Innovation Systems for Transformations towards Sustainability? Taking the Normative Dimension Seriously

Sustainability

Allan Dahl Andersen¹  Jan Fagerberg¹  Andreas Pyka²  Sophie Urmetzer²  Matthias Mueller²  Michael P. Schlaile²  Job Timmermans³  Vincent Blok³ 

[1] Centre for Technology, Innovation and Culture (TIK), University of Oslo, Postboks 1108, Blindern, 0317 Oslo, Norway;Department of Innovation Economics (520i), University of Hohenheim, Wollgrasweg 23, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany;Department of Management Studies, Wageningen University, 6706 KN Wageningen, The Netherlands;

关键词: wicked problems;    transformations towards sustainability;    innovation systems;    normativity;    paradigms;    directionality;    legitimacy;    responsibility;    dedicated innovation systems;   

DOI  :  10.3390/su9122253

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

The aim of this article is to complement research on transformations towards sustainability by drawing upon the innovation systems (IS) framework. The IS framework already serves as a suitable and influential basis for research on processes of technological innovation and economic change. We argue that improving the capacity of an IS framework for dealing with wicked problems and the normative complexity of sustainability requires a fundamental paradigm shift because in the current IS paradigm innovations are considered as per se desirable and in mostly technological terms. Therefore, we call for IS dedicated to transformations towards sustainability by opening up for systemic innovations beyond the technological dimension and by acknowledging that stakeholders have conflicting visions, interests, norms, and expectations with regard to sustainability goals. Taking the normative dimension of transformations towards sustainability seriously thus requires more explicit and integrative research on directionality, legitimacy, responsibility, and their interrelation in IS. The article concludes by proposing suggestions for future research based on IS-related approaches that can serve as building blocks for an IS framework capable of incorporating legitimate goal-orientation for transformative innovation by and for society.

【 授权许可】

Unknown