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 with…systemic 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 innovator’s 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