Deep transitions: Emergence,acceleration, stabilization and directionality

Industrial society has not only led to high levels of wealth and welfare in the Western world, but also to increasing global ecological degradation and social inequality. The socio-technical systems that underlay contemporary societies have substantially contributed to these outcomes. This paper proposes that these socio-technical systems are an expression of a limited number of meta-rules that, for the past 250 years, have driven innovation and hence system evolution in a particular direction, thereby constituting the First Deep Transition. Meeting the cumulative social and ecological consequences of the overall direction of the First Deep Transition would require a radical change, not only in socio-technical systems but also in the meta-rules driving their evolution – the Second Deep Transition. This paper develops a new theoretical framework that aims to explain the emergence, acceleration, stabilization and directionality of Deep Transitions. It does so through the synthesis of two literatures that have attempted to explain large-scale and long-term socio-technical change: the Multi-level Perspective (MLP) on socio-technical transitions, and Techno-economic Paradigm (TEP) framework.     

Mobilizing innovation for sustainability transitions: A comment on transformative innovation policy

The topics addressed in this paper concern the (much-needed) transition to sustainability and what role (innovation) policy can play in speeding up such changes. In their Discussion Paper Schot and Steinmueller (2018) argue that the existing theorizing and knowledge bases within the field of innovation studies are “unfit” for this task and that a totally new approach is required. This paper takes issue with this claim. Policy advice, it is argued, needs to be anchored in the accumulated research on the issue at hand, in this case, innovation. The paper therefore starts by distilling some important insights on innovation from the accumulated research on this topic and, with this in mind, considers various policy approaches that have been suggested for influencing innovation and sustainability transitions. Finally, the lessons for the development and implementation of transformative innovation policy are considered. It is concluded that the existing theorizing and knowledge base in innovation studies may be of great relevance when designing policies for dealing with climate change and sustainability transitions.     

Sport versus climate: Introducing the climate vulnerability of sport organizations framework

Climate change presents a significant and growing challenge to the sport industry, especially outdoor and winter sports. The authors present a conceptual framework that elucidates the varying states of climate vulnerability a sport organization may face, so practitioners may better understand the risks of climate change. The authors developed the Climate Vulnerability of Sport Organizations (CVSO) framework by building on—and linking—concepts of climate vulnerability, exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity in the context of sport organizations. By placing potential impact on one axis and organizational climate capacity on the other, the authors present four quadrants representing four types of climate vulnerability: the Problem State, the Redundant State, the Responsive State, and the Fortified State. Positioning organizations within the CVSO framework facilitates a better understanding of the effort and resources needed to address climate-related risks. Though not all sport organizations will be equally impacted by climate change, all must be prepared to identify the risks to their organizations.     

Examining environmental fan engagement initiatives through values and norms with intercollegiate sport fans

The United Nations has asserted that sport organizations and/or allied sponsors can influence fans to engage in more sustainable behaviours intentions at sporting events and at home; however, more investigation is necessary to assess this assumption. The purpose of this study was to examine values and norms related to the natural environment and perceptions of fan engagement sustainability initiatives that influence sustainable at-home behaviours. Season ticket holders (N = 267) of a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I men's collegiate basketball programme completed a preseason survey assessing values, norms, and perception of environmental efforts; at the conclusion of the season, recall and influence of three environmental initiatives (recycling, water conservation, and composting) featured at each game over the season were assessed. Results indicate that sport-event norms were a significant predictor of lower perception of recycling inconvenience, higher perception of recycling benefits, and positive influence of athletic department sustainability efforts while values and personal norms were non-significant predictors. Values and personal norms were not significantly related to sponsored initiative awareness, sponsor recall, and perceptions of influence related to at-home behaviour change. Sport-event norms significantly predicted influence towards at-home composting. Future research should longitudinally examine the influence of environmentally sustainability focused fan engagement initiatives on sustainable behavioural change at events and at-home.     

