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Summary Lectures and Articles WEconomy
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Summary of the lectures and articles of the WEconomy course (). Including additional articles for exam.
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Summary WEconomy course – Lectures & ArticlesAdditional articles exam:
1) Typology of sociotechnical transition pathways (Geels & Schot): in response to criticism, this
article provides conceptual refinements in the multi-level perspective on transitions. The relations
between the three structural levels (nice-innovations, sociotechnical regimes and sociotechnical
landscape) and agency have been specified Sociotechnical regime = broader community of social
groups and their alignment of activities. Technological niches form the micro-level where radical
novelties emerge. The sociotechnical landscape forms an exogenous environment beyond the direct
influence of niche and regime actors.
The niche-driven bias (too much emphasis on technological niches as the principal locus for regime
change) has been overcome by developing a more differentiated typology of transition paths, based on
differences in timing and nature of multi-level interactions. Regimes = communities are large and
stable & rules are stable and well-articulated. Niche-innovations: communities are small and unstable,
rules are unstable and ‘in the making’.
Differentiation of environmental changes: frequency, amplitude and scope.
Niche innovations can become regimes, when social networks grow larger and rules become more
stable and constraining, leading to a reversal in their relation to agency.
Different timings of multi-level interactions: landscape pressure occurs at a time when niche-
innovations are not yet fully developed or when they are fully developed.
Interaction (propositions):
If there is no external landscape pressure, then the regime remains dynamically stable and will
reproduce itself.
Transformation path: if there is moderate landscape pressure (disruptive change) at a
moment when niche-innovations have not yet been sufficiently developed, then regime actors
will respond by modifying the direction of development paths and innovation activities.
Niche-innovations can not take advantage of landscape pressure on the regime, because they
are not sufficiently developed. New regimes grow out of old regimes through cumulative
adjustments and reorientations. Technically not disruptive, some additional knowledge. Add-
on to existing knowledge.
De-alignment and re-alignment path: if landscape change is divergent, large and sudden,
then increasing regime problems may cause regime actors to lose faith. This leads to de-
alignment and erosion of the regime. If niche-innovations are not sufficiently developed, then
there is no clear substitute. This creates space for the emergence of multiple niche innovations
that co-exist and compete for attention and resources. Eventually, one niche-innovation
becomes dominant, forming the core for re-alignment of a new regime.
, Technological substitution: if there is much landscape pressures at a moment when niche-
innovations have developed sufficiently, the latter will break through and replace the existing
regime.
Radical innovations have been developed in niches but remain stuck because the regime is
stable. It becomes a technological substitution path when a specific shock exerts much
landscape pressure on the regime. Often leads to the downfall of incumbent firms.
Reconfiguration pathway: symbiotic innovations, which developed in niches, are initially
adopted in the regime to solve local problems. They subsequently trigger further adjustments
in the basic architecture of the regime.
Adopted novelties may lead to further adjustments as regime actors explore new combinations
between old and new elements and learn more about the novelties. Difference with P1 is that
the reconfiguration path experiences substantial changes in the regime’s basic architecture.
Interaction between multiple component innovations and the regime. The transition was not
driven by one breakthrough innovation, but by sequences of multiple component innovations.
P5: if landscape pressure takes the form of ‘disruptive change’, a sequence of transition
pathways is likely, beginning with transformation, then leading to reconfiguration, and
possibly followed by substitution or de-alignment and re-alignment.
Pathways are not deterministic. The sequences of events are not automatic. The path-ways are ideal
types, which is not always the case in practice.
2) Patterns in transitions: understanding complex chains of change: multi-pattern approach for the
description and understanding of the dynamic of societal transitions.
Societal system = a part of society that can be attributed a functioning and functioning is the way a
societal system meets a societal need.
Transition = a fundamental change in the structures, cultures and practices of a societal system,
profoundly altering the way it functions.
A societal transition is the process through which a different constellation becomes the dominant one,
shifting the functioning of the whole societal system.
Although transitions are complex societal phenomena, they can be described and understood with a
limited number of patterns. Each pattern then represents a dramatic situation that shapes the plot of a
transition story. Each pattern is likely to occur under certain conditions -> three main type of drivers
for transitional change: tensions (structural tension and cultural tension), stress (regime is inadequate
or internally inconsistent in providing the societal needs) and pressure (alternatives to the functioning
of the regime can emerge and become viable competitors or take away the need for aspects of it).
Transitions can be considered sequences of patterns that occur under certain conditions, producing
transition paths (dynamics of transitions are important!).
Three patterns: empowerment (risen from within; constellations gain power and become a competitors
for the incumbent regime, bottom-up approach), reconstellation (a constellation is installed and
powerful enough to directly be a viable alternative for the regime functioning, top-down approach)
and adaptation (conditions for transitional change, regime adapts its functioning to keep on meeting
societal needs, internally induced).
Transitions can be considered sequences of patterns that occur under certain conditions, producing
transition paths.
, Lecture 1: WEconomy
Obsolescence: Throwing away is good (this is our mindset right now, but it is actually not good). The
state of being which occurs when an object, service, or practice is no longer wanted even though it
may still be in good working order.
Decoupling: we live in an economized society, our entire society is based on economic transactions.
We should resource decoupling: decouple economic activities from resources (use less resources) and
impact decoupling: should be aware that the environmental impact of these economic activities should
go down, we should use resources that have less impact.
We are reaching some planetary boundaries: climate change, biosphere integrity, animals are getting
extinct (Rockström). Planetary boundaries: novel entities, climate change, stratospheric ozone
depletion, atmospheric aerosol loading, ocean acidification, bio-chemical flows, freshwater use, land-
system change, biosphere integrity.
WEconomy, seven trends:
1) Circular economy first invented in 1982. Walter Straur Haren. Corce of the circular economy =
value preservation. We have to use it more and longer. Organize in loops. Loops: fast consumers
goods, mid-range goods and slow goods.
2) Functional economy: making better use of the functionality of products.
3) Bio-based economy: can we grow the materials we need?
these 3 about material, functionality, objects.
4) Collaborative economy: concepts to work together to realize what is demanded here. Shared
assets. Bla bla car ( value proposition = indicating the social activity you want). A collaborative
economy is a marketplace where consumers rely on each other instead of large companies to meet
their wants and needs.
5) Sharing economy: tries to organize functional and circular economy. Airbnb.
This article consequently makes a distinction between the sharing and the collaborative economy,
in that sharing refers to predominantly private, and often non-commercial transactions, while the
collaborative economy is focused on mediating commercial business-to-peer exchanges, virtually
always involving platforms owned by global corporations. Distinguishing sharing and collaborative
economy on the basis of the exchange type. A residence rented to a tourist in a situation where the
owner is on holiday (peer-to-peer) is a form of sharing, while renting a flat to tourists all-year-round
(business-to-customer) is collaborative. A second distinction can be made regarding revenue flows:
Where intermediaries (platforms) represent global corporations, profits will accumulate and no
longer represent an economic model decentralizing production and finance.
6) Self-production (3D) economy: 3D printers can print almost everything. DIY economy. Though
can print everything though need.
Internet of things/services/materials: we have arrived in time where we can make incredible
connections with the speed of light and with a reach from here around the globe.
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