Niche Innovations Research Articles

Sustainable urban development and the multi-level transition perspective

This article discusses some challenges and possible adaptations of transition theory as a framework for analyzing the prospects for environmentally more sustainable development of urban land use and transport infrastructure. Rather than depending first and foremost on niche innovations, a transition toward sustainable urban development is a matter of changing the composition of existing multi-segmented land use and transportation regimes. Those well-experienced forms of built environment and transport infrastructure that are in line with sustainability objectives should be strengthened while those that are not should be actively constrained and reduced. Urban development in a Danish provincial city is used as a case to illustrate some of the points made in the theoretical part of the article. Due to the wide gap between present conditions and those required to realize a sustainable urban development, more attention should be directed toward landscape level conditions and possibilities for changing them.

What is protective space? Reconsidering niches in transitions to sustainability

The transitions literature emphasises the role of niches, defined as a protective space for path-breaking innovations. Surprisingly, the concept of protection has not been systematically interrogated. Our analysis identifies effective protection as having three properties in wider transition processes: shielding, nurturing and empowerment. Empowerment is considered the least developed in current niche literature. It can be understood as either processes that make niche innovations competitive within unchanged selection environments (fit-and-conform) or as processes that contribute to changes in mainstream selection environments in ways favourable to a path-breaking niche innovation (stretch-and-transform). Adopting a more constructivist perspective, we subsequently argue that analysis of these properties needs to be complemented with particular attention for the politics involved in their construction. Attention to empowerment confirms the view that niche actors need to link to wider processes of social change, and suggests how this arises. The paper ends with an outlook upon two promising research avenues: (1) the reconstruction of niche development in light of the present framework; (2) analyses of the diverse (political) narratives seeking to empower niches across time and space.

What role for microgeneration in a shift to a low carbon domestic energy sector in the UK?

Domestic energy use accounts for more than a quarter of CO2 emissions in the UK. Traditional approaches to energy reduction look at direct emissions savings, and recommend insulation and efficiency as more cost-effective than microgeneration. However, microgeneration has indirect, ‘soft’ benefits and could play a significant role in emissions reduction. Current uptake of microgeneration in the UK is low, with various barriers—economic, technical, cultural, behavioural and institutional—both to uptake and to maximising energy and emissions savings once installed. Subsidies and spreading information alone do not guarantee maximising uptake, and even if successful, this is not enough to maximise savings. The industry focuses on maximising sales, with no incentives to ensure best installations and use; householders do not have access to the best information, and user behaviour does not maximise energy and emission savings. This is related to a broader state of socio-technical ‘lock-in’ in domestic energy use; there’s a lack of connection between personal behaviour and energy consumption, let alone global climate change. This suggests that a major cultural–behavioural shift is needed to reduce energy/emissions in the home. Transition theory and strategic niche management provide insights into possible systemic change and a suitable framework for future policies, such as supporting a variety of radically innovative niches, both technological and social. Microgeneration, properly employed, has the potential to play a part in such a transition by increasing awareness and energy literacy and empowering people to seriously engage in energy debates as producers, as well as consumers, of energy. This deeper understanding and heightened responsibility are crucial in a shift toward bottom-up emission-reducing behaviour change and better acceptance of top-down energy-saving policy measures, as part of a new domestic energy paradigm. The implications for policy are that, as well as supporting the technologies, it needs to support existing niches and to develop new niche experiments. Policy needs to consider how to promote empowerment and responsibility and support or even develop new energy sector models; this will involve a range of stakeholders and multiple governance levels, not just national incentive schemes.

Electronic identity management in e-Government 2.0: Exploring a system innovation exemplified by Austria

Web 2.0 in its various shades is being embraced in the domain of e-government; sophisticated transaction services are becoming mainstream interactions and creating new challenges, particularly regarding security and privacy. The emerging field of electronic identity management (e-IDM) addresses these issues, while governments are introducing e-IDM systems at national level to support service provision. This paper conceptualizes the transition to such a in Austria as a system and uses the approach of actor-centered institutionalism to analyze the innovation process and its outcome. It identifies major particularities of the Austrian such as the technology-neutral approach using multiple tokens and an ID-model with special provisions for privacy protection, traces their origin in the interplay of institutional context and actor constellations and assesses the pattern of this transformation. The current represents a niche innovation, indeed with a transformation pattern implying considerable change for public administration as well as for citizens. Still controversial privacy implications and insufficient user value, reflected in slow take-up, remain the challenges. The innovation perspective proved particularly valuable in identifying demands for adaptation by revealing barriers in the transition process towards the e-IDMS.

