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This paper examines the evolution in the conceptualization of Social Innovation (SI) with a view to elucidating the multiplication of uses of the term over the last half century. We performed a comprehensive and systematic literature review extracting 252 definitions of SI through a search of 2,339 documents comprising academic papers, books and book chapters, together research and policy reports. To guide the inductive analysis of pluri-vocal discourses we assume innovation to be a learning-based process involving actors’ interactions and social practices. We apply mixed qualitative methodologies, combining content analysis based on an interpretivist ontology with cognitive mapping techniques. Our findings show that SI was introduced as an analytical concept by incipient academic communities and has spread in the last decades as a normative concept fuelled by development and innovation policies. SI is defined by a set of common core elements underpinning three different and interrelated discursive ‘areas’: processes of social change, sustainable development and the services sector. We point to some policy implications and a number of promising avenues for research towards the advancement of a broader socio-technical theory of innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vast majority of supply-chain literature has focused on supply chain management, innovation and sustainability, separately. However, little supply-chain research focuses on innovation under the supply chain context, which is expected to deliver a sustainable outcome. Is it a great research opportunity to explore or a subject unworthy of studying? This paper offers a systematic literature review considering 107 related papers published from 1996 to 2014. In this review, both descriptive and thematic analyses demonstrate it to be a great research opportunity worthy of exploring. A conceptual framework containing the definition of sustainable supply chain innovation (SSCI) and its distinctive characteristics are proposed and identified. Furthermore, some opportunities for the research in future, such as antecedents to SSCI, are suggested and discussed in this paper. Both academics and practitioners in companies might find this review useful as it stimulates further research and guides sustainable supply chain innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combing the global value chain framework and linear innovation process model, this paper analyzes the innovation performance of low-carbon technological innovation activities under the global value chain and the influencing factors. Other than previous research on sustainable technological innovation with major focus on radical innovation and socio-technical system transitions activities, this paper places focus on the general innovation characteristics of low-carbon technologies through an integrating view of global value chain and linear innovation process. This paper proposes an analytical framework of the linear innovation process under the global value chain, and uses factor analysis and a DEA-Tobit two-stage method to analyze the low-carbon technological innovation performance and its influencing factors of China's manufacturing industry under global value chain. The results show that the low-carbon technological innovation performance is diverse across different manufacturing industries in China. Moreover, among the three major influencing factors, government regulation is the only factor that shows a positive influence on low-carbon technological innovation performance, yet the effect is quite weak. Technology push displays a negative effect, and the impact of market pull on low-carbon technological innovation performance is not significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coherency of research, development, and innovation processes are vital in promoting a more resource efficient society. Sustainability-oriented innovation systems define specific kinds of innovation systems, i.e. those that are directed to the aims of sustainable development. This paper develops an integrated method with four layers of analysis to evaluate the priorities and performances of such systems. The method is applied to a sample of emerging and innovation based economies, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Turkey, and Singapore. The analyses consider the 6 main activities or functional dynamics of innovation systems and a set of 19 keywords. The keywords relate to the thematic clusters of renewable energy technologies, energy efficiency, and environmental management. The priorities of the countries in each main interaction of the system are classified accordingly. The priorities are compared to the existing level of specialization in the keywords based on the intermediate outputs of the system. The analyses cover 153,838 papers and 15,138 patents between the years 2003 and 2014. A Sustainable Innovation Index is developed to aggregate the normalized values of country performance across all keywords. Singapore receives the highest value (21.17) and the average of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa is 14.91. The results determine the ability of countries to align priorities and performance towards more mature innovation systems for sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development of digital finance has profoundly changed the pattern of economic and social development, which is of great significance for the realization of the harmonious coexistence between humans and nature and for the promotion of sustainable development. This study measures the state of China's provincial ecological footprint from 2011 to 2019, combines the characteristics of digital financial development, and explores whether such development can promote sustainable development from an ecological footprint perspective. The results show that (1) China's provincial ecological footprint per capita, which was continuously aggravated, increased by an average of 29.15% during the sample period. Digital financial development is shown to be able to effectively suppress the ecological footprint, and an environmental inclusion effect is also observed, which helps achieve a win‒win solution for economic development and ecological conservation while promoting environmental equality. Endogeneity tests and other robustness tests indicate that causality holds. (2) Bridging the digital divide, the improvement of environmental constraints and government digital governance capacity can help amplify the marginal effects of digital finance and mitigate the ecological footprint. (3) Green technological innovation and green finance are critical paths to achieve sustainable development. Digital financial development can facilitate green-biased technological innovation and increase the scale of green credit effectiveness, thereby reducing the ecological footprint. In the future, digital technology should be used to achieve the precise sinking of financial resources, while the government's role in guiding sustainable development should be enhanced, the digital divide should be narrowed, and the role of digital finance in supporting sustainable development should be strengthened. • Using the latest improved methodology, this paper measures the provincial ecological footprint in China. • This paper investigates the impact of digital finance development on the ecological footprint. • Digital finance development can effectively mitigate the ecological footprint and has an environmentally inclusive effect. • The reasons for this are the green bias push of digital finance towards technological innovation and the increase in the scale of green credit effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, green innovation has become an important means of achieving sustainable development, but the impact of peer firms on green innovation is less discussed. To fill this research gap, this paper explores the effect of peer firms on the green innovation activities of the Chinese A-share listed firms in the manufacturing industry from 2011 to 2020 and investigates influencing factors of peer effect. The main findings are as follows. First, there is a peer effect in making green innovation decisions. Second, industry competition has a positive moderating effect on the peer effect of green innovation. Third, digital financial inclusion and government intervention both promote the peer effect of green innovation. The peer effect is more significant with a high degree of digital financial inclusion. But the peer effect has no significant difference between different degrees of government intervention. This paper aims to explore the influencing factors of a firm's green innovation from the perspective of peer effect. The research results can provide a guide for the government to better promote green innovation activities of firms and benign competition in the industry. • A firm's green innovation activities are positively affected by industry peers. • Industry competition has a positive moderating effect on green innovation peer effect. • Digital financial inclusion and government intervention both promote the peer effect. • The peer effect is more significant with a high degree of digital financial inclusion. • The peer effect has no significant difference between different degrees of government intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, the interaction among innovation, tourism, and climate change has become a point of focus recently. This study examines the impact of innovation and tourism development on the sustainable development of the G7 economies. Panel data from 2000 to 2019 was analyzed for cross-sectional dependency, and a series of panel unit root tests were used to confirm the variables' unit root properties. Pedroni and Kao's tests confirm the cointegration relationship among the variables. The fully modified OLS and