Few studies have explicitly explored regional embeddedness and both the inconsistencies and injus... more Few studies have explicitly explored regional embeddedness and both the inconsistencies and injustices of circular bioeconomy (CBE) innovations. To better navigate the normative dimension of these innovations and CBE transitions in general, our article presents a threefold argument for the relevance of the regional level of analysis. First, CBE innovations are influenced by and affect regional metabolisms and actor constellations, assets, and (biophysical) resources within regional innovation systems (RIS). Second, thoroughly exploring these dimensions of regional (un)embeddedness can reveal ethical concerns, including potential "dark sides" and injustices, such as exclusivity and exploitation. Third, to address these concerns in CBE research and governance, we outline four facets: complementing RIS as a framework and policy approach, balancing creative and destructive measures, addressing the need for more inclusive regional CBE policies, and establishing dedicated intermediaries to better govern regional CBE transitions. In summary, this conceptual article provides starting points for further research and proactive measures that help govern the normative dimension and the design of CBE transitions at the regional level, promoting inclusivity, justice, responsibility, and legitimacy for both innovation and exnovation.
Over the last decade, various governments and supranational bodies have promoted the development ... more Over the last decade, various governments and supranational bodies have promoted the development of a circular bioeconomy (CBE) as a response to sustainability challenges. The transition towards a CBE requires the collaboration of different actors in the innovation (eco)system. With this conceptual paper, we apply a circular business model lens to address the research question: “What are the archetypical roles of consumers in business model innovations for a sustainable CBE?” We use a combination of complementary theories from the circular economy and bioeconomy literature, evolutionary innovation economics, sustainability transitions research, the business model literature, and the work on active consumers. Considering consumers’ agency as a continuum between the manufacturer-active paradigm and the consumer-active paradigm, we propose: (i) consumers in the manufacturer-active paradigm can actively influence circular business models with their purchase decision; (ii) consumers can ...
One important insight from complexity science is that the future is open, and that this openness ... more One important insight from complexity science is that the future is open, and that this openness is an opportunity for us to participate in its shaping. The bioeconomy has been part of this process of “future-making”. But instead of a fertile ecosystem of imagined futures, a dry monoculture of ideas seems to dominate the landscape, promising salvation through technology. With this article, we intend to contribute to regenerating the ecological foundations of the bioeconomy. What would it entail if we were to merge with the biosphere instead of machines? To lay the cornerstones of a bioeconomic utopia, we explore the basic principles of self-organization that underlie biological, ecological, social, and psychological processes alike. All these are self-assembling and self-regulating elastic structures that exist at the edge of chaos and order. We then revisit the Promethean problem that lies at the foundation of bioeconomic thought and discuss how, during industrialization, the princ...
"“What is the driving force behind economic development and change?” This question has bothe... more "“What is the driving force behind economic development and change?” This question has bothered a vast number of economists who have developed various concepts and theories often classified as evolutionary economics. Previous approaches to this topic have frequently drawn upon the works of Joseph Schumpeter who focused on economic change through innovation and entrepreneurship. In contrast, other scholars have tried to explain and predict economic processes by means of analytical or statistical models based on theories ranging from evolutionary biology to complex networks. This paper aims to contribute to this broad field by providing new insights and explanations for various economic aspects by drawing upon implications from cultural evolution and, particularly, the neo-Darwinian theory of memetics. Additionally, this investigation is supplemented with recent findings from behavioral and social sciences in a way that facilitates looking at economic development from a new angle. Starting from a synopsis of memetic terminology, it is argued that memes should be considered a key element of economic development. This hypothesis is set forth by reviewing concepts including utility maximization, innovation and the learning economy, leadership and entrepreneurship, and finally, the theory of the firm. The elucidation shows that memes and learning by imitation can indeed be seen as key elements of economic development and should thus be integrated more extensively into the construction of evolutionary economic theories."
Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, 2021
This collection of papers builds on the idea that the bioeconomy provides a framework for potenti... more This collection of papers builds on the idea that the bioeconomy provides a framework for potentially effective solutions addressing the grand global challenges by a turn towards an increased use of biological resources, towards renewability and circularity. Consequently, it cannot be perceived as an end in itself. Thus, innovative endeavors within this bioeconomy framework require a serious examination of their normative premises and implications. From different perspectives, the five contributions to the collection demonstrate that for a bioeconomy that is to contribute to the transformation towards sustainability, inquiries into norms, values, and paradigms of innovators and other stakeholders are indispensable. Originating in the spirit of an interdisciplinary workshop on the “The Normative Dimension of Transformations towards a Sustainable Bioeconomy”, the collection at hand provides an attempt to facilitate an increased commitment of social sciences into bioeconomy discourses....
In this paper, we explore the notion of systems entrepreneurship in the context of innovation sys... more In this paper, we explore the notion of systems entrepreneurship in the context of innovation systems (IS) dedicated to transformations towards sustainability. To this end, our paper draws primarily but not exclusively on the leverage points concept, which was originally proposed by Donella H. Meadows and recently refined by sustainability scientists. More precisely, we flesh out four general propositions about the systems entrepreneurial process that serve as a starting point for illuminating how systems entrepreneurs can intervene at deep leverage points to introduce a dedication to sustainability in IS. The paper touches the important issues of directionality, formal institutions, as well as information flows and network structure that have received insufficient attention from researchers, policymakers, and practitioners aiming at transformations towards sustainability (e.g., funders and other support organizations). Taken as a whole, the paper serves as a conceptual basis for fu...
Successful transitions to a sustainable bioeconomy require novel technologies, processes, and pra... more Successful transitions to a sustainable bioeconomy require novel technologies, processes, and practices as well as a general agreement about the overarching normative direction of innovation. Both requirements necessarily involve collective action by those individuals who purchase, use, and co-produce novelties: the consumers. Based on theoretical considerations borrowed from evolutionary innovation economics and consumer social responsibility, we explore to what extent consumers’ scope of action is addressed in the scientific bioeconomy literature. We do so by systematically reviewing bioeconomy-related publications according to (i) the extent to which consumers are regarded as passive vs. active, and (ii) different domains of consumer responsibility (depending on their power to influence economic processes). We find all aspects of active consumption considered to varying degrees but observe little interconnection between domains. In sum, our paper contributes to the bioeconomy lit...
Few studies have explicitly explored regional embeddedness and both the inconsistencies and injus... more Few studies have explicitly explored regional embeddedness and both the inconsistencies and injustices of circular bioeconomy (CBE) innovations. To better navigate the normative dimension of these innovations and CBE transitions in general, our article presents a threefold argument for the relevance of the regional level of analysis. First, CBE innovations are influenced by and affect regional metabolisms and actor constellations, assets, and (biophysical) resources within regional innovation systems (RIS). Second, thoroughly exploring these dimensions of regional (un)embeddedness can reveal ethical concerns, including potential "dark sides" and injustices, such as exclusivity and exploitation. Third, to address these concerns in CBE research and governance, we outline four facets: complementing RIS as a framework and policy approach, balancing creative and destructive measures, addressing the need for more inclusive regional CBE policies, and establishing dedicated intermediaries to better govern regional CBE transitions. In summary, this conceptual article provides starting points for further research and proactive measures that help govern the normative dimension and the design of CBE transitions at the regional level, promoting inclusivity, justice, responsibility, and legitimacy for both innovation and exnovation.
Over the last decade, various governments and supranational bodies have promoted the development ... more Over the last decade, various governments and supranational bodies have promoted the development of a circular bioeconomy (CBE) as a response to sustainability challenges. The transition towards a CBE requires the collaboration of different actors in the innovation (eco)system. With this conceptual paper, we apply a circular business model lens to address the research question: “What are the archetypical roles of consumers in business model innovations for a sustainable CBE?” We use a combination of complementary theories from the circular economy and bioeconomy literature, evolutionary innovation economics, sustainability transitions research, the business model literature, and the work on active consumers. Considering consumers’ agency as a continuum between the manufacturer-active paradigm and the consumer-active paradigm, we propose: (i) consumers in the manufacturer-active paradigm can actively influence circular business models with their purchase decision; (ii) consumers can ...
