Experimenting for sustainability transitions: A systematic literature review

Sengers, Frans; Wieczorek, Anna; Raven, Rob

doi:10.1016/j.techfore.2016.08.031

Cited by 377 publications

(326 citation statements)

References 56 publications

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“…Third, we add a dimension concerning 'social learning'. Social learning is a key process in sustainability experimentation [19]. There are some indications that learning processes are localized [21,22]; however, we believe that this localization requires further research.…”

mentioning

confidence: 83%

“…In this literature, a niche is defined as a 'protective space' [17]. With the exception of a few notable contributions (e.g., [18][19][20]), the geographical dimensions of the niche concept have not yet been made explicit. The habitat concept explicitly focuses on these geographical dimensions.…”

Section: Constituting Dimensions Of Habitatsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Social learning is a necessary precondition for change towards sustainability [37], and it is a key process in sustainability experimentation [19]. Social learning deals with learning in groups, within a region as well as between regions.…”

Section: Social Learningmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Contrasting Regional Habitats for Urban Sustainability Experimentation in Europe

et al. 2018

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Abstract:The sustainability challenge requires experimentation with innovations, followed by an upscaling process towards a broader regime change in the long term. In Europe we observe various regional hotspots for sustainability experimentation which suggests that there are favorable spatial contexts. Little is known about why different kinds of experiments flourish or fail in various spatial contexts. In this paper we explore these contexts by using the habitat concept. A habitat is regarded as the configuration of favorable local and regional context factors for experimentation. To capture the diversity of these habitats we have constructed archetypical experimentation patterns. These patterns are built up of five dimensions: knowledge, governance, informal institutions, regional innovation advantages, and social learning. In a comparative case study in four city regions in Europe we find a large contrast in habitats. Countercultures play an important role, as they shape a beneficial context for experimentation through alternative ideas and lifestyles. We also find indications that it is important that a combination of several habitat factors is present, and that these factors have aligned and evolved over several years of experimentation, thus leading to a more mature habitat. The research suggests that regional stakeholders can positively influence most of the habitat factors shaping future upscaling. However, there are also some important factors, such as regional knowledge and skills, which have a path-dependent nature and are more difficult to improve in the short term.

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confidence: 83%

Section: Constituting Dimensions Of Habitatsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Contrasting Regional Habitats for Urban Sustainability Experimentation in Europe

et al. 2018

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“…By selecting practice-based initiatives, we assumed these could apply as transition experiments as the real-life environment stimulates actors to engage with stakeholders, articulate societal benefits, and stimulate systemic learning. However, the experiments in the two niches cannot be classified according to the experiment definition of Sengers et al (2016). Involvement of societal actors seems, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ little involvement of car manufactures in smart mobility experiments in the Netherlands.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Furthermore, the studies focus on a small number of cases. The case-study based approach has been the general approach in transition studies, but Sengers et al (2016) suggest that new approaches dealing with multiple experiments form a promising research direction in this field. Building on work of Wieczorek, Raven, & Berkhout, (2015), Castán Broto & Bulkeley (2013), and Van den Heiligenberg et al, (2017), this paper contributes to transition literature by showing how a larger number of experiments can be studied and how this reveals some insights into the magnitude and direction of change.…”

Section: Smart Mobility Experiments For Transformative Changementioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding smart mobility experiments in the Dutch automobility system: Who is involved and what do they promise?

Manders

Wieczorek

Verbong

2018

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Implementing the circular economy in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area: The interplay between market actors mediated by transition brokers

Cramer

2020

Bus Strat Env

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This paper analyses the interplay between regime and niche actors in implementing the circular economy through mediation by transition brokers. The study is based on ‘action research’ carried out in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area. Innovation science is adopted as theoretical approach. First, the analysis shows that more ambitious initiatives could be taken than by individual market actors. Whether these circular initiatives represent just incremental change—as other studies suggest—cannot be concluded. Rather, it is plausible to conceptualise the transition process as a continuous transformational change. Second, in creating circular initiatives, the interplay between regime and niche actors was evident but varied. Actors could team up more easily where their interests aligned. This conclusion corresponds with recent innovation literature, which emphasises the importance of linkages between processes at niche, regime and landscape levels. Before generalising the results, similar studies in other regional contexts would be valuable. Short informative In moving to a circular economy, the willingness of market actors to innovate is crucial. Real‐life experiments on the implementation of circular initiatives built by market actors at local level through the mediation of independent intermediaries (here called ‘transition brokers’) are scarce. This study aims to bridge this knowledge gap by focussing on the interplay between niche and regime actors. Action research on implementing the circular economy programme in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area (2015–2020) represents an example. Innovation science is adopted as leading theoretical approach. The case shows that more advanced ambitions could be achieved than through individual market actors by themselves. Whether the circular initiatives built represent just incremental change—as suggested in the few other studies—is considered too simplistic. It is concluded to conceptualise the CE transition rather as a continuous, transformational change which takes time. The interplay between niche and regime actors was evident in the case but varied. Niche actors could team up more easily with regime actors where their interests coincided. Niche CE innovations did not necessarily develop in protected environments, as suggested by early MLP studies. They could diffuse more widely if they link up with ongoing processes at regime and landscape level. This conclusion corresponds with the more recent innovation literature.

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Experimenting for sustainability transitions: A systematic literature review

Cited by 377 publications

References 56 publications

Contrasting Regional Habitats for Urban Sustainability Experimentation in Europe

Contrasting Regional Habitats for Urban Sustainability Experimentation in Europe

Understanding smart mobility experiments in the Dutch automobility system: Who is involved and what do they promise?

Implementing the circular economy in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area: The interplay between market actors mediated by transition brokers

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