Creating points of opportunity in sustainability transitions: Reflective interventions in inter-organizational collaboration

Abstract

This paper addresses the lack of attention for the behaviours and agency of actors in organizations in the sustainability transitions literature by focussing on practices of inter-organizational collaboration in the transition to circular construction. Practices of inter-organizational collaboration can slow down this transition and are deeply embedded in the construction regime, creating critical points of intersection. This research therefore investigated how reflective interventions can enable project actors to change their practices and support the transformation of critical points of intersection into points of opportunity in circular construction. To answer this question, we adopted a case study approach with action research elements. The results of this study contribute to the sustainability transitions literature by showing how reflective interventions can assist in the transformation of critical points of intersection through five processes, including prioritising reflection on practices, critically evaluating practices, creating a breeding ground for new practices, implementing new practices and embedding new practices in partner organizations. Furthermore, we move away from the focus on policy interventions and offer more room for the agency of actors in projects, by showing how reflective interventions can create experimental environments close to the day-to-day activities of project actors enabling them to simultaneously unlearn obsolete practices and learn new practices.