Innovation Systems Perspective Research Articles

Construction and validation of a psychometric scale to assess extension agents’ beliefs about extension and innovation

ABSTRACTPurposeThis article aims at designing and validating a psychometric scale to assess extensionists’ and advisors’ beliefs about extension and innovation.Design/Methodology/approachThe scale was developed by drawing upon results from a previous empirical research as well as insights from a literature review on extension and innovation approaches. The theoretical framework used to write the items was validated by 12 international experts from 11 countries. 608 Argentine extension workers completed the questionnaire. Replies were analysed using Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis.FindingsThe scale has a good fit and satisfactory level of internal consistency. Five factors were identified: Dialogue and horizontal coordination; Transfer of technology; Blame on farmers; Participatory, farmer-led extension; and Self-critical attitude.Practical implicationsThe scale has multiple and different uses, including research, theory development, institutional practice, diagnosis, and teaching.Theoretical implicationsResults show that a horizontal, facilitative extension approach shares a common epistemology, as well as underlying values and assumptions, with territorial development and with an innovation systems perspective, and that both contrast with a traditional transfer of technology approach. Nonetheless, practitioners would not tend to see these two contrasting perspectives as contradictory but as complementary.Originality/ValueThe scale is the first validated psychometric instrument, based on an ample theoretical framework, that allows for a quantitative assessment of beliefs about extension and innovation.

The effect of regional factors in the development of eco‐innovations in the firm

AbstractThis research addresses the study of the effect of regional factors in the development of eco‐innovations in the firm. We assume the hypothesis of regional heterogeneity, that is, geographical factors and the regional heterogeneity play an important role in determining the innovations in the firms. In this line, we will approach our study from the perspective of regional innovation systems (RISs). Therefore, our research question involves the evaluation of regional factors as determinants of eco‐innovation developing in the firm. To examine these questions, the PITEC database that covers the period 2011–2013 was used. Overall, 5,461 firms have been employed for the ordinal logit regression model. This research contributes to the studies of eco‐innovation, extending the investigation into drivers of eco‐innovation, and highlights the impact that RIS has on the eco‐innovative development in the firm. We find that regional interaction and regional characteristics are key elements for the development of eco‐innovation in firms. Thus, the density of companies in the region, the regional per capita income, and the existence of financing mechanisms are key elements for the eco‐innovative development in the firm.

Tracking the evolution of dairy innovation system in Kerala

This study is an attempt to explore the dairy sector of Kerala from an innovation system perspective. The objective is to analyze and study the dynamics of change catalyzed by the interaction of various actors, institutional mechanism and policy setting. Four unique stages are identified in the evolution of a dairy innovation system. The results suggests that the innovation system of this sector is growing, though its performance is yet to reach impressive levels. More actor engagement, institutional restructuring and policy orientation to address the emerging challenges are demanded to stimulate its performance and competitiveness. The study will be useful for policy makers to track the evolution of dairy innovation system in the State and to understand the factors influencing its dynamics.

Finland's wood-frame multi-storey construction innovation system: Analysing motors of creative destruction

Wood-frame multi-storey construction (WMC) is enjoying a period of increasing popularity in the public domain, with ‘timber towers’ and ‘wooden skyscrapers’ being labelled as potential game changers. Yet, whilst WMC is growing in some European cities, it still remains a curiosity. The emergence of WMC is the result of decades of science, technology and innovation policy and entrepreneurial experimentation. The aim of this paper is to analyse the emergence and evolution of the Finnish WMC from a technological innovation system perspective; paying attention to niche creation and regime destabilisation functions and motors of creative destruction. We analyse two distinct periods of activity in WMC innovation. Both were stimulated by government interventions looking to encourage value-added activity for the forestry sector in light of external pressures. Our analysis of WMC innovation systems functions highlights the importance of creative destruction in the science and technology push motor of innovation, especially where niche WMC technologies are competing against the incumbent concrete frame construction system.

