this work through more detailed case studies of fashion companies adopting B Corp certification and other sustainability-oriented practices. I also hope to continue the academic relationships developed during my time with SPRU, creating opportunities for future collaboration between Politecnico di Milano and the University of Sussex.

My experience highlights the value of the Eu-SPRI circulation scheme in helping doctoral researchers deepen their work, expand their networks and connect sustainability research with real-world business and policy challenges.

Reflections on Research, Methods and Publishing: My Eu-SPRI Summer School Experience.

Reflections on Research, Methods and Publishing: My Eu-SPRI Summer School Experience.

Aynur Temel

 

A week at Villa del Grumello, in a room full of PhD students and senior faculty members whose backgrounds are as diverse as they come, yet who all fit under one umbrella: innovation and international business. As a second-year PhD student, I appreciated the depth of each method session. We were not scraping the surface; no matter our background, we were deeply engaged in a single methodological deep dive, whether qualitative research or mathematical modeling. This way, we could see where we might have methodological shortcomings in our own “way of doing.” That is exactly what this year’s EIBA-EU/SPRI Summer School delivered: not another round of more theory or surface-level methods workshops, but faculty members who showed us how to actually apply the theory, and where we could work to genuinely join the academic conversation and strengthen our own contributions to research.

Each day was designed not only to teach new concepts but also to encourage reflection on our own research projects. Three in-depth expert talks were held daily, introducing new research areas, methodological angles, and ideas we could bring back into our work. We discussed how John Walsh’s research sparked a twenty-year debate on biomedical patenting. John Cantwell reflected on why we are returning to the very principles of the OLI paradigm. Christian Rasmussen gave us a hands-on introduction to mathematical modeling, using tangible examples of IB research we could easily relate to. His demonstration of a Monte Carlo simulation showed that a completely artificially generated relationship between internationalization and performance still yields a “significant” result in a naive regression. This was a clear reminder of how easily we can fool ourselves if we don’t think carefully about endogeneity and functional form. What stood out in particular were the “How to Publish” sessions, delivered from an editor’s perspective: an honest conversation for junior scholars and established researchers alike, on publishing in both innovation research and general management. Everyone in the room brainstormed and discussed the hurdles and key points of successful publishing, not only within IB but more broadly. Overall, each expert talk either deepened or refined our existing knowledge or opened new paths for adapting our thinking and implementing novel research approaches in our own projects.

At the end of each day, the faculty offered a 1:1 session for focused discussion of individual research projects. I took full advantage of this rare opportunity by scheduling a 1:1 session each day with a different faculty member, receiving highly useful feedback on both my PhD projects and my overall academic path. What made the week so strong was that each faculty member was genuinely present and invested in our projects.

All of this took place in a beautiful setting with a breathtaking view of Lake Como. Each lunch and coffee break turned into a casual encounter with top scholars and fellow PhD students.

I am deeply grateful for this opportunity, and to the entire organizing team, for a summer school that ran smoothly from start to finish.