dynamic OLS results show that higher economic prosperity and lower environmental pollution are associated with innovation as measured in scientific publications and patents, highlighting the importance of innovation. The results highlight the positive significant impact of tourism arrivals on pollution reduction and economic expansion, which mark the steps for sustainable development. The study finds further evidence that asylum refugees did not positively contribute to economic prosperity, nor were they active in the environmental correction plans of the countries. The level of education provides strong evidence supporting sustainable development by encouraging economic growth and discouraging environmental degradation. Overall, the results recommend raising the level of innovation, tourism development, and higher technical education for the sustainable development of the G7 economies. These findings offer important contributions to firms, policymakers, and UN sustainable development agendas. [Display omitted] • The paper assesses the impact of innovation and tourism on sustainability. • The results show that innovation helps improve environmental quality. • The results reveal that innovation helps foster economic prosperity. • The paper finds that tourism helps in pollution reduction and economic expansion. • The results show that the level of education is important for sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is still an open question how to assess the contribution of digitalisation in agriculture to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, and how digitalisation then can be done in a responsible way. A socio-cyber-physical system (SCPS) concept can help this analysis, but little experience exists with its operationalisation and application, and its integration with the Responsible Research and Innovation approach. To address this gap, this paper has a twofold purpose: a) operationalise the SCPS concept within an integrated assessment framework adaptable to multiple levels of analysis, contexts, and purposes (e.g. ex-ante, ongoing, ex post evaluation) to shed light on impacts of digitalisation in relation to SCPS entities, relationships, and activities; b) apply the designed framework in 21 multi-stakeholder platforms (Living Labs), which were established to explore needs and expectations in specific subjects relevant for European agriculture, forestry and rural areas. Impacts were assessed through interviews (158 respondents), focus groups (378 participants), online surveys (273 respondents), and other secondary data. The findings indicate that the SCPS framework enables elucidating relationships between digital and broader sustainable development goals and needs, and can sharpen earlier assessments, going beyond a pessimistic or optimistic dichotomy associated to digitalisation by specifying effects and trade-offs in terms of enabling, disenabling, boosting and depleting impacts of digital agriculture. However, the framework being comprehensive and open to emerging socio-cyber-physical interactions, makes that Livings Labs doing participatory impact assessments struggled with the complexity and multiple dimensions of the topic. The paper provides both conceptual and operational knowledge to set up impact evaluations of responsible digitalisation in agriculture and outline concepts that can help anticipating the consequences and trade-offs. [Display omitted] • The paper outlines concepts for anticipating the consequences and trade-offs of digitalisation. • Application of a socio-cyber-physical framework to assess digitalisation impacts in 21 Living Labs. • Presenting a typology of enabling, disenabling, boosting and depleting impacts of digitalisation. • This framework and typology enable impact evaluations for responsible digitalisation in agriculture. • Responsible digitalisation means working in parallel on design, access, and system complexity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a systematic literature review of how market-based instruments can influence the development of sustainable innovation. Our analysis of empirical papers published in selected peer-reviewed journals from 1992 to 2021 shows that contextual factors such as geography and industrial sector impact whether market-based instruments successfully stimulate firms to adopt sustainable innovation. Interestingly, while most of our selected papers on East Asia report positive effects of market-based instruments, about half of the papers on Europe report negative or non-significant effects. Moreover, we appear to uncover a link between the research method they use for analysis and the observed effectiveness of market-based instruments. We reflect on the limitations and bias in current methodological approaches and discuss explanations for our findings, implications for policymakers, and avenues for future research. • We review the effect of market-based instruments on sustainable innovation. • Results from 76 empirical papers show mixed effects. • The observed effect appears to depend on geography and the research method applied. • Instruments appear more effective in East Asia than in Europe. • Reported effectiveness is higher in studies using patent data versus surveys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frugal innovation can help to foster sustainability and address global challenges, like building economic growth, addressing various social needs, and protecting the environment. However, if one wants to measure the sustainability impacts of frugal innovation or enable companies to make empirically informed decisions between frugal and alternative innovation, the question of how to assess these empirical impacts arises. The main objectives of this paper are the identification of approaches and indicators for assessing the sustainability impacts of frugal innovation and the analysis of empirical findings relating to prior assessments. To this end, a systematic literature review was conducted, which identified 15 texts, and a qualitative content analysis was employed to evaluate their contents. From these analyses two main approaches for assessment emerged. First, the assessment based on the triple bottom line or the dimensions of sustainability (ecological, social, and economic). Second, assessment against the Sustainability Development Goals. In the identified texts, the sustainability dimensions are preferred over the Sustainable Development Goals for assessing the sustainability impacts of frugal innovation. From the 15 identified texts, 13 use qualitative indicators and two quantitative (conceptual) indicators. To answer the research question of the paper, a set of 47 qualitative indicators relating to integrated dimensions of sustainability for the assessment of the sustainability impacts of frugal innovation is proposed. In addition, this paper presents new insights relating to the empirical evidence of sustainability impacts of frugal innovation. Approximately 60% of 334 empirical findings from 70 different cases related to the Sustainable Development Goals contribute to the five (socially and economically focused) SDGs 8, 3, 10, 12, and 9. After a transformation to the Triple Bottom Line, these findings contribute predominantly to the economic and social dimensions (in each case 45%), and only slightly to the ecological dimension (the remaining 10%). In turn, 164 empirical results from 77 different cases related to the Triple Bottom Line show an almost similar contribution to all three sustainability dimensions with a small lead of the economic dimension. Nonetheless, in the opinion of the author, these findings confirm other studies, that from an empirical perspective, frugal innovation can be described as inherently socially and economically sustainable and ecological sustainability is mostly not the primary focus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the performance of sustainable waste management through effective policy, legislations, supply chain integration and participation in technology. It compares a standalone impact analysis of the aspects and the hazards of the municipal solid waste. Considering the practical difficulties and issues on site of the waste disposal in the Cities, this paper does an matrix based analysis to arrive at the solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many environmental networks form around specific initiatives with prescribed outcome objectives. When the objectives are met, the networks frequently disband. Technological transfer halts and the social capital built up during the initiative fragments, in many cases, disappearing altogether. In an era of globally unsustainable economic activity, encouraging progressive innovation and broadening the scale and scope of knowledge transfer is one strategy for helping to attenuate ecological damage. This paper presents empirical field work which explores the Kalundborg Symbiosis in Denmark – a network of economic actors that has organically come together to implement industrial ecology principles – and documents how this network has managed to foster progressive innovation. The four drivers which emerged as central for fostering collaboration are i) a pragmatic environmental mindset, ii) the existence of opportunities to explore possibilities, iii) mutually beneficial initiatives and iv) the presence of dominant needs which stimulate a proactive search for solutions. The paper also contributes to sustainable public policy and urban planning literature by considering how municipal involvement can foster progressive and sustained development within the Kalundborg Symbiosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the organizational arrangements for technology supply in solar photovoltaic projects in the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). It shows that while lower middle-income countries typically import solar PV equipment into CDM projects, China, India