S.O. Negro

• PhD
• Professor (Assistant) at Utrecht University

Understanding the emergence of innovation systems is recently put central in research analysing the process of technological change. Especially the key activities that are important for the build up of an innovation system receive much attention. These are labelled ‘functions of innovation systems’. This paper builds on five empirical studies, rela...

Since the 1970s research on energy conversion technologies, such as biomass digestion, has been carried out in the Netherlands. However, after 30 years biomass digestion has not been implemented on large scale. The aim of this paper is to create insight into the underlying factors of this troublesome trajectory by applying the ‘Functions of Innovat...

Research into the impact of innovative sustainable energy experiments and demonstrations is crucial to diversifying, scaling up, and accelerating the sustainable energy transition. Although there is vast research into sustainable energy experiments and demonstrations, research literature offers a fragmented collection of findings. A coherent overvi...

Introduction Achieving sustainability transitions requires substantial policy changes, often driven by coalitions of actors advocating for institutional change and transformative agendas. While the transitions literature highlights the importance of coalition coordination, the underlying processes remain insufficiently understood. This study explor...

Innovation systems take a holistic perspective to frame the dynamics that influence the emergence of innovation. Such systems consider a wide range of actors, institutions and networks to be the key structural building blocks. These structural elements interact, generating positive or negative feedback loops. Innovation systems initially emphasized...

The Virtual Human Platform for Safety Assessment (VHP4Safety) project aims to build a Virtual Human Platform (VHP) to protect human health and revolutionize the safety assessment of chemicals and pharmaceuticals by transitioning from animal-based to human-based approaches. The goal of this article is to introduce the project and its interdisciplina...

This perspective paper, which is the result of a collaborative effort between toxicologists and scholars in innovation and transition studies, presents a heuristic framework based on innovation system literature for understanding and appraising mission achievement to animal-free chemical safety assessment using New Approach Methodologies (NAMs). Wh...

Literature on mission-specific innovation systems (MIS) highlights the crucial role of directionality when achieving sustainability transitions, while diversity literature emphasizes the need to keep diverse directions open. Like directionality, diversity is created by innovation system actors to tackle the complex and uncertain nature of transitio...

In the currently emerging paradigm of challenge-led and transformative innovation policies, thereis increasing attention for addressing urgent societal problems by formulating clear, timeboundand ambitious mission goals. Completing such transformative mission’s places new demands oninnovation systems, as actors and activities need to align around p...

The paper shows that visions of the future can be used as a predictor of cooperation and division between actors in their efforts to shape the institutional environment, specifically policy in socio‐technical systems. Accordingly, the paper suggests a new method to analyze visions: a virtual solution space in which visions can be grouped according...

Markets for plant-based protein products are experiencing unprecedented growth. However, the extent to which the wider diffusion of plant-based protein products is beneficial to human and planetary health is still a contested issue in public discourses. The study of media frames for plant-based protein products can serve as a basis for approaches o...

The circular economy has been proposed to transform global textile supply chains which are currently challenged by a complex nexus of sustainability issues related to the dominant fast fashion trend. Research on circular economy in the textile sector often focuses on businesses or consumers as key enablers in circular transitions, yet it treats the...

CONTEXT Regardless 30 years of similar regulations and a common internal market, the diffusion of organic farming strongly differs amongst European member states. While the share of organic farmland in 2018 in Denmark and Austria was respectively 9.8% and 24.7%, in the Netherlands it was only 2.3%. OBJECTIVE The aim of this paper was to analyze wh...

Renewable energy sectors are becoming increasingly globalized with lead firms appropriating value on a global scale: This creates challenges for nations seeking to anchor some of the value locally through indigenous industrial development. Since lead firms select their suppliers for a given deployment project, national governments can set incentive...

The decarbonizing the heat sector is a major challenge in the energy transition in Germany and elsewhere. District heating systems could play an important role in this context. However, the diffusion of the technology in Germany has been very slow. The paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the technological innovation system (TIS) to enhance u...

Over the past years, a new technology has emerged in the solar photovoltaics market: building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). Even though this technology has a lot of potential, the diffusion of BIPV has remained rather limited, globally and also in the Netherlands. In this paper, the Technological Innovation System (TIS) approach is used to analy...

The technological innovation systems (TIS) literature and the strand of system building studies explain the role of networks in the strategic creation of favorable institutional conditions for sustainability transitions. To better understand collective system building, it is important to delve into the formation of networks composed of diverse orga...

This article analyzes the transition towards second-generation (2G) biofuels during the 2005–2018 period in Brazil, which is a world leader of first-generation (1G) biofuels. In the case of Brazil 2G technologies are associated with sugarcane and the technologies of this transition considered in this article are enzymatic hydrolysis and energy cane...

Understanding “systemic problems” or “blocking mechanisms” in emerging technologies and industries has been a major issue in Technological Innovation Systems (TIS) research. Despite this literature’s long tradition, we show that a more accurate definition enhances the TIS framework explanatory power for a higher diversity of empirical cases. We pos...

