When Nothing Happens: Understanding the Lack of Agency in Degrading Water Utility Systems (WITHDRAWN)

Abstract

The water utility sector is usually perceived as a conservative sector. However, in times of major investment needs an opportunity to change the otherwise rigid infrastructure systems appears. The transition literature has gained extensive attention for studies on transitions of established socio-technical systems. In this research stream, the concept of the socio-technical regime, which constitutes the highly institutionalised formal and informal rules that control the system, plays a central role. In this paper, the regime is conceptualised as constituting of multiple sub-regimes, which are used to examine what is preventing the transition of a degrading socio-technical system. This is illustrated by a case study of the water utility sector in Sweden, which face significant needs to upgrade its infrastructure systems. The findings show that the key regime actors, i.e., the water utilities, are currently prevented from managing this situation. By studying the sub-regimes, lock-ins and possible responses to them are identified.