One important insight from complexity science is that the future is open, and that this openness ... more One important insight from complexity science is that the future is open, and that this openness is an opportunity for us to participate in its shaping. The bioeconomy has been part of this process of “future-making”. But instead of a fertile ecosystem of imagined futures, a dry monoculture of ideas seems to dominate the landscape, promising salvation through technology. With this article, we intend to contribute to regenerating the ecological foundations of the bioeconomy. What would it entail if we were to merge with the biosphere instead of machines? To lay the cornerstones of a bioeconomic utopia, we explore the basic principles of self-organization that underlie biological, ecological, social, and psychological processes alike. All these are self-assembling and self-regulating elastic structures that exist at the edge of chaos and order. We then revisit the Promethean problem that lies at the foundation of bioeconomic thought and discuss how, during industrialization, the princ...
"“What is the driving force behind economic development and change?” This question has bothe... more "“What is the driving force behind economic development and change?” This question has bothered a vast number of economists who have developed various concepts and theories often classified as evolutionary economics. Previous approaches to this topic have frequently drawn upon the works of Joseph Schumpeter who focused on economic change through innovation and entrepreneurship. In contrast, other scholars have tried to explain and predict economic processes by means of analytical or statistical models based on theories ranging from evolutionary biology to complex networks. This paper aims to contribute to this broad field by providing new insights and explanations for various economic aspects by drawing upon implications from cultural evolution and, particularly, the neo-Darwinian theory of memetics. Additionally, this investigation is supplemented with recent findings from behavioral and social sciences in a way that facilitates looking at economic development from a new angle. Starting from a synopsis of memetic terminology, it is argued that memes should be considered a key element of economic development. This hypothesis is set forth by reviewing concepts including utility maximization, innovation and the learning economy, leadership and entrepreneurship, and finally, the theory of the firm. The elucidation shows that memes and learning by imitation can indeed be seen as key elements of economic development and should thus be integrated more extensively into the construction of evolutionary economic theories."
Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, 2021
This collection of papers builds on the idea that the bioeconomy provides a framework for potenti... more This collection of papers builds on the idea that the bioeconomy provides a framework for potentially effective solutions addressing the grand global challenges by a turn towards an increased use of biological resources, towards renewability and circularity. Consequently, it cannot be perceived as an end in itself. Thus, innovative endeavors within this bioeconomy framework require a serious examination of their normative premises and implications. From different perspectives, the five contributions to the collection demonstrate that for a bioeconomy that is to contribute to the transformation towards sustainability, inquiries into norms, values, and paradigms of innovators and other stakeholders are indispensable. Originating in the spirit of an interdisciplinary workshop on the “The Normative Dimension of Transformations towards a Sustainable Bioeconomy”, the collection at hand provides an attempt to facilitate an increased commitment of social sciences into bioeconomy discourses....
In this paper, we explore the notion of systems entrepreneurship in the context of innovation sys... more In this paper, we explore the notion of systems entrepreneurship in the context of innovation systems (IS) dedicated to transformations towards sustainability. To this end, our paper draws primarily but not exclusively on the leverage points concept, which was originally proposed by Donella H. Meadows and recently refined by sustainability scientists. More precisely, we flesh out four general propositions about the systems entrepreneurial process that serve as a starting point for illuminating how systems entrepreneurs can intervene at deep leverage points to introduce a dedication to sustainability in IS. The paper touches the important issues of directionality, formal institutions, as well as information flows and network structure that have received insufficient attention from researchers, policymakers, and practitioners aiming at transformations towards sustainability (e.g., funders and other support organizations). Taken as a whole, the paper serves as a conceptual basis for fu...