and Thailand have begun to use new organizational arrangements for technology transfer which reflect the overall industry maturity in the solar PV sectors in these countries. This has great potential for long-term climate change mitigation efforts. However, the initiation of these new organizational arrangements often preceded the supply of technology into CDM projects. This raises important questions about the role of CDM in spearheading the development of technological capabilities required for sustainable development. The paper uses these findings to add to the literature about technology in CDM and to the wider policy debates over the future of the global climate regime. Technology transfer does not become less important as developing countries' capabilities mature, but the nature of technology transfer changes over time. This suggests a need to differentiate between countries at different levels of development. Lower middle-income countries may have greater needs for building technological capabilities whereas cooperative activities may be suitable for upper middle-income countries that already have capabilities to address climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart grids could revolutionize the electricity sector when they stimulate customer empowerment and allow new players such as ICT firms to participate. A key question is whether electricity firms would either benefit or lose from smart grid deployment, because their established business model might be at risk. This paper seeks to explain under which conditions smart grid deployment will have an enabling or a constraining effect on electricity firms' engagement in business model innovation. Critically reviewing existing studies on smart grids, the paper investigates the consequences of smart grid deployment on each of the elements of the business model: value creation, value delivery, and value capture. The main argument posited is that while there are many reasons to believe that electricity firms will embrace smart grids and innovate their business model to accommodate sustainable energy, there are still many uncertainties related to consumer engagement, government support, and new entrants that might induce them to wait with business model innovation until such uncertainties have been resolved. The paper contributes to the emerging literature on business models for smart grids by not only identifying factors that enable, but also those that inhibit the transition of electricity firms towards sustainable energy. In highlighting electricity firms' reasons to resist smart grid technology, the paper provides a more nuanced picture of the potential of smart grids to disrupt the long-standing business models in the electricity sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policy instruments introduced with the aim of promoting environmental sustainability are often designed and evaluated in terms of their impact with regard to facilitating technological change. Most ‘green’ policy instruments that have emerged in recent decades have targeted facilitation of the development and adoption of greener processes, goods and services. Concurrent business models have sought to create and capture value arising from this policy-induced transition to more environmentally sustainable practices. Both such policy instruments and the business models are, however, often evaluated more in terms of their impact on the development and adoption of innovations and less in terms of their impact on behavioural change. This paper provides a critical review of the interplay between green policy instruments and green business models from a behavioural perspective. Instead of looking at policy instruments from a technology-push and demand-pull perspective, this paper samples them in terms of ‘sticks’, ‘carrots’ and ‘sermons’ and then provides a critical review of business models that have emerged in response to these types of policy regimes. The paper finds that most green business models that have emerged in the built environment - in response to sticks - may be characterised as buck-passing, i.e. passing costs to others and skirting around the stick of regulation. Those that emerge in response to carrots as opportunistic carpet-bagging aimed at capturing a temporary gain. Finally, those that emerged in response to sermon-orientated awareness campaigns, show a tendency to diffuse even in the absence of supportive fiscal conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since last year, in France, an official education program includes more than 50 hours of innovation methodology and training mainly based on TRIZ methods! But the problem is that teachers of the classes (sciences and technology for engineers and sustainable development) do not have any training on TRIZ, or will only receive it in the next years... So the contradiction is that teachers have to be taught about TRIZ methods to be able to teach it, but teachers could not be taught on TRIZ methods as there are no time resources to do it. With the aid of an external TRIZ expert, it has been proposed to use as a main resource a team of 6 teachers and the time of course preparation to both teach teachers and develop a new, innovative teaching method. This experiment started this year for 2 classes to inventively teach TRIZ to teachers “in real-time” while students learn it by practicing the innovation methodology and creativity tools through a project. The paper describes the 3-level approach to “develop a new educational method”, to “teach the teachers” and to enable students to learn through a “creativity challenge for innovation”. The identified key problems related to this new educational method and the results of this new approach will be presented. As results, one can notice a new way of evaluating where everybody wins (education system, teachers, students), based on contradictory parameters in a “2D radar” highlighting students’ inventive abilities. From initial state to Ideal Final result, the paper explores the key success factors, the next steps and the set of problems linked to the implied actors: teachers and students, and also the educational system. The originality of the approach is that typical solutions used in learning with industries have been applied in the educational system, whereas it is traditionally the opposite… [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review paper takes the perspective of cultures of automobility in an historical context to understand resistance to attempts to alter the personal automobility paradigm with more sustainable alternative mobility concepts. The paper seeks to urge caution upon those that identify ‘peak car’ or an imminent socio-technical transition to sustainable mobility and a re-emergence of public transportation modes. The paper argues that cars as cultural objects have shifted from embodying the ideological philosophy of personal freedom to that of cocooning. In so doing the paper seeks to inject a note of caution into the debate over emergent post-automobility societies through reflection on the character and impact of cultures of automobility. Despite the possible declining functionality of cars as a means of transport, it is concluded that their appeal as personal space remains and may even be enhanced by future technological changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2010, the European Union adopted the notion ‘smart’ in its new ten-year growth strategy Europe 2020 stating that Europe should become a smart, sustainable, and inclusive economy. The broad and policy-oriented concepts of smart growth and smart development are part of the strategy introduced as a response to the observed low growth rates of innovation and productivity across European regions. In all its essence, the growth strategy states that smart growth supports sustainable development, which is achieved by promoting research, innovation, and knowledge in order to attain regional economic growth. What is made less clear is how the concept of smart growth can be translated to fit a diverse set of rural regions. Other outstanding issues discussed in this paper relate to the possibility to measure and empirically address the outcome of policies for smart rural development. Hence, in this paper we conceptually analyse and bring together the ideas that underlie the logic behind policies for smart growth by focusing on smart growth from the perspective of rural regions. The paper also presents indicators of smart rural development and analyses their relevance in future empirical studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Very few transdisciplinary approaches are found in nexus research in the Brazilian context. • Quantitative methods are predominantly used over qualitative and hybrid methods. • Natural scientific, engineering and economic fields prevail in Brazilian research on the nexus. • The technocratic water-energy nexus in the hydropower and biofuels sectors is dominant. • The Brazilian research agenda overlooks the effect of rapid urbanization and poverty on the nexus. The water-energy-food nexus has gained particular momentum in the fields of sustainable development and resource security in the last years. However, some scholars critically question the nexus by arguing that research is strongly shaped by western knowledge with a bias towards natural scientific, engineering and economic perspectives; whereas there is a lack of attention on local socio-political aspects and little contribution from social sciences. This paper provides a critical analysis of studies focused on the nexus in the Brazilian context or by Brazilian institutions. The main objectives are to assess whether research on the nexus in the Brazilian context shares common features with the international research; to identify the main nexus topics in this geographic context; and to examine if socio-economic challenges are considered, specifically regarding urbanization and poverty. Through a quantitative and qualitative analysis, the results show that Brazilian institutions lead research on the nexus in the Brazilian context, however the contribution from the social sciences remains marginal. Furthermore, quantitative methods are predominantly used over qualitative and hybrid methods. The research largely focuses on connections between water and energy in the hydropower and biofuels sectors, and it is based on discourses of efficiency, optimization, modelling and technological innovation. In addition, scholars have so far failed to address other important issues for sustainable development in Brazil and the Global South. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the paper is to clarify the relationship between sustainability-oriented innovations (SOI) and smart city development based on the systematic review of existing literature in the field. As an outcome of the review process, 159 articles were carefully selected for the in-depth analysis of the inter-linked concepts of smart city and sustainability-oriented innovations. The results show a growing trend of research papers in this field, especially in the last five years. The findings show the significance of a systemic multi-dimensional view of innovations for the smart sustainable development of cities. We have identified four main perspectives through which the scholars discourse the SOI dimensions in the smart city context: technology perspective, organizational perspective, social innovation perspective with citizen engagement, as well as system-level changes with innovation ecosystems. Second, we have recognized various focused themes under each main perspective. The various types of innovations also have impacts on different components of smart cities. Although the technological innovation perspectives dominate, and governance aspects are also paid attention to in recent studies, the increasing amount of research outputs also report on the developments of other components and perspectives, such as new human-centric approaches like citizen engagement. • Growing trend in papers connecting sustainability innovations and smart cities • Four main perspectives of innovation dimensions in smart cities recognized • Technological and governance perspectives dominate in earlier research. • Recent increase in research of human-centric approaches and citizen engagement [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The paper examines how the agri-food system is currently responding to the grand challenges of sustainability. • It reviews the literature related to sustainability-oriented innovation to identify ways in which the agri-food system could better respond to grand challenges in the future. • It highlights the key contributions of the seven articles in the special issue. • It draws three potential avenues for future research. The agri-food system features prominently in discussions about sustainable development because of its broad economic, social, and environmental impacts. To examine how the agri-food system is responding – and can respond – to the grand challenges of sustainability, we position this Special Issue (SI) within the stream of sustainability-oriented innovation (SOI) literature, and in relation to the much-cited framework provided by Adams et al. (2016). This introductory article contains an overview of the selected papers, described by using the above-mentioned framework and by highlighting the contributions that these articles bring to fill current knowledge gaps in the field. Such knowledge gaps have been identified by investigating SOI links to sustainability and circular economy concepts and by studying how SOI relates to development in the agri-food system. The contributions to this SI explore different facets of the research agenda we have laid out and covers the range of SOI proposed by Adams et al. To help the field move forward, we finally identify a few areas as the most relevant for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A tripartite evolutionary game model is employed to unpack the black box of evolution mechanism in the Recycled resources industry(RRI) innovation ecosystem. • There are six ESS in the evolutionary game model, and the ideal state (1,1,1) could be achieved. • The interactions among the three groups exist with the subsidy policy; however, the interplays between UR and Enterprise are kept only without the subsidy policy. • The factors and their influencing mechanisms to these agents' strategy choice are clarified, also transmission effect has been found. • The subsidy is a "double-edged" sword, which should be set in a reasonable range. The recycled resources industry (RRI) is considered one of the pillars for sustainable development. Few studies to date have evaluated the innovation regime in RRI, although it is one of the dilemmas that RRI is facing. Therefore, including "Government," "Enterprise," and "University-Research institute" in the evolutionary game model, this paper draws on innovation ecosystem theory and conducts a mechanism analysis to clarify the evolutionary stability of stakeholder strategies in the RRI. The findings highlight six potential Evolutionary Stable Strategies (ESS), with which the 'ideal state' can be achieved. Moreover, with and without the subsidy policy, the strategic choices of players are differently interdependent, the divergent factors and the influencing mechanisms to the main stakeholders are identified, and the transmission effect of the influence is found. What's more, a subsidy policy would promote active cooperation between these stakeholders when the subsidy quota is within an appropriate range. This paper unpacks the evolution mechanism black box from the stakeholders' perspective, which provides a clearer understanding of the evolutionary dynamics of industrial innovation ecosystems. The critical findings also provide evidence for policymakers to facilitate the coevolution of the agents in the innovation ecosystem, thereby improving the overall innovation ability of the RRI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fish processing industry is currently shifting from being heavily manual labor-based into automation of most of the operations along the processing line. This paper reports on a case study of fish processing equipment-producing companies and seeks to investigate how green innovation can be integrated within the activities of the companies to secure sustainable fish processing in the future. Although the companies studied were all found to be involved with innovation, none of them were working with green innovations. This paper suggests that smaller companies (such as small and medium sized enterprises) that supply to larger companies may lack feedback on environmental requirements of their products due to the perceived relative size of the contribution of their product to the overall environmental footprint of the end product of the consumer. Better and tougher environmental requirements on fish processing equipment from governmental agencies, as well as long term commitment between producer and end customers may be an effective way of sparking green innovation initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a privatized global marketplace, innovation is a key driver of sustainable development and national competitiveness. Here we report on an innovative new fully building-integrated thermal solar panel concept that is patented and currently being readied for commercialization. The paper outlines the French regulatory landscape governing the deployment of thermal solar panels in France, and thus the need for countries like France to develop new building-integrated solar power meeting “building-envelope” integration requirements for protected areas. We go on to introduce the new as-developed system, its physical modelling via a finite element analysis model constructed using an electric circuit analogy, and the results achieved on a detached home retrofitted with this system and trialled for a 12-month period. This paper leads out of COST – European Cooperation Science and Technology – framework action TU 1205 “Building Integration of Solar Thermal Systems”. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper focuses on the evolution of Appropriate Technology (AT) movement in India touching upon its ideological contours developed by thinkers like M.K. Gandhi, E.F. Schumacher, JC Kumarappa and others. It stresses that AT movement as a discursive one is not about mobilizing activities and people but is about academic discourses on AT. Hence it articulates the AT movement in India in the framework of ‘Mobilization to Institutionalization’. And the paper presents an empirical case study of a social movement organization named Honey Bee Network, emergent of the said movement that does not represent the original discourse of the movement any more rather represents the later turning point of the discourse, i.e, the drift toward sustainable technologies in India. Noteworthy, that this case study of the Honey Bee Network at Ahmedabad is in fact a network of three organizations namely, Society for Research and Initiatives for Sustainable Technologies and Institutions (SRISTI), National Innovation Foundation (NIF), and Grassroots Innovation and Augmentation Network (GIAN) which are to scout, document, register, and incubate the grassroots innovations that are based on traditional and indigenous knowledge systems and lastly to transform these grassroots innovations into commercialized technologies. The Honey Bee Network as a social movement organization has been analyzed from the vantage of the well known resource mobilization theory of social movements. Lastly the paper brings out the socio-cultural embedded character of the grassroots innovations and their resultant technologies. And it is further argued that, this bottom-up approach of technological development is to