CEO多元化职能经历对创业企业可持续性的影响机理基于高阶理论的被调节的中介模型

如何塑造可持续的创业企业,是CEO在企业创建与发展过程中必须面对的关键议题,也是中国转型经济背景下亟待解决的重要问题。既往研究主要聚焦机会开发过程探讨创业企业可持续性,本文从创业产出视角重新定义创业企业可持续性并构建其绩效指标体系。利用两阶段收集的228位创业企业CEO问卷,本文基于高阶理论的研究框架提出并检验了CEO多元化职能经历如何及何时影响创业企业可持续性。结果表明,CEO多元化职能经历对创业企业可持续性具有显著正向影响,二者关系受到战略决策周密性的中介作用。此外,CEO自我超越价值观在第二阶段正向调节了CEO多元化职能经历通过战略决策周密性影响创业企业可持续性的间接作用。本研究延伸了创业企业可持续性的概念范畴,为探究创业企业可持续性在创业者个人层面的影响因素提供了新的见解和机制。     

Does engineering education need to engage more with the economic and social aspects of sustainability?

This paper questions if engineering educators are producing engineers that are accelerating humanity along an unsustainable path. Even though technology and engineering are important drivers in trying to move humanity towards an environmentally sustainable paradigm, the paper suggests that maybe the most important levers and challenges lie in the economic and social domains. Short case studies of energy efficiency, the experience of the industrialist Ray Anderson and the authors own reflection of teaching chemical engineering students are used to highlight this. Engineering/technological innovation may not be enough and is often counteracted by the rebound effect and the current dominant neoclassical economic paradigm. The paper discusses what engineering educators can do to produce sustainability informed engineers who are better able to engage with the economic and social dimensions of sustainability. Some suggestions for engaging engineering students with the economic and social dimensions of environmental sustainability are provided. Engineers must somehow find ways, not just to influence technological levers (which are very important) but also to influence economic and social levers so that changes in economic and social behaviours can complement and facilitate technological change in moving humanity to an environmentally sustainable paradigm.     

Connecting with plants: lessons for life

Greater understanding of biodiversity and responsible behaviour towards conservation and sustainability are vital in the twenty-first century. Education is the chief means of encouraging a deeper, more holistic way of thinking, a link between ecology and human ecology, and a change in mental models in order to think to the future. Education is necessary at all levels from the government to the individual. Botanic gardens are an important specialist resource for the development of such education programmes, both formal and informal. Evaluation, partnership, creative communication and an inclusive approach are essential to successful environmental education programmes.     

利用公共图书馆基础,推进农家书屋持续发展——以上海市闵行区农家书屋建设为例

"农家书屋"工程是保障农民群众基本文化权益的惠民工程。"农家书屋"的性质和管理与公共图书馆非常相似,因此,发挥公共图书馆资源采购、资源管理、读者服务工作的经验和优势,对推动农家书屋的科学与可持续发展。     

秸秆资源收获季节性及其能源供应持续性分析

供应的持续性是能源资源评价的一个重要方面,农作物秸秆收获的季节性制约了其供应的持续性。本研究利用季节指数指标分析秸秆收获季节性,构建持续性系数指标评价供应持续性,并对持续性的影响因素进行深入分析。结果表明：①各地区秸秆收获季节性明显,全国22个省份全年一半以上的秸秆集中于9月、10月份,且地区间季节分布差异显著;②所有地区秸秆不能保证全年持续供应,且地区间供应持续性差异较大,安徽、湖南等南方粮食主产省份持续性较好,可以保证6～8个月充分供应,其余省份除少数月份供应充足外,剩下月份都存在一定程度的供应缺口;③供应持续性与秸秆总量正相关,与季节指数和电力消费量负相关,而地理位置、气候条件、农作制度和经济结构等非可控因素是决定供应持续性的深层次因素;④丰富的总量并不一定带来较好的持续性,因而不能仅靠总量标准评价秸秆资源质量