An innovation system perspective of two dairy value chains in Kerala

Although recognized that collaborative performance of the diverse actors are crucial for the success of a value chain, there have been few efforts to understand their dynamics of linkages and interactions in context of dairying. This study fills the gap by analysing the convergence among various actors of 2 dairy value chains (SBCMSS and PDDP) with an innovation system focus. Key informant interviews supplemented with household level suvey among the livestock rearers were conducted to collect data. Snowball sampling was followed to identify diverse actors of value chains followed by simple random sampling for mapping the innovation system. Data were analysed using Social Network Analysis (SNA). Results indicate that dairy farmers hold the key influencive position in the ego network of SBCMSS and the private dairy firm in case of PDDP. However, the network members of SBCMSS were more likely to access various resources and services than that of PDDP. Besides, there is a considerable scope for enhancing the linkages among the actors for better interaction. Higher centrality measures for the farmers in terms of information brokerage and proximity to the other actors were desirable results for the future extension and technology dissemination interventions. Policy makers could focus on fixing the gaps in linkages between the actors and reconfiguring the interactions to strengthen the central actors to improve the performance of innovation system.

India’s Response to Climate Change and Energy Security: A National Innovation System Perspective

Economic growth fueled by the extensive utilization of natural resources and usage of fossil fuels has inflicted severe damage on the environment and resulted in climatic changes, weather extremes, increased temperatures etc. Economies all over the world are facing a trade-off between achieving high economic growth and mitigating climate change. As economic prosperity and development will always come at the cost of rapid consumption of resources from the environment, the role of technology and the adoption of innovation systems that helps countries to achieve high growth in a sustainable manner are becoming extremely important. While the developed economies have responded to this challenge by adopting a low carbon growth path, the developing economies due to their lack of resources, capital and infrastructure still lag behind. In particular, India is facing the twin challenge of accomplishing high economic growth in order to provide employment to its young and aspiring population while coping up with climate change and energy security. Due to its fossil fuel based energy system it is currently the fourth largest emitter of greenhouse gases after economies like China, United States and the European Union. Currently both public and private players in the India are playing their role in helping India achieve a sustainable growth by investing in research and development, supporting start-up ecosystem, focusing on renewable sources of energy and adopting clean technology. Section I provides an introduction to the paper. Section II discusses the global picture of energy consumption and carbon emissions. Section III stresses on the importance of technology and innovation systems to mitigate the problems of climate change. Section IV discusses the case of India, with emphasis on its energy consumption patterns and the various strategies it has adopted in order to ensure energy security. Section V analyzes the energy ecosystems and the corresponding sectoral innovation system. Section VI concludes the paper and draws three major policy implications. Firstly, given the heavy reliance of India on its conventional sources of energy enhancing the efficiency of this sector is of utmost importance. Second the existence of huge externalities and the presence of market failures in the energy sector must be recognized and woven into the design of India’s future energy policy. Also the country needs to formulate strategic plans for its renewable energy sector. Lastly, it suggests that the key to achieving success in India’s strategic energy action plan lies in designing an effective implementation strategy.

Bridging technology adoption gaps in livestock sector in Ethiopia: A innovation system perspective

The failure of the majority of smallholder farmers in Ethiopia to take advantage of agricultural technologies and economic opportunities in the livestock sector remains an unresolved puzzle. This paper assesses the role of economic, social, political and organizational processes on technology adoption in smallholder livestock production systems based on innovation systems perspective. Functions of the innovation systems framework was used to assess the missing links in the dairy sector value chains. The results show that weak or missing innovation systems functions such as entrepreneurship, knowledge diffusion, market development, and policy advocacy mirror the low uptake of improved technologies in the livestock sector. Shortage of domestic suppliers of key technological inputs and services, weak input and output markets and weak interaction among value chain actors have been the major hindrances to livestock development. For example, there were no reliable sources of improved breeds of dairy heifers, veterinary supplies, quality semen, and equipment. The results suggest that technical knowledge and availability of economic opportunities alone may not be enough to stimulate the uptake of technologies and commercialization of dairy production. The peculiar nature of inputs, services, and output in the livestock sector requires innovative business models that can facilitate the coordination of knowledge, skills, inputs, services and output markets in livestock value chains.

