Sustainable energy technologies develop within the context of systems made up by networks of acto... more Sustainable energy technologies develop within the context of systems made up by networks of actors, institutions and (related) technologies. These Tech nological Innovation Systems (TISs) do not come into existence overnight but are the result of a bu ild-up process. This paper provides insights that support a better understanding of this build-up pro cess for TISs in an early development stage, the so - called formative stage. The process of TIS build-up is conceptualised in te rms of seven system functions. The system functions are types of activities necessary for a TIS to deve lop and to support innovation. The main contributio n of this paper is to study the phenomenon of cumulat ive causation, i.e. the idea that TIS build-up may accelerate due to positive feedback loops of system functions that interact over time. Such feedback mechanisms or 'motors of sustainable innovation', m ay contribute to the strategic knowledge on emerging sustainable energy technologies. Base...
Deze studie geeft een uiteenzetting van een theoretisch kader ter analyse en beoordeling van tran... more Deze studie geeft een uiteenzetting van een theoretisch kader ter analyse en beoordeling van transitietrajecten. Dit zogenaamde functieraamwerk – dat is gebaseerd op de theorie van innovatiesystemen – wordt uitvoerig geïllustreerd aan de hand van een casestudie op het gebied van biotransportbrandstoffen in Nederland (1990-2005). De centrale aanname in het functieraamwerk is dat aan de basis van ieder transitietraject een groep entrepreneurs staat die een technologische vinding tracht om te vormen tot een commercieel project. In de praktijk betekent dit het ontplooien van de technologie naar toenemende verwevenheid met het overkoepelende socio-technische systeem, of regime. De technologie wordt zo meer en meer ingebed in sociale en technische (infra)structuren. In dit proces staat de entrepreneur – als het goed is – niet alleen. Het functieraamwerk gaat er namelijk van uit dat een transitietraject rond een technologie, wordt aangedreven door een innovatiesysteem. Dit innovatiesysteem...
2008 1st International Conference on Infrastructure Systems and Services: Building Networks for a Brighter Future, INFRA 2008, 2008
AbstractThe transition toward a more sustainable trans-portation system in the Netherlands takes... more AbstractThe transition toward a more sustainable trans-portation system in the Netherlands takes place in the context of the Dutch Transition management policy framework. Transition paths related to mobility within this framework are: (1) hybridization of vehicles, (2) ...
Sustainable energy technologies develop within the context of systems made up by networks of acto... more Sustainable energy technologies develop within the context of systems made up by networks of actors, institutions and (related) technologies. These Tech nological Innovation Systems (TISs) do not come into existence overnight but are the result of a bu ild-up process. This paper provides insights that support a better understanding of this build-up pro cess for TISs in an early development stage, the so - called formative stage. The process of TIS build-up is conceptualised in te rms of seven system functions. The system functions are types of activities necessary for a TIS to deve lop and to support innovation. The main contributio n of this paper is to study the phenomenon of cumulat ive causation, i.e. the idea that TIS build-up may accelerate due to positive feedback loops of system functions that interact over time. Such feedback mechanisms or 'motors of sustainable innovation', m ay contribute to the strategic knowledge on emerging sustainable energy technologies. Ba...
Supporting the development and diffusion of sustainable innovations has become a dominant topic o... more Supporting the development and diffusion of sustainable innovations has become a dominant topic on the political agenda of many countries. However, this has proven to be a difficult task. To increase insight in such processes, this paper takes biofuel technologies in the mobility sector as the topic of a comparative case study. Various national governments have supported innovation trajectories around biofuels. We analyse, assess and compare two such trajectories as they have developed so far: one in the Netherlands and one in ...
ABSTRACT This paper explores the potential of combining technological innovation systems research... more ABSTRACT This paper explores the potential of combining technological innovation systems research with a participatory stakeholder dialogue, using empirical material from a dialogue on the options of sustainable biomass in the Netherlands and several historical studies into the emerging Dutch biomass innovation system. These studies identified and analysed functions (key processes) needed for the diffusion of this system. Using the functions as a heuristic to analyse and present this material, this paper shows that combining both approaches results in a richer understanding of the Dutch biomass innovation system. Where innovation systems research has not inquired in-depth into the normative dimensions of biomass innovation, the dialogue contributes to a better understanding of these. In contrast to systems research where the researcher defines system boundaries, the dialogue allowed system boundaries to be defined along the process in a bottom-up manner. This resulted in different ideas about challenges and opportunities. Where dialogue discussions were based on somewhat anecdotal information, biomass innovation systems research provided a historical and systemic contextualisation. Furthermore, the functions served as useful categories to explore future sustainable biomass options. We conclude that triangulation, using both historic and participatory methods, provides more insight, in terms of both range and depth, in the actual functioning of innovation systems and opportunities for improvement.