This study develops a framework of internal and external factors that influence the adoption of ecoinnovation. We studied 80 adoption processes in the Dutch brewing industry and the Dutch paper industry and analysed the relative importance of different factors. We find that internal factors were more important than external factors. The analysis al...

A new era of transformative and mission-oriented innovation policy has arisen due to the urgency of grand societal challenges, such as climate change. This new era requires a massive restructuring of societies, industries and consumption and will depend on, in part, new technologies and a high degree of coordination between the industry, civil soci...

In this paper, we study sustainability transitions in agriculture and highlight several elements that distinguish transition dynamics in this sector from those more frequently studied in the socio-technical transitions literature. Our assumption is that ecological dimensions of agricultural systems affect transition dynamics. We illustrate this by...

Society has been operating in a linear way which implies rapid waste generation. Previous research has shown business models able to reclaim products at end-of-use are currently poorly developed and implemented. A shift should be made to Circular Business Models (CBM) that focus on the re-use and recycling of materials. However, little is known abo...

Rather than merely supporting R&D and strengthening innovation systems, the focus of innovation policy is currently shifting towards addressing societal challenges by transforming socio-economic systems. A particular trend within the emerging era of transformative innovation policy is the pursuit of challenge-based innovation missions, such as achi...

This research addresses the challenging question of how to support industry formation policies without relying on expensive domestic market formation strategies. Innovation systems literature classically focuses on the need to support home market development to encourage both technological diffusion and generation of a promising technology. However...

Even though the food system is responsible for a significant part of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and a transition to a sustainable food system is needed, the growing body of literature on sustainability transitions has paid little attention to the food processing sector. We expect transition dynamics in the food processing sector to diffe...

In the field of sustainability transitions, temporality has recently received increased attention, specifically with regard to understanding acceleration of transitions. Acceleration of sustainability transitions is needed, to minimize the risks of global crises, and so the question is how these transitions can be accelerated. To answer this questi...

Although biogas technologies in Brazil have a huge potential and a long history few studies have examined biogas in Brazil as a technological field. Accordingly, this paper aims to understand which conditions enabled or constrained the diffusion of biogas technologies. More specifically, this research applies and adapts the Technological Innovation...

Even though much attention has been given to barriers related to implementing circular business models, so far, no studies have focused on how the barriers differ between business models. Ignoring the possibility of such differences could lead to unjustified generalizations about the barriers to implementing circular business models (CBMs). We iden...

While empirical studies on technological innovation systems (TIS) usually focus on policy instruments and their suitability for curing identified weaknesses of such emerging systems, the underlying policy processes and their effects have been largely disregarded. We address this gap by exploring the style of two crucial policy-making processes and...

The article aims to understand the institutionalisation process of markets for innovative products. To pursue this study of market formation, we analysed the introduction of innovative personalised medicines products: Herceptin® (trastuzumab) for breast cancer and Tarceva® (erlotinib) for lung cancer, which were introduced successively in the Nethe...

This paper focuses on the strategies of incumbents that seek to develop discontinuous innovations within the boundaries of a mature innovation system. Mature innovation systems do not provide support for these discontinuous innovations. This article focuses on exploring why incumbents in these setting engage in discontinuous innovation and what str...

In the transition to a more sustainable world, the development of sustainable technologies needs to be accompanied by promoting the legitimacy of the technologies. Consumers that perceive a technology as desirable and appropriate are more likely to adopt it. Organizations can collaborate to enhance the legitimacy of new technologies. While previous...

One key approach for studying emerging technologies in the field of sustainability transitions is that of technological innovation systems (TIS). While most TIS studies aim at deriving policy recommendations – typically by identifying system barriers – the actual role of these proposed policies in the TIS is rarely looked at. In addition, often sin...

One key approach for studying emerging technologies in the field of sustainability transitions is that of technological innovation systems (TIS). While most TIS studies aim at deriving policy recommendations - typically by identifying system barriers - the actual role of these proposed policies in the TIS is rarely looked at. In addition, often sin...

The promotion of renewable energy production requires the cooperation of previously unrelated actors. In the Netherlands, a government subsidy pushes biomethane producers into a relationship with operators of the gas network. However, this cooperation proved to be very difficult. This research analyzes the problematic interaction between producers...

This paper investigates the development and diffusion of photovoltaic (PV) technology in Japan and The Netherlands. Both cases are analysed with the Technological Innovation Systems (TIS) framework, which focuses on a particular technology and includes all those factors that influence the development and diffusion of a technology. This framework pr...

This research aims to identify the institutional strategies of incumbent firms with regard to sustainable energy innovations that threaten their interests. This exploratory study contributes to the multi-level perspective by providing new insights into niche–regime interaction. The focus on actor behavior in transitions is informed by literature fr...