pave the way for sustainable technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Automation technology has advanced in industry, such as aerospace, ship building, automobile, etc. However, automation technology in construction has grown slowly, because the currently available automation technology and engineering technology may not be suitable for large scale construction products effectively and economically. This paper describes current additive manufacturing (AM) processes in construction which has the potential of application in the production of large structures. Based on the similar procedure, the paper explores a new BIM-based automated construction system (BIMAC) including composition of BIMAC, detail of execution setup, data issues, filling layer algorithm and shows printed example results, which are the highly customized building components. The further research about construction scale AM is presented. While still in its infancy, this research has the potential to improve the traditional construction methods, and solve problems like high accident, low quality, loss of skilled workers, and so on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taiwan, located in a subtropical area, is a high energy-importing nation with approximately 98% of our energy supplied by imported fuels since 2000. In this regard, renewable electricity systems from its richness of solar radiation and strong monsoon are thus becoming attractive due to the energy, economic, and environmental policies for pursuing clean electricity supply, sustainable development and greenhouse gases emission mitigation in Taiwan. The objective of this paper was to present an analysis of profitable promotion and innovative measures for renewable electricity in Taiwan because the photovoltaic (PV) power and wind power systems have rapidly increased the total installed capacity from 2.7 MW in 2000 to 1006.2 MW in 2013. The description in the paper was thus summarized on an analysis of renewable electricity supply since 2000 and its future goals up to 2030, and then centered on the new promotion legislation (i.e., Renewable Energy Development Act) in the measures of feed-in tariff (FIT) and tax/subsidy incentives. Current subsidiary and innovative programs to promote the development of renewable electricity technologies, including roof-type PV power, off-shore wind power and biogas-to-power, were also described. Due to its innovation promotion for renewable energy exploitation in recent years, Pingtung County, located in the southernmost of Taiwan, was introduced as a case study. Finally, some recommendations for promote renewable electricity development were addressed in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper elucidates ways in which small high-technology companies through using open knowledge networks may contribute to sustainability transitions. The analysis focuses on young university spin-off companies as an important channel for bringing responsible innovations from university to market while it connects the micro-level with the meso-level of networks supporting socio-technical system changes. A conceptual reflection on responsible innovation, openness in knowledge networks and socio-technical systems' transitions, is followed by an empirical research. Based on a hundred companies and four case studies, the results indicate that responsible innovation is one of the drivers of openness in knowledge networks. However, partner diversity in openness tends to have a negative effect on growth of the companies. Our preliminary evidence indicates that focus (product-market) and selectivity in the choice of partners connected to professional (venture) capital, market access, credibility and complementary assets are highly relevant when it comes to influencing change in socio-technical systems. A discussion of the implications of this study and suggestions for future research close the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A qualitative and quantitative assessment of social, economic and environmental impacts of low-emission transition pathways in livestock. • Quantified macro-economic and health impacts of low-emission transition pathways in the livestock sector in the Netherlands. • Each low-emission transition pathway design has its own footprint of social, economic and environmental impacts. This paper provides the results of a combined qualitative and quantitative assessment of key impacts for two low-emission transition pathways for the Dutch livestock sector. These impacts or side-effects can be positive or negative. Both pathways were designed to meet a sector specific methane emission reduction target of 33 % in 2030 (relative to 2005). The qualitative assessment with stakeholders resulted in developing off-model quantifications to better reflect expected changes in system dynamics and development of more realistic transition pathways used for macro-econometric (E3ME) and atmospheric (TM5-FASST) modelling. We found that each low-emission transition pathway has a unique footprint of positive and negative impacts. This footprint is largely shaped by the combination of existing and new technologies, infrastructure used, and practices deployed. We consider the analysis and results relevant for climate policy and governance processes where there is a need to develop transition pathways that are optimised to meet different sustainable development goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Calls for societal transformations to sustainability surge in science and policy. • Our transformation typology differentiates between system level, pace and scope. • We identify 4 modes of transformation: quantum leap, convergent, emergent and gradual. • Innovations, learning and new narratives are key interventions for transformations. • Conceptualizing variations in societal transformations towards sustainability. Calls for societal transformations in response to climate change and unsustainable trajectories are surging in scientific journals, political proposals and news media. The multifaceted usages of the concept of transformation creates challenges for scientific assessments, such as those of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, as well as for the implementation of the Paris Agreement process, the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development, the EU's long-term climate strategy, the European Green Deal, and other political decisions. In this paper, we suggest an analytical framework to differentiate between how sustainability transformations are made sense of in terms of system level, pace and scope. We distinguish between four general modes of transformations: quantum leap, convergent, emergent, and gradual approaches. We also discuss how they can be used to make sense of interventions to foster major sustainability transformations. We expand on three examples of interventions that were pertinent in our cross-country studies: technological innovations, transformative learning and the formulation of new narratives of sustainable societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • An innovative bioinspired CO 2 sorbent was synthesized by pyrocatechol and HMDA; • Outstanding CO 2 capture of 7.28 mmol/g was achieved under 4% humidified CO 2 at RT; • Easy functionalization for higher CO 2 capture and lower energy penalty regeneration. • Mussel-inspired coatings were completely stable over 50 adsorption/desorption cycles; • Our coating approach can be potentially applied to a plethora of surfaces. Nowadays, finding innovative technologies to efficiently adsorb/desorb CO 2 over several cycles with low energy consumption is a pressing environmental concern. In this work, a new bioionspired coating based on the copolymerization of benzene-1,2-diol and hexamethylenediamine, with a CO 2 uptake of 7.28 mmol/g under humidified conditions with an outstanding chemical stability and regenerability process is reported. Further functionalization with glycidyltrimethylammonium chloride increases the uptake capacity up to 9.96 mmol/g while lowering the desorption temperature down to 50 °C for 20 min. Moreover, the coating shows strong adhesion on cotton and paper, without modifying their intrinsic permeability and mechanical properties, allowing for the recycling of fully available and environmentally friendly biomass. These results demonstrate the competitive advantages of this bioinspired coating compared with current technologies to capture CO 2 while accomplishing the resource efficiency of bioeconomy policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid population growth and urbanisation have accelerated waste generation, and effective waste management has become a major challenge worldwide. With advances in technology and management methods, waste management strategies have begun embracing digitalisation, leveraging the Internet of Things (IoT), big data analytics, cloud/edge computing, machine learning, 5G communication, and blockchain technologies. Amongst them, the blockchain technology has the structural features of achieving information security and integrity without central guarantees. Blockchain also meets the data record/storage needs of waste management and the design of new mechanisms for effective waste management. These benefits make blockchain an attractive technology in the field of waste management, with researchers and practitioners alike investigating its broad applications to support sustainable waste management. However, this emerging technology has not yet been widely accepted by potential users. To further champion the application of blockchain technology, this review paper provides a systematic overview of the various pathways in which the technology has been applied in the waste management industry and further discusses its related challenges and opportunities via considering the promising prospect of combining blockchain technology with IoT, artificial