Challenges and opportunities for the growth of solar photovoltaic energy in Brazil

This study investigates from a socio-technical perspective the emergence of Solar Photovoltaic electricity (PV) in Brazil and identifies challenges and opportunities of PV energy in the country. The research is based mainly on primary data from 2015 to 2016 including 15 in-depth interviews with representing relevant actors from the system. Additional written data involved resolutions, regulations and reports from the official government organizations. Multilevel perspective and the functions of innovation systems perspective were used for data analysis. The need for the dissemination of PV energy includes the establishment of long-term clear goals, fiscal and financial incentives, more attractive opportunities for investors as well as professional training courses. The paper includes a critical review of the applicability of the multilevel perspective and functions of innovation system with recommendations for adapting them to better fit this case. What is especially interesting to derive from the analysis is the impact of the niche developments on the regime and the landscape, especially in the establishment of a domestic PV energy industry, national economic growth, local and regional development, which would result from the dissemination of PV energy.

Opportunities and Barriers for Biomass Gasification for Green Gas in the Dutch Residential Sector

The Dutch residential sector is locked-in into natural gas for the supply of heat. The expected depletion of national reserves and induced earthquakes in the production area are reasons to aim to escape this lock-in. The Dutch government and key players in the natural gas sector have expressed large green gas ambitions. This paper explores the opportunities and barriers of biomass gasification for green gas production and application in the residential sector. The Technological Innovation Systems and Multi-Level Perspective were applied as sustainability transition frameworks to explore the current technological state of biomass gasification and the developments in the residential sector. Four limitations were observed from a supply perspective; little financial space for demonstration plants, absence of technology specific policy, lagging market developments and insecurities related to biomass availability. On the demand side, clear barriers hampering change are observed, providing large opportunities for green gas. Key players in the natural gas regime take no substantial responsibility, despite their potential ability to contribute to overcoming systemic barriers. Therefore, this research concludes that the current green gas ambitions set by the Dutch government are not feasible and that the government may address this with technology specific policy, substantial research and development subsidies and funding.

On Technology in Innovation Systems and Innovation-Ecosystem Perspectives: A Cross-Linking Analysis

The purpose of this paper is to clarify the role of technology as it has been framed within Innovation System (IS) and Innovation Ecosystem (IE) literature research streams. The methodological choice is a systemic review that allows to focus on theoretical proposals by scholars and the identification of the commonalities regarding the pivotal role of technology and the differences in describing innovation-based mechanisms in both literatures. Results show that the key elements are the overall idea of technology as pivotal in driving innovation, the actors affecting technology and contributing to reach innovation-based goals, and the decisional process emerging because of technology. Furthermore, emerging features on evolution through time and knowledge-transforming mechanisms favored by technology in IE show an opportunity to learn in-depth from specific insights generated in both the literatures and to delineate a more comprehensive approach to technology related to innovation in wider interconnected contexts.

Public-private partnerships as systemic agricultural innovation policy instruments – Assessing their contribution to innovation system function dynamics

This paper addresses the question how public-private partnerships function as systemic innovation policy instruments within agricultural innovation systems. Public-private partnerships are a popular government tool to promote innovations. However, the wide ranging nature of PPPs make it difficult to assess their effects beyond the direct impacts they generate for the partners. This paper broadens the discussion on the evaluation of PPPs beyond the organisational and financial benefits of the actors involved, and assesses their contribution to the functioning of the innovation system itself. In this paper, we utilise an innovation system perspective that focusses on how PPPs influence the dynamic interplay of innovation system functions and how these functions form a set of feedback loops that constitute an ‘innovation motor’. We compare the innovation history of four cases that differ in their strategic policy goals, either working on agricultural sustainability, or on the international competitiveness in the Dutch agricultural sector. The results show the strengths and weaknesses of different types of public-private partnerships as systemic instruments and their capability to orchestrate other types of innovation policy instruments.