Successful transitions to a sustainable bioeconomy require novel technologies, processes, and pra... more Successful transitions to a sustainable bioeconomy require novel technologies, processes, and practices as well as a general agreement about the overarching normative direction of innovation. Both requirements necessarily involve collective action by those individuals who purchase, use, and co-produce novelties: the consumers. Based on theoretical considerations borrowed from evolutionary innovation economics and consumer social responsibility, we explore to what extent consumers’ scope of action is addressed in the scientific bioeconomy literature. We do so by systematically reviewing bioeconomy-related publications according to (i) the extent to which consumers are regarded as passive vs. active, and (ii) different domains of consumer responsibility (depending on their power to influence economic processes). We find all aspects of active consumption considered to varying degrees but observe little interconnection between domains. In sum, our paper contributes to the bioeconomy lit...
"“What is the driving force behind economic development and change?” This question has bothered a... more "“What is the driving force behind economic development and change?” This question has bothered a vast number of economists who have developed various concepts and theories often classified as evolutionary economics. Previous approaches to this topic have frequently drawn upon the works of Joseph Schumpeter who focused on economic change through innovation and entrepreneurship. In contrast, other scholars have tried to explain and predict economic processes by means of analytical or statistical models based on theories ranging from evolutionary biology to complex networks. This paper aims to contribute to this broad field by providing new insights and explanations for various economic aspects by drawing upon implications from cultural evolution and, particularly, the neo-Darwinian theory of memetics. Additionally, this investigation is supplemented with recent findings from behavioral and social sciences in a way that facilitates looking at economic development from a new angle. Starting from a synopsis of memetic terminology, it is argued that memes should be considered a key element of economic development. This hypothesis is set forth by reviewing concepts including utility maximization, innovation and the learning economy, leadership and entrepreneurship, and finally, the theory of the firm. The elucidation shows that memes and learning by imitation can indeed be seen as key elements of economic development and should thus be integrated more extensively into the construction of evolutionary economic theories."
How do enterprises evolve? Stemming from Charles Darwin's seminal work The Origin of Species (185... more How do enterprises evolve? Stemming from Charles Darwin's seminal work The Origin of Species (1859), this standing track in the Research Methods and Research Practice SIG at EURAM seeks to contribute to the lively critical discussion about the possibility and opportunity to develop an evolutionary epistemology in management research. Scholars have provided much debate on what common features and differences exist in how organisms and organizations behave. Thus, as in the previous years, the track aims to attract papers interested in elaborating on whether important phenomena associated with the current practice of business can be conscientiously explained through the partial (or general) adoption of Charles Darwin's thought in social sciences. Examples include the studying of global issues such as the current financial crisis; the different rates of organizational birth and death worldwide; the competition or integration between social systems, national and international communities; the diverse adoption of technological innovation, and even the way through which culture, beliefs, values and norms diffuse. The track aims to build on a constantly growing body of evolution-based research within a wide range of disciplines such as management, organization, decision making, entrepreneurship and innovation, economic geography, philosophy and psychology. This is why, from both conceptual and methodological points of view, the track is open to all the various (and also cross-disciplinary) approaches flourished in the enterprise evolution research area over time. Thus, perspectives based on multi-level co-evolution, system thinking, ecology, memes, or agent-based modelling, constitute only examples of the welcomed submissions. In line with the EURAM 2018 Conference theme, submissions with a strong practitioner orientation are also particularly encouraged.
