Transforming mobility: The Dutch smart mobility policy as an example of a transformative STI policy

Abstract

Abstract The recent orientation toward societal challenges in Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) policies has exposed the limitations of contemporary governance to deal with these endeavors. For this reason, it has been urged a shift toward the so-called ‘transformative change’ approach, drawn from socio-technical transitions literature. This research suggests that this approach can be considered an emerging policy paradigm, and studies the implications of its adoption in STI policy. For doing so, we developed a conceptual framework based on policy sciences and STI policy literature, and used to study a policy resembling this societal challenge orientation: the Dutch smart mobility policy. Our case study suggests that the transformative change approach can be considered a new paradigm in STI policy, as novel theories, approaches, and mechanisms are being used to govern this policy. This research contributes to a better understanding of transformative approaches, by empirically looking the changing role of governance in societal challenge-led STI policies.