Innovation platforms: a tool to enhance small-scale farmer potential through co-creation

ABSTRACTThis article describes the process and analyses the results of a project in Ethiopia establishing an innovation platform (IP) as a tool for co-creation from an innovation systems perspective. The results are encouraging, suggesting positive effects both on yields, but more importantly on the capacity and role of participants as communicators and agents of change in the community. The IP seems promising in creating new networks and modes of communication. The importance of good facilitation, commitment by all members from the start, and feedback loops driving the process was found to be essential.

Linking system perspectives with user perspectives to identify adoption barriers to food security innovations for smallholder farmers – evidence from rural Tanzania

Food insecurity remains a persistent problem, affecting one-third of Tanzania’s population. Mutually reinforcing factors that make the situation more acute include high human population growth combined with the impacts of climate change affecting agricultural productivity. This situation explains why the development and implementation of solutions to improve food security in Tanzania continues to receive substantial attention from scholars, NGOs, practitioners, government and associated bodies. Among researchers and practitioners, innovation is discussed as one possible and widely accepted pathway for improving food security. However, evidence shows that the adoption of innovations that have a potential to improve food security status, such as improved seed, fertilizer, better cooking stoves or mechanization, remains low in Tanzania. To enhance understanding about why innovations are not always successfully adopted, we took an innovation system perspective that included three analytical steps: (1) description of system arrangements on a meso- and macro level, (2) the description of farmers’ motivation for adoption or rejection on a micro-level, and (3) an integration of findings from both levels to identify entry points for purposeful intervention. This paper applied that framework to the empirical examples of two innovations, improved cooking stoves (ICS) and fertilizer micro-dosing (FMD) combined with improved soil and crop management techniques for small-scale subsistence-farmer groups in Tanzania. These interventions were part of the Trans-SEC research project. We show how system constraints, such as hampered communication and interaction across levels, had an impact on the way innovations could be implemented by farmers and how this leads to specific adoption decisions, given conditions of not-knowing or insufficient information. From these two case studies we conclude that most technical based innovations are associated with process aspects (in the case of fertilizer micro-dosing) or social aspects (with stoves).

Innovation intermediation in a digital age: Comparing public and private new-ICT platforms for agricultural extension in Ghana

Agricultural extension in sub-Saharan Africa has often been criticised for its focus on linear knowledge transfer, and limited attention to systemic approaches to service delivery. Currently, the region is experiencing a new-ICT revolution and there are high expectations of new-ICTs to enhance interaction and information exchange in extension service delivery. Using an innovation systems perspective, we distinguish the roles demand-articulation, matching demand and supply, and innovation process management for innovation-intermediaries. The study explores literature on how new-ICT may support these roles, with specific interest in the possibilities of environmental monitoring and new forms of organisation enabled by enhanced connectivity. In order to contribute to the understanding of this area, the paper reports on a comparative study of two new-ICT platforms embedded in Ghanaian public and private extension organisations respectively. We assess the roles that these platforms (aim to) support, and document achievements and constraints based on interviews with extension staff and farmers. The findings indicate that while both platforms aim to support innovation-intermediation roles the focus areas and level of detail differ due to diverging organisational rationales to service delivery. In addition, we see that new-ICTs' potential to support innovation-intermediation roles is far from realised. This is not due to (new) ICTs lacking the capacity to link people in new ways and make information accessible, but due to the wider social, organisational and institutional factors that define the realisation of their potential. Therefore, more conventional modes of interaction around production advice and also credit provision continue to be dominant and better adapted to the situation. However, beyond the two platforms that were developed specifically by and for the extension organisations, there were indications that more informal and self-organised new-ICT initiatives can transform and enhance interaction patterns in innovations systems to achieve collective goals through standard virtual platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram.