Sustainable energy technologies develop within the context of systems made up by networks of acto... more Sustainable energy technologies develop within the context of systems made up by networks of actors, institutions and (related) technologies. These Tech nological Innovation Systems (TISs) do not come into existence overnight but are the result of a bu ild-up process. This paper provides insights that support a better understanding of this build-up pro cess for TISs in an early development stage, the so - called formative stage. The process of TIS build-up is conceptualised in te rms of seven system functions. The system functions are types of activities necessary for a TIS to deve lop and to support innovation. The main contributio n of this paper is to study the phenomenon of cumulat ive causation, i.e. the idea that TIS build-up may accelerate due to positive feedback loops of system functions that interact over time. Such feedback mechanisms or 'motors of sustainable innovation', m ay contribute to the strategic knowledge on emerging sustainable energy technologies. Base...
Deze studie geeft een uiteenzetting van een theoretisch kader ter analyse en beoordeling van tran... more Deze studie geeft een uiteenzetting van een theoretisch kader ter analyse en beoordeling van transitietrajecten. Dit zogenaamde functieraamwerk – dat is gebaseerd op de theorie van innovatiesystemen – wordt uitvoerig geïllustreerd aan de hand van een casestudie op het gebied van biotransportbrandstoffen in Nederland (1990-2005). De centrale aanname in het functieraamwerk is dat aan de basis van ieder transitietraject een groep entrepreneurs staat die een technologische vinding tracht om te vormen tot een commercieel project. In de praktijk betekent dit het ontplooien van de technologie naar toenemende verwevenheid met het overkoepelende socio-technische systeem, of regime. De technologie wordt zo meer en meer ingebed in sociale en technische (infra)structuren. In dit proces staat de entrepreneur – als het goed is – niet alleen. Het functieraamwerk gaat er namelijk van uit dat een transitietraject rond een technologie, wordt aangedreven door een innovatiesysteem. Dit innovatiesysteem...
2008 1st International Conference on Infrastructure Systems and Services: Building Networks for a Brighter Future, INFRA 2008, 2008
AbstractThe transition toward a more sustainable trans-portation system in the Netherlands takes... more AbstractThe transition toward a more sustainable trans-portation system in the Netherlands takes place in the context of the Dutch Transition management policy framework. Transition paths related to mobility within this framework are: (1) hybridization of vehicles, (2) ...
Sustainable energy technologies develop within the context of systems made up by networks of acto... more Sustainable energy technologies develop within the context of systems made up by networks of actors, institutions and (related) technologies. These Tech nological Innovation Systems (TISs) do not come into existence overnight but are the result of a bu ild-up process. This paper provides insights that support a better understanding of this build-up pro cess for TISs in an early development stage, the so - called formative stage. The process of TIS build-up is conceptualised in te rms of seven system functions. The system functions are types of activities necessary for a TIS to deve lop and to support innovation. The main contributio n of this paper is to study the phenomenon of cumulat ive causation, i.e. the idea that TIS build-up may accelerate due to positive feedback loops of system functions that interact over time. Such feedback mechanisms or 'motors of sustainable innovation', m ay contribute to the strategic knowledge on emerging sustainable energy technologies. Ba...
Supporting the development and diffusion of sustainable innovations has become a dominant topic o... more Supporting the development and diffusion of sustainable innovations has become a dominant topic on the political agenda of many countries. However, this has proven to be a difficult task. To increase insight in such processes, this paper takes biofuel technologies in the mobility sector as the topic of a comparative case study. Various national governments have supported innovation trajectories around biofuels. We analyse, assess and compare two such trajectories as they have developed so far: one in the Netherlands and one in ...
ABSTRACT This paper explores the potential of combining technological innovation systems research... more ABSTRACT This paper explores the potential of combining technological innovation systems research with a participatory stakeholder dialogue, using empirical material from a dialogue on the options of sustainable biomass in the Netherlands and several historical studies into the emerging Dutch biomass innovation system. These studies identified and analysed functions (key processes) needed for the diffusion of this system. Using the functions as a heuristic to analyse and present this material, this paper shows that combining both approaches results in a richer understanding of the Dutch biomass innovation system. Where innovation systems research has not inquired in-depth into the normative dimensions of biomass innovation, the dialogue contributes to a better understanding of these. In contrast to systems research where the researcher defines system boundaries, the dialogue allowed system boundaries to be defined along the process in a bottom-up manner. This resulted in different ideas about challenges and opportunities. Where dialogue discussions were based on somewhat anecdotal information, biomass innovation systems research provided a historical and systemic contextualisation. Furthermore, the functions served as useful categories to explore future sustainable biomass options. We conclude that triangulation, using both historic and participatory methods, provides more insight, in terms of both range and depth, in the actual functioning of innovation systems and opportunities for improvement.
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Papers by Roald Suurs