Abstract
Transitions from one socio-technical regime configuration to another entail long phases of institutional complexity, where two or more field logics co-exist in a sector and induce incompatibilities and frictions. This paper presents a dynamic phase model, which characterizes the types of institutional complexity that may build up and settle across various phases of a transition, illustrated with a case study from the diffusion of onsite water reuse in San Francisco. Results from semi-structured expert interviews and a focus group demonstrate that different forms of institutional complexity may follow each other in a transition trajectory and that formidable strategic agency is needed by the actors in a field in navigating prolonged phases of competing cultural demands. Gaining a more balanced perspective of both organizational and field-level reconfigurations may help better explain why transitions succeed in some places and fail in others.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 367-381 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| Journal | Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions |
| Volume | 40 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2021 Sept 1 |
Subject classification (UKÄ)
- Other Social Sciences
- Other Environmental Engineering
Free keywords
- Alternative water sources
- Institutional complexity
- Onsite water reuse
- Transitions