Technological shape and size: A disaggregated perspective on sectoral innovation systems in renewable electrification pathways

The sectoral innovation system perspective has been developed as an analytical framework to analyse and understand innovation dynamics within and across various sectors. Most of the research conducted on sectoral innovation systems has focused on an aggregate-level analysis of entire sectors. This paper argues that a disaggregated (sub-sectoral) focus is more suited to policy-oriented work on the development and diffusion of renewable energy, particularly in countries with rapidly developing energy systems and open technology choices. It focuses on size, distinguishing between small-scale (mini-grids) and large-scale (grid-connected) deployment paths in renewable energy. We explore how the development and diffusion of solar PV and wind technology evolve in these sub-sectoral systems. We find that innovation and diffusion dynamics differ more between small and large than between wind and solar. This has important analytical implications because the disaggregated perspective allows us to identify trajectories that cut across conventionally defined core technologies. This is important for ongoing discussions of electrification pathways in developing countries. We conclude the paper by distilling the implications of these findings in terms of the requirements and incentive mechanisms that shape different pathways.

Nurturing agroforestry systems in Flanders: Analysis from an agricultural innovation systems perspective

The shift to industrial agriculture in Europe brought along a range of environmental and social externalities. This led policy makers, researchers and civil servants to consider and explore the potential of diversified farming systems (DFS) to address current problems in agriculture. However, because of multiple obstacles adoption of these DFS by farmers is not obvious. In this study we investigate the case of agroforestry (AF) systems in Flanders, where a government incentive scheme initiated in 2011, did not lead to the expected uptake of AF systems by farmers. To understand this implementation gap and the role of the different relevant actors herein, we used the Agricultural Innovation System concept ensuring an integrative and holistic analysis. Through 25 interviews, 2 focus groups and document analysis, a set of qualitative data was gathered and analyzed. This revealed five sets of challenges, which are of a technical, financial, legal, organizational and social nature. For each of these challenges development pathways were formulated to further upscale AF adoption. Although they should be substantiated and fine-tuned through further research, they put forward the importance of (1) investing in research to improve the compatibility and labor productivity of AF systems, (2) engaging private and societal actors in niche markets for agroecological products, (3) developing a full-fledged legal landscape and an effective incentive program, (4) using different communication and education channels to familiarize actors with agroecological practices, and (5) strengthening the dialogue between influential groups.

Innovation and natural resource-based development: case of natural rubber sector in Kerala, India

ABSTRACTIt has long been held that natural resource abundance retards economic growth. Studies using innovation system perspectives, however, suggest that natural resource abundance per se need not stand in the way of evolving a growing and diversified economy while the absence of learning and innovation could. In this context, the present study explores why Kerala has not been successful in evolving new production and industries linked to established natural resource industries. This issue has been addressed by taking the case of natural rubber known for its R&D-led output growth and productivity enhancement. Analytically, it draws insights from the ongoing discourse in the innovation system literature that distinguishes between narrow and broad approaches to innovation processes. It is argued that while the narrow approach to innovation could lead to increased productivity and growth of natural rubber under tariff protection, it could not help in evolving a vibrant rubber-based industrial sector by harnessing backward and forward linkages. In sync with the studies that underline the complementary role of science-based learning and experience-based learning in accomplishing innovation-led long-term development, the paper makes the case for evolving broad innovation strategy in natural rubber to build linkages among various actors and heterogeneous knowledge bases.

