Normative-narrative Scenarios as a Tool to Support Strategic R&d Processes: Benefits and Limits

This paper presents ongoing research in the field of application and further development of scenario-methods in strategic R&D processes. The core purpose of this study is to investigate how scientific and technological fields of innovation can be supported through participatory work with normative-narrative scenarios. The normative-narrative scenario approach focuses on a participatory communication process involving heterogeneous stakeholders and it aims at catalyzing normative positions and at developing desirable images of the future by the mean of goal scenarios. Our study asks if normative-narrative scenarios present an adequate tool to enrich R&D processes and analyses benefits, limits and factors of success.