Evolutionary theorizing and modeling of sustainability transitionsKarolina Safarzynska, Koen Frenken and Jeroen van den Bergh Research Policy, 2012, vol. 41, issue 6, 1011-1024 Abstract: This paper argues that evolutionary thinking and modeling can contribute to the emerging research on sustainability transitions and their management. Evolutionary theory provides a range of concepts and mechanisms that are useful in making existing theorizing about transitions more precise and complete. In particular, we will discuss how the multi-level, multi-phase, co-evolutionary, and social learning dynamics underlying transitions can be addressed in evolutionary models. In addition, evolutionary theorizing offers suggestions for extending current theoretical frameworks of transitions. Group selection provides a good example. We review the small set of formal evolutionary models of sustainability transitions, and show that existing formal evolutionary models of technological, social and institutional change can provide useful inputs to transition research and management. Keywords: Coevolution; Evolutionary economics; Group selection; Lock-in; Niche; Regime; Social learning; Transition; Transition management (search for similar items in EconPapers) Downloads: (external link) Related works: Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:respol:v:41:y:2012:i:6:p:1011-1024 DOI: 10.1016/j.respol.2011.10.014 Access Statistics for this article Research Policy is currently edited by M. Bell, B. Martin, W.E. Steinmueller, A. Arora, M. Callon, M. Kenney, S. Kuhlmann, Keun Lee and F. Murray More articles in Research Policy from Elsevier |
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