In this paper we present a literature review of studies that have analysed the troublesome trajectory of different renewable energy technologies (RETs) development and diffusion in different, mainly European countries. We present an overview of typical systemic problems in the development of innovation systems around RETs. We make use of the litera...

This paper discusses systemic problems hindering the large-scale European diffusion of offshore wind technology using the Technological Innovation System perspective. The most urgent identified problems include: cost of technology, lack of common vision on grid improvement, fragmented European electricity market, reliability and availability of tec...

In this paper, we take the theoretical perspective of innovation system dynamics and apply this to Photovoltaic (PV) solar energy technology in the Netherlands. The history of the development of the PV innovation system is analysed in terms of seven key processes that are essential for the build-up of innovation systems. We show that large fluctuat...

Innovation is increasingly being considered crucial to deal effectively with the negative side effects associated with economic growth. Influencing the direction of innovation towards more sustainable paths is high on many political agendas. Issues like global warming, the security of energy supply, local air pollution, and the negative social effe...

There is a potential for misalignment between innovation policy and transition policy. This misalignment might hamper sustainability transitions. This paper discusses the sources of the incompatibilities between innovation and transition policy and gives policy recommendations on how to increase the area of alignment.

In order to reach a globally sustainable economy transitions are required such as the transition from a fossil-fuel based system to a renewable energy based system. In the analysis of technological transitions innovation scholars have used two different perspectives: the multi-level perspective (MLP) and the technological innovation systems (TIS) f...

The transition towards renewable energy production will not occur without the involvement of entrepreneurs who dare to take action amidst uncertainty. In an earlier article, a conceptual model was introduced for analyzing how perceived uncertainties influence the decisions and actions of entrepreneurs involved in innovation projects that aimed at d...

Sustainable energy innovations are needed in order to achieve the transition towards a sustainable energy system. However the process of diffusion and implementation of these innovations is slow and tedious due to the carbon lock-in our current energy system resides in. Research on several historical developments of renewable energy technologies ha...

Renewable energy technologies have a hard time to break through in the existing energy regime. In this paper we focus on analysing the mechanisms behind this problematic technology diffusion. We take the theoretical perspective of innovation system dynamics and apply this to photovoltaic solar energy technology (PV) in the Netherlands. The reason f...

In this paper we analyse the dynamics of three emerging innovation systems by using the system functions approach in which the underlying key activities that contribute to the build up of an innovation system are identified. The insights gained with respect to the dynamic functional patterns specific for each emerging innovation system will allow u...

We examine the view that the success of emerging technologies may be understood using a technological innovation systems analysis, drawing on a system functions approach. This is done in the context of a case study of the successful diffusion of biomass digestion technology in Germany. We show that that all system functions that are claimed to be i...

In this paper, the concept of System Functions of Innovation Systems is applied to provide an explanation of the success or failure of an emerging technology, i.e. biomass gasification, with empirical data on the evolution of this technology in the Netherlands during 1980–2004. A new list of System Functions has been developed lately and is used to...

The central idea of this paper is that innovation systems are a very important determinant of technological change. We describe that the emergence of a new innovation system and changes in existing innovation systems co-evolve with the process of technological change. Therefore, it is necessary to create more insight in the dynamics of innovation s...

The dynamics of Technological Innovation Systems (TIS) approach are discussed with the help of case studies of biomass energy conversion technologies in the Netherlands and Germany. The approach generates a number of key processes, known as System Functions, in order to drive the development of new technology. These functions help to structure the...

"This publication has been submitted as a Ph.D. thesis for the award of the degree of Doctor at Utrecht University, the Netherlands, 16 February 2007"--Verso t. p. Vita. Thesis (Ph. D.)--Utrecht University, 2007. Includes bibliographical references (p. 131-141).

Understanding the emergence of innovation systems is recently put central in research analysing the process of technological change. Especially the key activities that are important for the build up of an innovation system receive much attention. These are labelled 'functions of innovation systems'. This paper builds on seven empirical studies, rel...

Abstract The negative impact of our current energy system on the environment, has led to the search for more,renewable,energy,sources. Although an increase in markets,for sustainable technologies has been observed, the change of the total fossil fuel regime towards,sustainable energy,has been,very slow. To effectively stimulate,the development,and,...

De Nederlandse glastuinbouwsector staat bekend als een innovatieve sector. Uit een eerdere analyse blijkt dat de ondernemers binnen de sector zich vooral bezighouden met procesinnovaties (InnovatieNetwerk/SIGN, 2010). Een procesinnovatie is het implementeren van een nieuwe of sterk verbeterde productiemethode. Deze focus op procesinnovaties is typi...

This study analyzes the strategies of entrepreneurs in the Dutch greenhouse horticulture sector that are engaged in radical innovations. In the context of a mature sector which primarily focuses on process innovations, these entrepreneurs are able to develop and exploit radically new, market-oriented innovations. Insights into both internal strateg...