Innovation niches and socio-technical transition: A case study of bio-refinery production

In this paper we investigate socio-technical transition pathways concentrating our attention on innovation niches formations. Specifically, we present first a methodological conceptualization of innovation niches and suggest an empirical methodology, based on a Social Network Analysis (SNA), aimed at capturing and measuring the internal development status of innovation niches. Further, we propose a taxonomy of various niche development statuses. The proposed empirical methodology is subsequently tested on a specific case study where we assess the development status of the emerging bio-refinery niche situated in the province of Foggia (Apulia Region, Italy). Although not exhaustive, we believe this study represents an important step in a much-needed direction, which is the development of a commonly shared empirical methodology for innovation studies dealing with socio-technical transitions.

Supporting and evaluating emerging technologies: a review of approaches

New technologies, such as genomics or nanotechnology, emerge together with high expectations and with huge uncertainties. This creates a specific condition for innovation policies and their evaluation. The reduction of uncertainty – especially needed in emerging technologies – may actually lead to unfavourable situations, such as rigid routines that hinder innovative new options or protective niches that foster less-adapted technology. Three dedicated approaches to evaluate and orient emerging technologies are reviewed that start from, respectively, technology assessment, the formation of niches and the formation of networks. These approaches seek to monitor, evaluate and optimise the processes by which technologies are shaped and stimulate learning between all parties involved.

Iconic war imagery

The Paris-based global media freedom group Reporters sans frontières has carved out an innovative niche for its brand of fund-raising books in defence of the endangered journalist species. The latest addition is another fine collector's item— 100 iconic war and social disorder imagery from Britsh photo-journalist Don McCullin.

Cayamo – a case study of a music themed cruise

PurposeThis paper aims to provide a look at an unusual emerging market though its main aim is to provide a rich and colourful exercise for teaching marketing. Rich in that the teacher has a variety of options, colourful in that the student will be engaged by the language and content.Design/methodology/approachThe case study focuses on an unusual and relatively new leisure product that combines two growing areas: cruise tourism and music festivals. The case is written in a narrative style to allow student interpretation of the material and application to a range of marketing concepts. The information within the case is derived from a number of published sources including market data, internet chatrooms, blogs and an interview with a customer.FindingsThe case builds to provide a picture of an innovative niche product in an emerging growth market. In the introduction, it demonstrates that popular music is no longer limited to low‐income youth. The sections that follow the introduction set the scene for a (variable) market definition. Next, the experiences revealed in the Sixthman Blog show their lack of understanding of this “new product”. Whilst, the personal experience that follows highlights typical customer demographics and needs. The research from Mintel pulls much of this together before leaving some thoughts for the future in the final section.Originality/valueThe case can be used for teaching in a number of ways, for example, relating to market development, segmentation, targeting and marketing communications.

The Role of Individuals in Policy Change: The Case of UK Low-Energy Housing

In this paper I examine the role of individuals in the policy process, drawing on research into a number of individuals active in UK low-energy housing during the 1990s. Kingdon's notion of a policy entrepreneur is critically assessed. Policy entrepreneurs are conceived of as working very closely with government trying to influence the day-to-day operations of the policy process. Here I broaden this definition, suggesting that individuals active outside of government circles can also have a significant impact on processes of policy change. Concepts from science and technology studies, including actor-network theory and innovation niches, are used to explore the relationship between low-energy housing entrepreneurs, the housing they built, and policy change. Sociotechnical approaches are helpful in thinking about both the potential for individuals operating outside of the policy arena to influence policy, as well as the agency of materials such as low-energy housing. The policy influence of the entrepreneurs is judged to be twofold: in reframing policy discourse, and in providing a model for new low-energy housing. In conclusion, the importance of attending to the local embeddedness of the entrepreneurs is discussed.

Organic production: the adoption of a niche strategy by the mainstream food system

This paper critically assesses the potential and barriers for food system transformation from the conventional to an organic model by utilising the literature on system innovation. Based on the analysis of two food supply chains in the UK, namely chicken and potato production and processing, the paper demonstrates that the current conventional food system appears to be resilient to radical change. Instead, mainstream actors of the conventional food system adopt organic production as a part of their diversification strategy. Considering the potential of niche innovations, such as organic production, to transform the existing system, the paper discusses whether key elements of the system allow such a change.