How do enterprises evolve? Stemming from Charles Darwin's seminal work The Origin of Species (185... more How do enterprises evolve? Stemming from Charles Darwin's seminal work The Origin of Species (1859), this standing track in the Research Methods and Research Practice SIG at EURAM seeks to contribute to the lively critical discussion about the possibility and opportunity to develop an evolutionary epistemology in management research. Scholars have provided much debate on what common features and differences exist in how organisms and organizations behave. Thus, as in the previous years, the track aims to attract papers interested in elaborating on whether important phenomena associated with the current practice of business can be conscientiously explained through the partial (or general) adoption of Charles Darwin's thought in social sciences. Examples include the studying of global issues such as the current financial crisis; the different rates of organizational birth and death worldwide; the competition or integration between social systems, national and international communities; the diverse adoption of technological innovation, and even the way through which culture, beliefs, values and norms diffuse. The track aims to build on a constantly growing body of evolution-based research within a wide range of disciplines such as management, organization, decision making, entrepreneurship and innovation, economic geography, philosophy and psychology. This is why, from both conceptual and methodological points of view, the track is open to all the various (and also cross-disciplinary) approaches flourished in the enterprise evolution research area over time. Thus, perspectives based on multi-level co-evolution, system thinking, ecology, memes, or agent-based modelling, constitute only examples of the welcomed submissions. In line with the EURAM 2018 Conference theme, submissions with a strong practitioner orientation are also particularly encouraged.
allanda@tik.uio.no (A.D.A.); jan.fagerberg@tik.uio.no (J.F.) Abstract: The aim of this article is... more allanda@tik.uio.no (A.D.A.); jan.fagerberg@tik.uio.no (J.F.) Abstract: The aim of this article is to complement research on transformations towards sustainability by drawing upon the innovation systems (IS) framework. The IS framework already serves as a suitable and influential basis for research on processes of technological innovation and economic change. We argue that improving the capacity of an IS framework for dealing with wicked problems and the normative complexity of sustainability requires a fundamental paradigm shift because in the current IS paradigm innovations are considered as per se desirable and in mostly technological terms. Therefore, we call for IS dedicated to transformations towards sustainability by opening up for systemic innovations beyond the technological dimension and by acknowledging that stakeholders have conflicting visions, interests, norms, and expectations with regard to sustainability goals. Taking the normative dimension of transformations towards sustainability seriously thus requires more explicit and integrative research on directionality, legitimacy, responsibility, and their interrelation in IS. The article concludes by proposing suggestions for future research based on IS-related approaches that can serve as building blocks for an IS framework capable of incorporating legitimate goal-orientation for transformative innovation by and for society.
This book explores the question of whether and how meme theory or “memetics” can be fruitfully ut... more This book explores the question of whether and how meme theory or “memetics” can be fruitfully utilized in evolutionary economics and proposes an approach known as “economemetics” which is a combination of meme theory and complexity theory that has the potential to combat the fragmentation of evolutionary economics while re-connecting the field with cultural evolutionary theory. By studying the intersection of cultural and economic evolution, complexity economics, computational economics, and network science, the authors establish a connection between memetics and evolutionary economics at different levels of investigation.
The book first demonstrates how a memetic approach to economic evolution can help to reveal links and build bridges between different but complementary concepts in evolutionary economics. Secondly, it shows how organizational memetics can help to capture the complexity of organizational culture using meme mapping. Thirdly, it presents an agent-based simulation model of knowledge diffusion and assimilation in innovation networks from a memetic perspective. The authors then use agent-based modeling and social network analysis to evaluate the diffusion pattern of the Ice Bucket Challenge as an example of a “viral meme.” Lastly, the book discusses the central issues of agency, creativity, and normativity in the context of economemetics and suggests promising avenues for further research.
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The book first demonstrates how a memetic approach to economic evolution can help to reveal links and build bridges between different but complementary concepts in evolutionary economics. Secondly, it shows how organizational memetics can help to capture the complexity of organizational culture using meme mapping. Thirdly, it presents an agent-based simulation model of knowledge diffusion and assimilation in innovation networks from a memetic perspective. The authors then use agent-based modeling and social network analysis to evaluate the diffusion pattern of the Ice Bucket Challenge as an example of a “viral meme.” Lastly, the book discusses the central issues of agency, creativity, and normativity in the context of economemetics and suggests promising avenues for further research.