Abstract
This paper concerns the emergence and diffusion of radical innovations in the context of sustainability transitions. We confront the typical understanding in the Strategic Niche Management framework with an in-depth longitudinal case study of French modern tramways (1971–2016), which represents a particular technology class: local infrastructure systems. The case confirms the relevance of existing SNM-concepts, but also points to three pattern deviations: 1) incumbent actors from neighbouring regimes can play a leading role in the development of radical alternatives, 2) the early formulation of highly specific visions can effectively guide search paths (as opposed to a usual prescription about more open-ended approaches to foster innovative variety creation), and 3) particularly influential projects (which we call ‘landmark projects’) can decisively accelerate innovation developments. Exploring a greater variety of diffusion and transition patterns (based on temporal interactions of causal mechanisms and varying roles played by different actors) is a fruitful way forward for sustainability transitions research.
Highlights
The case confirms the relevance of existing Strategic Niche Management (SNM)-concepts, and points to three pattern deviations: 1) incumbent actors from neighbouring regimes can play a leading role in the development of radical alternatives, 2) the early formulation of highly specific visions can effectively guide search paths, and 3) influential projects can decisively accelerate innovation developments
This paper aims to contribute to debates on the emergence and diffusion of radical innovations in the literature on sustainability transitions
The archetypical understanding of this topic in the Strategic Niche Management (SNM) framework (Hoogma et al, 2002; Kemp et al, 1998; Schot and Geels, 2008) and the Multi-Level Perspective (MLP) (Elzen et al, 2004; Geels et al, 2017) is that that radical niche-innovations initially emerge in niches that constitute protected spaces (Schot and Geels, 2007; Smith and Raven, 2012) relatively sheltered from environmental pressures and selection criteria, where new entrants and outsiders can experiment and learn on multiple dimensions (Van De Poel, 2000)
Summary
This paper aims to contribute to debates on the emergence and diffusion of radical innovations in the literature on sustainability transitions. The archetypical understanding of this topic in the Strategic Niche Management (SNM) framework (Hoogma et al, 2002; Kemp et al, 1998; Schot and Geels, 2008) and the Multi-Level Perspective (MLP) (Elzen et al, 2004; Geels et al, 2017) is that that radical niche-innovations (which are defined as deviating in technological, user or operational dimensions from core established regimes) initially emerge in niches that constitute protected spaces (Schot and Geels, 2007; Smith and Raven, 2012) relatively sheltered from environmental pressures and selection criteria, where new entrants and outsiders can experiment and learn on multiple dimensions (Van De Poel, 2000) This is followed by gradual diffusion into larger market niches, which involves uphill struggles against existing systems, which are defended by powerful incumbent actors (with vested interests and core capabilities in existing systems) (Geels, 2014) and stabilised by entrenched rules and institutions (Scott, 2013), called ‘socio-technical regimes’ (Fuenfschilling and Truffer, 2014).. These ‘empowerment’ studies privilege the perspective of niche advocates and adopt a ‘bottom-up’ or niche-to-regime view on change that remains close to the archetypical understanding
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