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Exploring the role of failure in socio-technical transitions research
Version 2 2023-06-12, 09:32
Version 1 2023-06-09, 21:51
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-12, 09:32 authored by Bruno Turnheim, Benjamin SovacoolBenjamin SovacoolIn this paper, we offer a comprehensive and interdisciplinary review of ‘failure’ in transitions research. What is meant by failure, and is the community biased against it? How is failure explained through different perspectives? How can failures be addressed more appropriately in transitions studies? We synthesize a large body of evidence spanning transitions studies, innovation studies, science and technology studies, organisation and management studies, policy studies and the history of technology to probe and sharpen these questions. We examine within these literatures the instances and possibilities of success with transitions and discuss why this may be problematic, organising our analysis around four types of bias (selection, cognitive, interpretive, and prescription). In addition, we review three ‘families’ of framings of failure put forward in and around the socio-technical transitions literature, notably discrete failure events, systemic failings and processual accounts of failure, and discuss how they can be constructively put to work.
Funding
UK Centre for Research on Energy Demand; G2424; EPSRC-ENGINEERING & PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL; EP/R035288/1
Research Centre on Innovation and Energy Demand; G1020; RCUK-RESEARCH COUNCILS UK; EP/K011790/1
History
Publication status
- Published
File Version
- Published version
Journal
Environmental Innovation and Societal TransitionsISSN
2210-4224Publisher
ElsevierExternal DOI
Volume
37Page range
267-289Department affiliated with
- SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit Publications
Full text available
- Yes
Peer reviewed?
- Yes
Legacy Posted Date
2020-10-12First Open Access (FOA) Date
2020-10-12First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date
2020-10-09Usage metrics
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