Citizens as an innovation source in sustainability transitions - linking the directionality of innovations with the locus of the problem in transformative innovation policy

• This article argues that citizens play a key role in sustainability transitions: Citizens have unique knowledge on why social problems occur and experiment with possible solutions to these problems. Yet transformative innovation policy - a policy frame that promotes socio-technical systems change - is guided by a producer-centric innovation paradigm, which focuses on technological breakthroughs rather than social changes driven by citizens. By drawing on multiple research fields, and by using the example of household food waste, this article challenges this paradigm and asserts that addressing sustainability challenges requires a policy frame that defines citizens as an innovation source.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Ekonomi och näringsliv (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Economics and Business (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap -- Miljövetenskap (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Earth and Related Environmental Sciences -- Environmental Sciences (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Transformative innovation policy

consumer innovation

sustainability transition

policy analysis

household food waste

Business Administration

Företagsekonomi

Miljö- och energisystem

Environmental and Energy Systems

Publikations- och innehållstyp

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