intelligence (AI) and life cycle assessment (LCA). This review also provides insights for interpreting some emerging applications of blockchain in the field of waste management and clarifying the research paths in the context of blockchain, digitalised waste management, and circular economy. [Display omitted] • Impacts of blockchain technology on waste management have been substantial. • Recent development from blockchain's functional perspectives was surveyed. • There is a long way towards blockchain-based sustainable waste management. • Relevant challenges and opportunities in blockchain applications were discussed. • Outlooks in digitalised waste management and circular economy were clarified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Governments around the world have enacted many policies to reduce environmental pollution and carbon dioxide (CO2) emission. This study aimed to determine and understand the relationship between innovation, renewable energy consumption, foreign direct investment inflows, economic growth and CO2 emission in Vietnam. Information was collected annually based on the annual data of the General Statistics Office of Vietnam and World Bank from 2000 to 2022. The authors use the unrestricted fixed effects to resolve the study problems and using panel data method. The results indicate that innovation positively affects environmental pollution in Vietnam. However, renewable energy consumption has a negative effect on environmental pollution in Vietnam. In addition, FDI inflows and economic growth have strongly positive effects on environmental pollution. This paper also provides some recommendations that can assist Vietnam in developing a green and sustainable economy in the technology revolution 5.0 to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) over a long-term period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Municipal open innovation platforms have been employed to gather and guide business sector interest in addressing challenges to urban sustainability. However, the influence of this type of innovation support on business model innovation remains poorly understood. This paper explores the potential for municipal influence on sustainable business model innovation by analysing work conducted within four municipal open innovation platforms. The results indicate that influence falls into two separate categories. First, influence can be direct, involving the stipulation of desirable business model archetypes and the provision of resources, or indirect, such as the arrangement of meetings between clients. Second, influence can be formal, including official statements on business models or innovation, or informal, involving interactions outside of the platform and the use of unofficial information material. Established actors were attracted by direct and formal support but also had power to influence the platforms. Platform staff would identify and assess those clients who sought informal and indirect support and, if desirable, introduce them to other types of innovation support. The study highlights the need to consider the complexities of balancing local administrative, political, and business interests when designing and staffing open innovation platforms. • Municipal innovation platforms influence sustainable business model innovation. • Dichotomies of influence imply lessons for staff and stakeholders. • Direct and formal influence represented risks to the platform. • Informal and indirect influence is difficult to measure and assess. • Open innovation platforms present a managerial challenge to cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article comprises an analysis of academic entrepreneurship, from the perspective of innovation and sustainability. It aims to identify and assess the innovation and eco-innovation support programs implemented by academics at higher education institutions. The paper presents the typology of innovation and associated concepts, including the notion of innovation for sustainable development (eco-innovation). It also reviews the existing literature in the field of academic entrepreneurship, which is a broad concept, requiring a unique and geographically specific approach. The following research methods were adopted - case study (the subject of the study was the Center for Knowledge and Technology Transfer), based on document analysis, and structured interviews with a purposively selected group of academic innovation developers. The analysis conducted allows a conclusion that one of the main barriers to the implementation of innovation is the lack of adequate funds for research task implementation. The analyzed Innovation Incubator program, despite its significant contribution to the sustainable support of innovation, requires certain changes and improvements to ameliorate the cooperation between the academic circles and business. • The analysis indicates a lack of financial resources for the implementation of innovation from academic entrepreneurship. • Enterprises are interested in sustainable innovation. • Academic entrepreneurship in Poland has been gaining international recognition. • The Innovation Incubator Program is analyzed and found to require certain changes and improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In recent years, thermoelectric (TE) devices have emerged as promising alternative environmental friendly applications for heat pumps and power generators since the environmental issues such as the global warming and the limitations of energy resources gradually drew worldwide attentions. Due to the green feature and distinct advantages, the thermoelectric technology have been applied to different areas in an effort of designing simple, compact and environmental friendly systems. The applied areas are extended from the earliest application on kerosene lamp to aerospace applications, transportation tools, industrial utilities, medical services, electronic devices and temperature detecting and measuring facilities. The application potentials of TE in directly conversing thermal energy into electrical power have been identified, especially for where the cost of thermal energy input need not to be considered, such as waste heat utilization, in the light of the present low efficiency of thermoelectric conversion. The capability of TE in producing thermal energy (in terms of cooling or heating) with the use of electrical power is also well identified. This paper reviews the status of the material development and thermoelectric applications in different areas and discusses the difficulties in terms of the commercialisations of advanced materials. Other than this, the main purpose of this paper is to present the great potential of achieving both environmental and economic benefits by exclusively utilizing thermoelectric applications in different areas. It also comes to the conclusion that the thermoelectric applications with the current conversion efficiency are economically and technically practical for micro/small applications. However, it would be transformed to a more significant green energy solution for improving the current environment and energy issues by using medium/large scale thermoelectric applications when the thermoelectric materials with a figure-of-merit over 2 come into commercial practice. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Social Impact Assessment (SIA) has traditionally been practiced as a predictive study for the regulatory approval of major projects, however, in recent years the drivers and domain of focus for SIA have shifted. This paper details the emergence of Social Impact Management Plans (SIMPs) and undertakes an analysis of innovations in corporate and public policy that have put in place ongoing processes – assessment, management and monitoring – to better identify the nature and scope of the social impacts that might occur during implementation and to proactively respond to change across the lifecycle of developments. Four leading practice examples are analyzed. The International Finance Corporation (IFC) Performance Standards require the preparation of Environmental and Social Management Plans for all projects financed by the IFC identified as having significant environmental and social risks. Anglo American, a major resources company, has introduced a Socio-Economic Assessment Toolbox, which requires mine sites to undertake regular assessments and link these assessments with their internal management systems, monitoring activities and a Social Management Plan. In South Africa, Social and Labour Plans are submitted with an application for a mining or production right. In Queensland, Australia, Social Impact Management Plans were developed as part of an Environmental Impact Statement, which included assessment of social impacts. Collectively these initiatives, and others, are a practical realization of theoretical conceptions of SIA that include management and monitoring as core components of SIA. The paper concludes with an analysis of the implications for the practice of impact assessment including a summary of key criteria for the design and implementation of effective SIMPs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• We verify the Porter Hypothesis in the context of China's iron and steel industry. • The U-shaped relationship exists between environmental regulation and efficiency. • Environmental regulation influences efficiency performance by technical innovation. • The impact of environmental regulation on efficiency shows regional heterogeneity. • Future policies for improved efficiency performance are suggested based on results. Environmental regulation is a critical instrument for achieving sustainable economic and social development in the context of carbon neutrality. The iron and steel industry is highly polluting and energy-consuming, posing a significant threat to China's environmental sustainability. Based on the panel of