Exuberant Innovations: The Apollo Program

We present an analysis of the economic, political and social factors that underlay the Apollo program, one of the most exceptional and costly projects ever undertaken by the United States in peacetime that culminated in 1969 with the first human steps on the Moon. This study suggests that the Apollo program provides a vivid illustration of a societal bubble, defined as a collective over-enthusiasm as well as unreasonable investments and efforts, derived through excessive public and/or political expectations of positive outcomes associated with a general reduction of risk aversion. We show that economic, political and social factors weaved a network of reinforcing feedbacks that led to widespread over-enthusiasm and extraordinary commitment by those involved in the project as well as by politicians and by the public at large. We propose the general concept of “pro-bubbles”, according to which bubbles are an unavoidable development in technological and social enterprise that benefits society by allowing exceptional niches of innovation to be explored.

'Bubbles in Society' - The Example of the United States Apollo Program

We present an analysis of the economic, political and social factors that underlay the Apollo program, one of the most exceptional and costly projects ever undertaken by the United States in peacetime that culminated in 1969 with the first human steps on the Moon. This study suggests that the Apollo program provides a vivid illustration of a societal bubble, defined as a collective over-enthusiasm as well as unreasonable investments and efforts, derived through excessive public and/or political expectations of positive outcomes associated with a general reduction of risk aversion. We show that economic, political and social factors weaved a network of reinforcing feedbacks that led to widespread over-enthusiasm and extraordinary commitment by individuals involved in the project as well as by politicians and by the public at large. We propose the general concept of pro-bubbles, according to which bubbles are an unavoidable development in technological and social enterprise that benefits society by allowing exceptional niches of innovation to be explored.

Innovative Niches for Practicing Psychologists

Innovative Niches for Practicing Psychologists

Value Revelation of Differentiated Goods in the Travel Industry

The market for hotel and travel-related services can be seen as one in which the goods are differentiated products. Classification by the information content of goods - search goods, experience goods, post-experience goods and credence goods applies well to this market. Corrective measures are suggested for the market imperfections implied by asymmetry of information and transactions costs. Implications of this characterization for national policies and private business strategies in travel-related industries are examined, specifically for Thailand. Mass media marketing campaigns for tourism expansion, over-utilizing our natural resource and commoditizing travel products and cultural tourism, are not advocated. Efforts to achieve balance between demand and capacity through local involvement are more productive for sustainable tourism; examples are given. Innovative development, niche marketing, and high value endeavors are critical elements of a value enhancement business strategy. Internet usage aids in the reduction of informational imperfection. In order that online advertising be effective and directed at the relevant customer needs, it must make use of search engine marketing in the proper context.

Transforming technological regimes for sustainable development: a role for alternative technology niches?

Research into technology and sustainable development has shifted upwards recently, from the level of individual artefacts to entire technological regimes. New theory into the public management of regime transformation privileges a role for innovative niches that diverge from the incumbent, mainstream regime and meet human needs in environmentally sustainable ways. However, the theory becomes sketchy on strategies for supporting and harnessing these diverse niches. This paper discusses some of the challenges confronting a theory of regime transformation, and how historical research into alternative technology may contribute.

A Role-Based Ecology of Technological Change

This article considers what factors determine whether an innovation becomes a foundation for future technological developments rather than a "dea end." The authors introduce the concept of the technological niche, which includes a focal innovation, the innovations on which the focal innovations builds, the innovations that build upon the focal innovation, and the technological ties among the innovations within the niche. Using patents and patent citations to measure characteristics of innovation niches within the semiconductor industry, the authors show that the size of the niche and the status of the actors within the niche have a positive effect on the likelihood that subsequent innovations will build upon the focal innovation. Competitive intensity within the niche has a negative effect on this likelihood.

Extension of interstate 93 through Franconia Notch, New Hampshire

This article adopts a novel methodology to explore the transformation of the nineteenth century English lodging industry from an inn-keeping model in the late 1700's to a professional hotel management model in the early 1900's. The multi-level perspective methodology employed in this research is a mid-range theory, which uses elements of technological transitions and the concept of niche innovation cumulation to explain the evolution of the hospitality industry from the mid 1760's to 1914. At the beginning of the nineteenth century English inns provided a rudimentary experience. By the end of the century, the English hotel industry had adopted domestic and international innovations, to improve service quality and comfort.