A framework of disruptive sustainable innovation: an example of the Finnish food system

ABSTRACT

Disruptive innovations are perceived necessary for accelerating sustainability transitions. However, it is not always clear what exactly is meant by it, what is to be disrupted, and by whom. Socio-technical transition research on pays too much attention at the technological niche-innovations in the production, and overlooks business model innovation and user practices in the consumption, whilst management literature on disruptive innovation falls short in the scale and scope of disruption in terms of systemic outcome. Thus, the first aim of the paper is to synthesise the extant literature and put forward a general practice-based view on disruptive sustainable innovation. The second aim of the paper is to use empirical data to elaborate the theoretical framework in the Finnish food system context. Four firm-level cases provide empirical scrutiny to each type of disruptive sustainable innovation in the food system and shed light on the interlinked practices of producer-entrepreneurs and citizen-consumers.

KEYWORDS:

• Sustainability transitions
• disruptive innovation
• disruptive sustainable innovation
• food system
• food system innovation

Acknowledgements

Reviewers’ comments have been very valuable in improving this paper.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Dr. Sci. (Tech.) Anna Kuokkanen defended her thesis: ‘Understanding complex system change for sustainable food system’ in December 2016. Her research focuses on sustainability transitions, technology and innovation for sustainability, and food and mobility systems in national and urban contexts.

Dr. Sci. (Tech.) Ville Uusitalo focuses on systemic sustainability assessment, using life-cycle approach in particular. He has done LCA-based assessments in energy production, transportation, and food systems.

M. Sci.(Tech.) Katariina Koistinen is a phd-student. Her research focuses on agency-perspective in sustainability transitions. She is particularly interested in identifying and understanding change-agents at different levels of system transformation.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was produced in the project funded by the European Regional Development Fund.