Technology and Instrument Constituencies as Agents of Innovation: Sustainability Transitions and the Governance of Urban Transport
Sustainable urban transport is a complex challenge requiring innovation in technologies, culture, and policies. Given the systemic nature of the issues involved, numerous studies have applied the transitions approach to urban transport. However, relatively weak conceptualization of agency in the tra...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2018-05-01
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| Series: | Energies |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/11/5/1198 |
| _version_ | 1798006387866861568 |
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| author | Nihit Goyal Michael Howlett |
| author_facet | Nihit Goyal Michael Howlett |
| author_sort | Nihit Goyal |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Sustainable urban transport is a complex challenge requiring innovation in technologies, culture, and policies. Given the systemic nature of the issues involved, numerous studies have applied the transitions approach to urban transport. However, relatively weak conceptualization of agency in the transitions literature limits the usefulness of this approach for the governance of urban transport. The objective of this study is to contribute to the conceptualization of agency in the multilevel perspective to sustainability transitions. We propose that two types of actors exercise agency to foster innovation: technology constituencies, who promote the adoption of specific technologies by citizens, businesses, or governments; and instrument constituencies, who promote the adoption of specific policy instruments. In focusing predominantly on technological innovation, the transitions literature has generally juxtaposed these constituencies or considered them to be the same. We posit that the two constitute distinct, albeit possibly overlapping, actors and that their relationship(s) help better understand and explain how transitions evolve. We discuss the implications of this distinction for the governance of urban transport and argue that the presence of instrument and technology constituencies, and their relationship(s), should be examined empirically in future research. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T12:53:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-569c6b1f5b0e426491fd35238c2a9978 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T12:53:54Z |
| publishDate | 2018-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-569c6b1f5b0e426491fd35238c2a99782022-12-22T04:23:07ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732018-05-01115119810.3390/en11051198en11051198Technology and Instrument Constituencies as Agents of Innovation: Sustainability Transitions and the Governance of Urban TransportNihit Goyal0Michael Howlett1Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119077, SingaporeLee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119077, SingaporeSustainable urban transport is a complex challenge requiring innovation in technologies, culture, and policies. Given the systemic nature of the issues involved, numerous studies have applied the transitions approach to urban transport. However, relatively weak conceptualization of agency in the transitions literature limits the usefulness of this approach for the governance of urban transport. The objective of this study is to contribute to the conceptualization of agency in the multilevel perspective to sustainability transitions. We propose that two types of actors exercise agency to foster innovation: technology constituencies, who promote the adoption of specific technologies by citizens, businesses, or governments; and instrument constituencies, who promote the adoption of specific policy instruments. In focusing predominantly on technological innovation, the transitions literature has generally juxtaposed these constituencies or considered them to be the same. We posit that the two constitute distinct, albeit possibly overlapping, actors and that their relationship(s) help better understand and explain how transitions evolve. We discuss the implications of this distinction for the governance of urban transport and argue that the presence of instrument and technology constituencies, and their relationship(s), should be examined empirically in future research.http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/11/5/1198agencygovernanceinnovation journeyinstrument constituencymultilevel perspectivepolicy integrationsociotechnical transitionstechnology constituencyurban mobilityurban transport |
| spellingShingle | Nihit Goyal Michael Howlett Technology and Instrument Constituencies as Agents of Innovation: Sustainability Transitions and the Governance of Urban Transport Energies agency governance innovation journey instrument constituency multilevel perspective policy integration sociotechnical transitions technology constituency urban mobility urban transport |
| title | Technology and Instrument Constituencies as Agents of Innovation: Sustainability Transitions and the Governance of Urban Transport |
| title_full | Technology and Instrument Constituencies as Agents of Innovation: Sustainability Transitions and the Governance of Urban Transport |
| title_fullStr | Technology and Instrument Constituencies as Agents of Innovation: Sustainability Transitions and the Governance of Urban Transport |
| title_full_unstemmed | Technology and Instrument Constituencies as Agents of Innovation: Sustainability Transitions and the Governance of Urban Transport |
| title_short | Technology and Instrument Constituencies as Agents of Innovation: Sustainability Transitions and the Governance of Urban Transport |
| title_sort | technology and instrument constituencies as agents of innovation sustainability transitions and the governance of urban transport |
| topic | agency governance innovation journey instrument constituency multilevel perspective policy integration sociotechnical transitions technology constituency urban mobility urban transport |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/11/5/1198 |
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