Challenges of the current discourse on incumbent firms in sustainability transitions

Abstract

In this viewpoint article, I argue that, as the view on incumbent firms has broadened over the years, a number of challenges have emerged that hamper the discourse on the role of incumbents in sustainability transitions and the advancement of theoretical knowledge. These challenges arise from (1) different – often implicit – definitions of incumbents and reference ontologies; (2) insufficient consideration of sectoral boundaries and inter-sectoral dynamics; (3) unclear criteria for the interpretation of the role of incumbents for the sustainability transition process under study; (4) the non-consideration of capitalism and capitalism theory when analysing the role of incumbent firms in sustainability transitions. I illustrate these challenges with examples from transition research and formulate potential solutions.