The Contribution of Local Experiments and Negotiation Processes to Field-Level Learning in Emerging (Niche) Technologies

Abstract

This article examines how local experiments and negotiation processes contribute to social and field-level learning. The analysis is framed within the niche development literature, which offers a framework for analyzing the relation between projects in local contexts and the transfer of local experiences into generally applicable rules. The authors examine 2 case studies drawn from a meta-analysis of 27 new energy projects. The case studies, both pertaining to biogas projects for local municipalities, illustrate the diversity of applications for a technology through processes of local variation and selection. The authors examine the diversity of expectations and the negotiation and alignment of these expectations underlying the diversity of local solutions. Moreover, the authors address how the transfer of lessons from individual local experiments can follow different pathways and yet always require due attention to the social and cultural limits to the transferability of solutions.

What is protective space? Reconsidering niches in transitions to sustainability

“…The path-breaking innovation is conceptualised to develop through the above relations operating across these located sociotechnical experiments (Geels and Raven, 2006). Dedicated intermediating work is needed for interactive learning to take place, expectations to develop, and supportive networks to build (Raven et al, 2008;Smith, 2007). Niche theory currently claims that, in time, an innovation-specific protoregime emerges that shields and nurtures that innovation more actively.…”

“…This includes global niche advocates negotiating expectations and making deals with potential partners to mobilise prior favourable sites (i.e. passive spaces) for local projects (Raven et al, 2008;Raven et al, forthcoming). Niche advocates might also raise promising expectations and lobby and bargain for the creation of active spaces for generating resource flows from policy-makers, funders, investors and businesses directly into the niche.…”

Unpacking the Formation of Favourable Environments for Urban Experimentation: The Case of the Bristol Energy Scene

“…For example, International consultancies, conferences, and standard-setting organisations connect local processes, share best practices, and establish standards, thus helping to structure (through framing and coordination) local activities [51]. As shared rules consolidate at this global level, and the niche continues to expand, further experimentation tends to be framed by reinterpretations and reinventions of a generic emerging technological trajectory [52]. This may give rise to a proto-regime-a working socio-technical configuration with the potential to compete and challenge the existing regime-and ultimately provoke a regime shift to sustainability under the right conditions [15,53].…”

Translation mechanisms in socio-technical niches: a case study of Dutch river management

“…Some insights are provided by Geels and Raven (2006), who stressed that local-to-global aggregation activities are difficult: 'the transformation of local outcomes into generic lessons and cognitive rules does not occur automatically, but requires dedicated aggregation activities'. Similarly, Raven et al (2008) argue that global-to-local structuration should also not be conceptualised as straightforward and linear: 'both the translation of a generic concept into a local project variation as well as the transfer of local lessons into global rules occur, but are difficult and require dedicated work. [..] Ready-made solutions cannot be dropped into a context without negotiations and struggle.'…”

“…Our case is a novel sustainable water management innovation ('New Rivers') originating from visionary and networking activities of the Dutch InnovatieNetwerk -an intermediary organisation aimed at developing and implementing radical new concepts in agribusiness and rural areas. We will build upon a recent conceptualisation in SNM that makes a distinction between local experiments and a 'global' niche level (Geels and Raven, 2006;Raven et al, 2008). 'Local' refers to socio-technical experiments taking place in specific geographical contexts.…”