Agricultural innovation systems and farm technology adoption: findings from a study of the Ghanaian plantain sector

ABSTRACTPurpose: We assess farm technology adoption in an integrated analysis of social networks and innovation in plantain production in Ghana. The paper explores the strength of social networks in the agricultural innovation systems (AISs) and the effect of AISs on adoption of improved farm technology.Methodology/Approach: The paper uses social network analysis (SNA) tools to identify, map and analyze the AISs and the two-stage Heckman selection model. Combining qualitative and quantitative methods allows testing the differential effects of social networks on technology adoption.Findings: We find weak innovation systems in the study area. Farmers are central in the social networks but have little to no influence in the innovation system perspective. Social network capital plays a critical role in improving adoption of improved farm technology.Practical implication: Focal farmers are important actors disseminating farm technology. They should be supported by policies to interact more effectively with research and extension agents. Strengthening the role of social networking in the innovation system will enhance adoption of improved farm technology.Theoretical implications: The inclusion of SNA indicators in the adoption model is a novel approach for quantifying the effect of the innovation system and contributes to understanding the roles of different actors. Further validation of the SNA indicators is needed for a comprehensive analysis of the innovation system.Originality/value: The innovation system approach is useful for researchers and policy-makers by encouraging them to consider new innovation actors and relationships in technology development and dissemination. Combining quantitative and qualitative methods can help to identify starting points for policies to promote innovations among farmers.

Creative industry in supporting economy growth in Indonesia: Perspective of regional innovation system

Creative Industry is one of the most influential economy sources in the world in era 2000 years. It was introduced by John Howkins [1] in which economy growth is dependent on new ideas. This concept answers concerning to industrial-based economy and has shifted from industrial economy (manufacture) to creative economy (intellectual as main asset). As developing countries, Government of Indonesia has seriously paid attention on creative industry sectors since 2009 through President Instruction Number 6 Year 2009 about Development of Creative Economy in Indonesia [23]. Since Joko Widodo has been President of Republic of Indonesia, creative economy is more developed by forming creative economy agency (Bekraf). Now, economy creative is one of new economy sources which is promoted by Government of Indonesia. Many creative sectors are pushed to complete national economy in Indonesia. In this term, perspective of regional innovation system is also important to understand what is creative industry expected by Government of Indonesia. Innovation and creative economy is two terms which is not separated each other. This paper uses case study in Indonesia as research methodology, also perspective of regional innovation system is to be main perspective in this study. The result is that creative industry and innovation are mutual relation each other in conceptual level. Practically, both are aimed to support national economy growth in Indonesia

Clean energy storage technology in the making: An innovation systems perspective on flywheel energy storage

The emergence and diffusion of green and sustainable technologies is full of obstacles and has therefore become an important area of research. We are interested in further understanding the dynamics between entrepreneurial experimentation, market formation, and institutional contexts, together playing a decisive role for successful diffusion of such technologies. Accordingly, we study these processes by adopting a technological innovation system perspective focusing on actors, networks, and institutions as well as the functions provided by them. Using a qualitative case study research design, we focus on the high-speed flywheel energy storage technology. As flywheels are based on a rotating mass allowing short-term storage of energy in kinetic form, they represent an environmentally-friendly alternative to electrochemical batteries and therefore can play an important role in sustainable energy transitions. Our contribution is threefold: First, regarding the flywheel energy storage technology, our findings reveal two subsystems and related markets in which development took different courses. In the automotive sector, flywheels are developing well as a braking energy recovery technology under the influence of two motors of innovation. In the electricity sector, they are stagnating at the stage of demonstration projects because of two important system weaknesses that counteract demand for storage. Second, we contribute to the theory of technological innovation systems by better understanding the internal dynamics between different functions of an innovation system as well as between the innovation system and its (external) contextual structures. Our third contribution is methodological. According to our best knowledge, we are the first to use system dynamics to (qualitatively) analyze and visualize dynamics between the diverse functions of innovation systems with the aim of enabling a better understanding of complex and iterative system processes. The paper also derives important implications for energy scholars, flywheel practitioners, and policymakers.