Towards an integrated framework for analysing sustainable innovation policy

Abstract

An integrated framework for the analysis of sustainable innovation policy was developed, based on a combination of the transition management (TM) framework, the strategic niche management approach, and policy recommendations, resulting from technological innovation system (TIS) studies. In the framework, the multi-level view from TM has been integrated with the functions approach from the TIS literature. The integrated policy framework shows that specific policy goals and measures can be found at the specific points of intervention related to (the interfaces between) landscape, regime, TIS and niches. The integrated framework suggests that stimulation of a TIS only makes sense when this action is well aligned with landscape and regime developments. The framework should be used in empirical studies for further testing and refinement.

• transition management
• strategic niche management
• technological innovation systems
• sustainability
• innovation policy

Notes

1. Van den Bergh, Truffer, and Kallis (2011) argue that transition management can be understood as the policy view related to the complex systems approach. However, since MLP also borrowed from complex systems theory, this distinction is not relevant to our argument.