The need for complementary approaches

1
The need for complementary approaches

• Fred Steward

2
A broad inclusive concept of transition

• A systemic view of innovation in terms of a
  diversity of actors and the embrace of both
  social and technological change
• A definition of technology in relation to some
  definition of societal use or function
• A concept of significant change in the sense of a
  clearly defined shift from one state to a new
  state
• Sustainability goals

3
Alternative theorisations of the dynamics of
transition

• Multilevel perspective
• regime niche
• Technology innovation system
• new technology system
• Share an evolutionary framework
• And others?

4
Explaining variation selection

• MLP
• Nested hierarchy
• Interaction between levels
• TIS
• Emergent properties
• System attributes

5
Inviting wider participation

• Two strands in science, technology innovation
  studies that are underrepresented
• Actor networks Latour flat network
  associational approach
• Innovation management interactional agency
  based strategies

6
Situating technology systems 1

• The Freeman legacy - New technology systems 1982
  - unemployment technical innovation
• Alternative theory to socially induced clusters
  of innovation (Mensch)
• Role of scientific discovery
• Technical social constellations
• Natural technology trajectories mechanisation,
  electrification, automation

7
Situating technology systems 2

• Freeman Perez 1988
• Incremental
• Radical
• Technology System pervasive across sectors,
  radical/incremental technology
  organisational/managerial
• Techno-economic paradigm

8
Applicability to sustainability transitions

• 1996 Greening of technology - Freeman
• problems withsystemic model of innovation
• world wide transition to a "green technoeconomic
  paradigm
• Learning from the linear model

9
Limits to a technology focus

• The current policy context
• Generic technologies

10
Tony Blair - November 2004

• we need a green technological revolution

11
George Bush 20 April 2006

• the technological revolution that we're pushing
  hard so that we can be good stewards of the
  environment.

12
Wen Jiabao October 2005

• A global revolution in science and technology
• Building an environment friendly society
  sustainable development

13
The new revolutionary technological determinism

• Emerging bio nano technologies will deliver
  radical sustainability
• Key policy issue is research investment in new
  emerging technologies
• The knowledge economy/ sustainable society
  virtuous circle
• Relies on technology push model

14
Ecological modernisation

• Emerging technologies are more sustainable
• Upstream support is main policy concern
• Consumption downplayed

15
An alternative innovation focus

• The sociotechnical
• Production and consumption
• Reflexive action vs system design

16
Actor orientation

• Reflexive action vs system design
• Heterogeneous engineer, system builder, path
  creator
• Innovative entrepreneur, innovation journey

17
Organisational actors in transitions

• Niche actors (Kemp, Geels)
• Path creators (Garud Karnoe)
• Disruptive innovators (Christensen)

18
Business research on organisation strategy

• Beyond the iron cage or rational actor
• Strategic choice (Child)
• Emergent strategy (Mintzberg)
• Sensemaking (Weick)
• Communities of practice (Wenger)

19
Innovation the business organisation

• Intersection of
• Organisation studies Burns Stalker, Lawrence
  Lorsch - focus on firm, organic structure
• Science technology studies - Freeman, Marquis
  focus on innovation, the interactive model

20
The new interactionism

• Paradox dilemma Peters, Kanter
• Networks Allen, Granovetter
• Construction association Pinch, Latour
• The power of communicative action

21
Embracing cognitive diversity

• Combining different cognitive perspectives
• Prefigured path (life cycle)
• Purposeful enactment (teleology)
• Conflict and synthesis (dialectics)
• Competitive selection (evolution)
• Van de Ven

22
The ambidextrous organisation

• Tushman, Leonard Barton, Christensen
• The innovators dilemma
• Exploitation vs exploration
• Continuity vs change
• Capabilities vs rigidities

23
Networks relational capabilities

• Network as general process
• Strong weak ties
• Homophily heterophily
• Boundary spanners gatekeepers
• Network builders

24
The power of discourse

• Storylines, narratives, arguments
• Explain strategic choice within firms and their
  capacity to shape futures

25
Emerging innovation networks

• Techno vs eco focus
• Incumbents emergents
• Different consequences for variety generation
• No natural trajectories of dematerialisation,
  decarbonisation

26
An example

• Contrast between emerging networks around
  sustainability of print on paper
• Forestry
• GM trees / community forestry
• Paper manufacture
• Nanoparticles / deinking fibre recovery
• Publishing
• E-book / paperless practices

27
A situated emergent network approach

• Focus on sustainability claims for specific
  innovations within emerging generic technologies
• Capture innovations emerging in the market and
  identify commercial performance claims
• Map the emerging sociotechnical network and its
  dynamics
• Use results for reflexive engagement

28
Nanoparticle network
29
Results

• It seems possible to capture early emergent
  networks by following the actors
• Focus is defined by actors and varies in emphasis
  on technology and ecology
• Variety generation gives different emphasis to
  sustainability
• Influence through key actors