Chinese provincial-level data from 2000 to 2017, this paper empirically examines how environmental regulation affects the iron and steel industry's green development. The findings show that there is a U-shaped relationship between environmental regulation and energy-environmental performance. Low environmental regulation intensity inhibits the improvement of energy-environmental performance. But as the regulation intensity increases, it contributes to the advancement of energy-environmental performance. Environmental regulation affects the industrial energy-environment performance through technological innovation, and the relationship between environmental regulation and technological innovation presents a U-shaped relationship. There are noticeable regional differences in the impact of environmental regulation on energy-environmental performance. The findings provide new evidence to confirm the Porter Hypothesis. Finally, this paper provides policy suggestions for further energy-environmental performance improvements in China's iron and steel industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Explores literature on relationship between knowledge and innovation in start-ups. • Develops integrated framework for knowledge and innovation research in start-ups. • Most research focuses on one level of analysis and collects data only once. • Social, responsible, sustainable, and green start-ups are understudied. • Calls for deeper insights into innovation descendants, and more holistic approaches. This paper studies the use of knowledge for innovation purposes in start-ups. Studies at the thematic intersection of knowledge, innovation, and start-ups are spread across different research fields and exhibit various aims and foci. Thus, we conducted a systematic literature review of 90 academic articles using a three-stage approach (planning, conducting, and reporting and dissemination) to investigate the relationship between knowledge and innovation, categorise knowledge (into sources, mechanisms, and types), and identify antecedents of knowledge, innovation measures, descendants of innovation, moderators, and mediators. This study contributes to the existing literature by developing an integrated framework for knowledge and innovation research in the start-up context, thereby enabling researchers and practitioners to gain insights into areas researched previously and identify existing literature gaps. This paper's findings suggest that most research focuses on one level of analysis, collects data at one point in time, and concentrates on for-profit start-ups. At the same time, the interplay between knowledge sources, mechanisms, and types receives little attention. Furthermore, actual financial performance measures have seldom been included, and a better connection between qualitative, quantitative, and theoretical research findings would be beneficial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Scenarios are best described as a highly innovative, pragmatic field of practice grappling with theoretical grounding. Complexity science, in contrast, is a theoretically grounded, highly conceptual field searching for more effective and extensive application in practice. This paper explores how these largely separate fields might be better related in enabling groups and organizations cope with uncertainty. It focuses on non-probabilistic scenarios and the so-called Intuitive logics school of scenarios, with its emphasis on plausible, alternative futures because of its increasing dominance. The benefits of incorporating key insights from complexity science into scenario practices seems an obvious ‘must have’ in engaging complex, messy and puzzling situations and guiding action in the 21st century. Similarly, the persistent and recent significantly increased interest in scenarios offers insights relevant to extending complexity ideas beyond academe and inquiry, into broader spheres of corporate strategy, public policy-making and change management. Plausibility-based scenarios are being deployed to grapple with complexity for a variety of different purposes, including strategic renewal, anticipating systemic risks and enabling the large scale, transitions implied in meeting the challenge of global, sustainable development. This paper suggests that intuitive logics scenarios offer an ‘on-ramp’ to complexity, encouraging attention to the systemic framing of systems, situations and problems and enabling complexity concepts to penetrate beyond the domains of scholarship. It notes that complexity thinking challenges one-off scenario building practices, especially when the scenarios are developed using the deductive building method. As plausibility-based scenario practices continue to evolve they encounter practical challenges of linking to other processes, relating to other futures methods, broadening beyond the organizational scale, engaging heterogeneous agents and in enabling deeper reframing, exposing deeply held beliefs about progress and assumptions about change management in complex systems. This paper concludes with implications for practice and future scholarship associated with each challenge. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: As one prominent form of sustainable innovation, eco-efficient services have been promoted as a promising way towards more sustainable societies. However, they have not turned into reality as expected. This paper argues that one of the primary reasons for the slow market penetration of eco-efficient services is the mismatch between customers’ needs and service providers’ offerings. While previous research has predominantly focused upon a variety of aspects of existing or potential eco-efficient service concepts, there is hardly any systematic research on customer needs for innovative eco-efficient services. In order to start to bridge the knowledge gap, we investigate such customer needs through the analysis of interview and survey data obtained from over 300 potential customer companies in Finland, most of which operate either in the EU or globally. The paper discusses what kinds of eco-efficient services customers need and under what conditions, and which barriers hinder the use of eco-efficient services by business customers. The customer companies desire material efficiency services for managing side streams and non-core processes. They primarily seek cost and broader business-efficiency improvements from these services, and find that service providers should be able to construct a clear business case when marketing services. Finally, although there are material efficiency services in the market, customer companies find they are not being marketed actively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Product-Service System (PSS) approaches and resulting benefits have been viewed mainly from a business world standpoint and in terms of economic and environmental dimensions of sustainability. This paper seeks to extend the application of PSS for community social-economic transformation and links it with Soft Systems Methodology (SSM), especially the Customer-Actor-Transformation-Worldview-Owner-Environment (CATWOE) method, to propose a model for synergistically sustainable community development. This approach recognises the diverse views and transformation goals of multiple stakeholders, fosters value co-creation in achieving desirable outcomes and uncovers synergies between system entities and various PSS elements. By analysing two examples of disadvantaged regional communities, the paper indicates how systems thinking and PSS can facilitate service innovation and opportunities for synergistic sustainability by transforming the local economy and improving services and social livelihoods. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Developing successful technological innovations is essential for creating and sustaining a firm''s competitive advantage. This paper analyses the internal complexity that characterises technological innovation in firms. The innovation capability of a firm depends closely on its intellectual and/or organisational knowledge assets and on its ability to deploy these assets. This paper goes beyond the direct relationships between human and technological knowledge assets and product innovation, proposing a moderating role of innovation culture on these relationships. Using a questionnaire to survey 251 Spanish high and medium-high technological manufacturing firms, multiple regression models were developed. After analysing the relationship between human capital and product innovation developed by firms, the results reveal the existence of the moderating role of innovation culture in a knowledge-based product innovation model. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Exemplars of open innovation have revealed that intellectual property (IP) need not only be sourced through existing hierarchical or market relationships. Rather IP can be acquired from individuals and firms with whom an organization has no prior relationship. In such cases, an intermediary, operating as an innovation exchange or brokerage, frequently facilitates the development and acquisition of IP. This paper examines one type of innovation intermediary, the ‘Solver Brokerage,’ which enables innovation exchanges between organizations and unknown external firms and individuals (i.e. a crowdsourcing process). While the commercial success of Solver Brokerages indicates the potency of arguments concerning the potential of crowdsourcing, little is known about the operation of such brokerages or the crowdsourcing processes that they enable. This paper examines extant research on innovation networks, crowdsourcing, and electronic marketplaces to identify three processes (knowledge mobility, appropriability and stability) that we argue are necessary to ‘orchestrate’ crowdsourcing. Using a field study of four Solver Brokerages, an innovation seeking organization, as well as 15 innovation providers (i.e. members of the ‘crowd’), the paper illustrates the ways in which the three orchestration processes are enhanced in Solver Brokerages. It reveals that while knowledge mobility and appropriability processes can be enhanced by activities under the control of the Solver Brokerage, stability is largely determined by innovation seeking organizations and the innovation providers. The paper concludes that broker-provided value-added ‘orchestration’ services need to enable knowledge mobility and appropriability, and to ensure that ‘unsuccessful’ innovation seekers and providers appropriate sufficient value to participate again. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper explores the implementation and decision-making process in TGV projects and how these have changed, especially since the construction of the Mediterranean TGV-line. While paradoxically, this project was probably the most controversial, it is now seen as a huge success for all the actors involved. What kind of lessons can we learn from this experience? How may we evaluate the impact of this project on TGV-line planning? How can we characterize this implementation and decision-making process with regard to sustainable development challenges? The construction of the Mediterranean TGV-line was an opportunity to introduce a number of innovations - more dialogue in the decision-making process, more focus on environmental concerns, new project management and technological processes – and this is why it now appears as a showcase example of integrated sustainable development. This paper examines the different kinds of innovations developed during the TGV-Med project by using concepts from the sociology of innovation to understand how these solutions emerged in a controversial situation. Then we analyze the lessons that emerged from this decision-making process (both immediately and subsequently) and the way in which procedures evolved: creation of new tools and devices (public consultation, project management, etc.). Finally, we focus on the impact of these developments on TGV project governance. In particular, new methods of implementation and financing involved a reconfiguration of the system of actors. So the aim of this paper is to define the impact of this reconfiguration on negotiations between stakeholders. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Several small remote sensing satellites have been developed and launched during the last decade by several developing countries in Africa, the Middle East and East Asia. These satellites share among them several features; chief among them is that they were developed for use in developmental planning and to gain access to space technology. The first generation of those satellites had a relatively course resolution of about 30m, but the second generation reaches a resolution of 2.5m. This group of satellites also have “similar” designs, which stems from the fact that they were developed to achieve a similar purpose: introducing developing countries to space technology and application through small remote sensing satellites. The other side of building national space programs in developing nations is building the technological base for satellite manufacturing, building the infrastructure for operation and utilization of these satellites and most importantly building the user community and the user applications, which uses these results for sustainable development. This paper attempts to assess the degree to which these objectives were achieved for various satellites. In addition to these more “programmatic” aspects, the paper attempts to shed light, from published information, on some aspects of the recent trends in designs of small remote sensing satellites. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The African Leadership Conference on Space Science and Technology (known as “the ALC”) is a regional conference to promote intra-African cooperation in the uses of space science and technology to support Africa’s development. The first such conference was held in 2005 in Abuja, Nigeria, followed by South Africa (2007), Algeria (2009) and Kenya (2011). The ALC has come to be regarded as a representative African forum in the global space community. This paper provides an overview of the structure and activities of the ALC and presents the highlights and outcomes of the first four conferences and their contribution to shaping the development of the African space arena. The paper concludes with an analysis of the challenges facing the ALC and some proposed measures to enhance its effectiveness. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This Special Volume (SV) focuses on finding effective ways to achieve sustainable development. This introductory article contains an overview of the articles, divided into four topics: (a) sustainable natural resource management based on large scale data (b) environmental pollution and prevention through large scale data, (c) technological challenges involving green innovation, and (d) big data modeling and mining involving green growth. Taking into account the seriousness of environmental pollution, sustainable development papers based on big data are clearly the most important contributions of this SV. Some authors reported on the relationship between environmental pollution and influencing factors, such as shelling, traffic density, e-commerce environmental regulation, technological innovation and green supply chain behavior. Some authors investigated sustainable natural resource management based on large scale data, including energy, generation and agricultural land. Some authors studied green innovation from various perspectives, and built different models to analyze green growth problems. The findings and recommendations are positive and encouraging. However, it is clear that many additional challenges must be solved in order to establish and support systems which will guide and monitor transformations into sustainable, livable, and low pollution. Much work remains, but the wisdom in the articles in this SV will help societies transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The transition towards Sustainable Product-Service Systems (SPSS) is not an easy journey. The literature indicates several difficulties in obtaining success in the development of SPSS offers. These hardships indicate the need for well-structured methods supporting the systematic generation of sustainable innovations and solving contradictions during the stages of the servitization process. The Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ) is worldwide recognized by its potential to systematically solve contradictions and generate innovations. However, the research framework available and its application into SPSS domain· are still very limited. Thus, to address this gap, this paper aims to explore the contributions and challenges of the adoption of TRIZ in the development of SPSSs. A systematic literature review of the foundations and advances in this topic was conducted. The primary results indicate the main contributions from TRIZ to SPSS development, the types of eco-innovations resulting, the artifacts (e.g. models, methods, proposition or instantiation) that applied TRIZ towards SPSS and the most frequent category of PSS resulting according to TRIZ. Findings suggest that the systematic innovation proposed by TRIZ has great potential to enable the development of systematic SPSS offers. Synergies between TRIZ and the sustainable strategies of Cleaner Production also were mapped. Finally, our study proposes a research agenda and indicate the main challenges to apply the TRIZ in SPSS models. A new concept emerges in servitization field: the Systematic and Sustainable Product-Service Systems (SSPSS). Highlights • The integration between TRIZ and Sustainable Product-Service Systems is a promising topic in servitization arena. • TRIZ enables the development of Systematic and Sustainable Product-Service Systems (SSPSS) models. • There are several synergies between TRIZ and the sustainable strategies of the Cleaner Production. • Academics and practitioners can use this study to improve the development of sustainable business models. • A new concept emerges in servitization field: the Systematic and Sustainable Product-Service Systems (SSPSS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Combining sustainable consumption with the circular economy concept could help tackle challenges, such as resource scarcity and climate change by reducing resource throughput and increasing cycling of products and materials within the economic system, thereby reducing emissions and virgin material use. To achieve sustainable consumption in a circular economy production and consumption practices need to change. Business models can potentially influence both practices as it defines how a company conducts business and shapes the company-consumer relationship. This paper developed future business models for sustainable consumption through two rounds of semi-structured interviews with experts from academia, industry, and policy. During the first interview round, four business model elements that are important for sustainable consumption were identified: Resource strategy, Revenue model, Consumer effort, and Objective to (decrease/increase) consumption level. Based on these elements, we developed a comprehensive business model framework. Using this framework, experts envisioned future business models for sustainable consumption of clothing during the second interview round. The findings of this study suggest that the most promising business models for sustainable consumption are those that reduce overall consumption levels and consumer effort. Further, we found that a diverse range of business models in the market can potentially enable different customer segments to consume sustainably. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]