Small wins for grand challenges. A bottom-up governance approach to regional innovation policy

Bours, Sanne; Wanzenböck, Iris; Frenken, Koen

doi:10.1080/09654313.2021.1980502

Cited by 54 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…We think this may actually align quite well with the approach of transitions through accumulating "Small Wins" (e.g. Bours et al 2021;Termeer and Metze 2019;Termeer and de Wulf 2012). This perspective focuses on how small changes can cumulatively propel wider transitions.…”

Section: Challenging the Methodological Practice Of Back Castingsupporting

confidence: 73%

Transition pathways and transitions to sustainability : A critical exploration of perspectives, typologies and agendas

Wigboldus¹,

Eldik

Vernooij³

2021

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The perspective of transitions to sustainability seems to have almost replaced the perspective of sustainable development these days. The idea and concept of 'transition pathways' features prominently in it. Though originating from the field of systems thinking, it often tends to be approached in a rather instrumentalist way: how to make it happen. This often goes with a focus on technology and innovations. A different approach would be to focus on how to engage with related processes in appropriate ways and considering appropriate principles and values to be expressed through transition pathways. Another tendency is it to always think of transitions as something positive: "transitions to sustainability -must be good!". In this discussion paper we problematise transition pathways as concept and approach to societal change -in particular in relation to food systems -and list a series of critical reflections. As we unpack related dimensions, perspectives, and societal processes, a clear picture emerges: the need to carefully consider implications of underlying dynamics and political agendas more than researchers tend to do. We close with a number of suggestions regarding ways in which this can be done.

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Section: Challenging the Methodological Practice Of Back Castingsupporting

confidence: 73%

Transition pathways and transitions to sustainability : A critical exploration of perspectives, typologies and agendas

Wigboldus¹,

Eldik

Vernooij³

2021

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“…From a practical perspective, the process orientation is not solution‐oriented, given that public authorities actually must demonstrate results. Since the 1990s, for instance, the United Nations has used a results‐based management approach to justify funding (United Nations Development Group (UNDG), 2011; Joint Inspection Unit (JIU), 2004); and governments are typically judged based on their responses to grand societal challenges (e.g., Bours et al, 2021). Therefore, the question is not if results‐orientation is good or bad, but how a given results‐orientation of public authorities can be fulfilled in the context of wicked problems.…”

Section: Conceptual Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Results‐based management of wicked problems? Indicators and comparative evidence from Latin America

et al. 2022

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Environmental problems are often wicked, shaped by conflicts, complexity, and uncertainty. Research is called here to design effective management approaches adapted to these specific features of environmental problems. However, management approaches hardly account for both result-orientation and the respective management needs in the face of wicked problems. By combining the results-based management literature with an analytic understanding of wickedness, we identify 12 indicators for an effective management along four management stages (inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes) and three dimensions of wicked problems (goal diversity, system complexity, and uncertainty). An interview-based demonstration of the concept in the Latin American context suggests a chain of effects regarding the stages, which differs slightly concerning dimensions of wicked problems. A lack of resources results here in limited activities, outputs, and outcomes to address problems, which is further substantiated by diverse challenges throughout the resultschain. While these patterns are pertinent for all dimensions of wicked problems, we also find varying challenges for addressing conflicts, complexity, and uncertainty.These results call for more rigorous analysis at the policy capacity level and along the dimensions of wickedness as a starting point for achieving effective policies to address wicked environmental problems at the outcome level.

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“…Especially in XR, resistance to "power" is also expressed in the form of mass arrests and blockades of large infrastructures. An interesting approach is to interpret these experiences from the perspective of bottom-up small wins, as recently defined by Bours et al [64].…”

Section: Research Question (Rq1)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Advocating Urban Transition: A Qualitative Review of Institutional and Grassroots Initiatives in Shaping Climate-Aware Cities

Boulanger

Massari

2022

Sustainability

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Climate change and its challenges have long been incorporated into the policy-making process. Advocacy actions urge to strengthen the socio-ecological resilience through engagement with stakeholders, feedback recollection, and testing of solutions. Several initiatives have been born to boost cities’ actions toward climate change mitigation and adaptation. Institutional coordinated actions such as transnational municipal networks (TMNs) and non-institutional, grassroots movements for climate action, are among them. The study focuses on four TMNs and two grassroots movements, which have an impact on the European and/or worldwide contexts. They are investigated qualitatively, reflecting on the roles and contributions to climate change that they provide both alone and together. The research questions focus on the instruments/elements/factors that they put in place to support the transition, the key messages, and how these are conferred to their key targets. The initiatives have been investigated in both the grey and scientific literature. The main results show that grassroots movements for climate action and TMNs have the potential to better support cities in their climate transition. However, local governments are urged to take advantage of both initiatives’ ability to develop networks of support, innovation and a sense of belonging. In conclusion, the research states that the two initiatives should be effectively connected and integrated with a complementary role concerning planning actions.

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Small wins for grand challenges. A bottom-up governance approach to regional innovation policy

Cited by 54 publications

References 53 publications

Transition pathways and transitions to sustainability : A critical exploration of perspectives, typologies and agendas

Transition pathways and transitions to sustainability : A critical exploration of perspectives, typologies and agendas

Results‐based management of wicked problems? Indicators and comparative evidence from Latin America

Advocating Urban Transition: A Qualitative Review of Institutional and Grassroots Initiatives in Shaping Climate-Aware Cities

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