Abstract
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages | 209-223 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| Journal | Journal of Cleaner Production |
| Volume | 214 |
| Early online date | 4 Jan 2019 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 20 Mar 2019 |
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Keywords
- circular economy
- strategic niche management
- triple helix
- innovation
- innovation policy
- industrial biotechnology
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Assessing the role of triple helix system intermediaries in nurturing an industrial biotechnology innovation network. / Barrie, Jack; Zawdie, Girma; João, Elsa.
In: Journal of Cleaner Production, Vol. 214, 20.03.2019, p. 209-223.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Assessing the role of triple helix system intermediaries in nurturing an industrial biotechnology innovation network
AU - Barrie, Jack
AU - Zawdie, Girma
AU - João, Elsa
PY - 2019/3/20
Y1 - 2019/3/20
N2 - The rate of transition to a circular economy would largely be influenced by how successfully sustainable niche innovation can be developed and adopted. This paper measures and evaluates the effectiveness of employing a triple helix-based system intermediary as a policy tool for nurturing a niche innovation network in line with circular economy transition. This was achieved through a complete social network analysis of a national industrial biotechnology innovation network, in which the organization functioning as network manager was innovatively structured as a triple helix-based system intermediary. Through unique access to the entire national industrial biotechnology niche network, a large set of primary data was collected on 13 types of relational ties related to innovation between all 64 public sector, industry and academic niche network member organizations. The impact of the triple helix-based system intermediary on the level of cohesion, presence of cohesive subgroups and centralisation of the niche network was empirically measured. As such, the effectiveness of the intermediary in undertaking key nurturing activities of building the network, facilitating shared learning and raising expectations were evaluated. This allowed for the most comprehensive empirical study to date on a niche innovation network and the role of system intermediaries in circular economy transition. The results of the analysis demonstrate the profound nurturing effect that the introduction of a triple helix-based system intermediary has had on the network. In particular, the results appear to confirm the effectiveness of the intermediary with regards to increasing knowledge and resource flows amongst triple helix institutions as well as between regime and niche actors.
AB - The rate of transition to a circular economy would largely be influenced by how successfully sustainable niche innovation can be developed and adopted. This paper measures and evaluates the effectiveness of employing a triple helix-based system intermediary as a policy tool for nurturing a niche innovation network in line with circular economy transition. This was achieved through a complete social network analysis of a national industrial biotechnology innovation network, in which the organization functioning as network manager was innovatively structured as a triple helix-based system intermediary. Through unique access to the entire national industrial biotechnology niche network, a large set of primary data was collected on 13 types of relational ties related to innovation between all 64 public sector, industry and academic niche network member organizations. The impact of the triple helix-based system intermediary on the level of cohesion, presence of cohesive subgroups and centralisation of the niche network was empirically measured. As such, the effectiveness of the intermediary in undertaking key nurturing activities of building the network, facilitating shared learning and raising expectations were evaluated. This allowed for the most comprehensive empirical study to date on a niche innovation network and the role of system intermediaries in circular economy transition. The results of the analysis demonstrate the profound nurturing effect that the introduction of a triple helix-based system intermediary has had on the network. In particular, the results appear to confirm the effectiveness of the intermediary with regards to increasing knowledge and resource flows amongst triple helix institutions as well as between regime and niche actors.
KW - circular economy
KW - strategic niche management
KW - triple helix
KW - innovation
KW - innovation policy
KW - industrial biotechnology
UR - https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/journal-of-cleaner-production
U2 - 10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.12.287
DO - 10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.12.287
M3 - Article
VL - 214
SP - 209
EP - 223
JO - Journal of Cleaner Production
T2 - Journal of Cleaner Production
JF - Journal of Cleaner Production
SN - 0959-6526
ER -