Innovation for biorefineries – Networks, narratives, and new institutions for the transition to a bioeconomy

The transition to a bioeconomy is dependent on transformative changes to technologies, organisations, and institutions, which jointly can be described as a socio-technical change. The thesis contributes to the understanding of how the transition is shaped by expectations on and collaborations for innovation forbiorefineries, which can produce chemicals, fuels, and materials needed in a bioeconomy.The thesis poses three research questions: i) what are the systemic characteristics of innovation for biorefineries? ii) how do collaborations and networks shape innovation for biorefineries? and iii) in what ways are expectations and institutions shaping pathways of innovation for biorefineries? These questions are answered with a mixed methods approach.Reorienting the socio-technical system for production and utilisation of chemicals, fuels, and materials towards a bioeconomy requires the overcoming of significant technological and institutional barriers. Though collaborations on innovation for biorefineries are needed to combine knowledge about technologies, materials, and markets they are costly and difficult. Expectations on biorefineries in the bioeconomy are divergent and conflictual. Acknowledging and resolving these conflicts is thus key to build effective and stable partnerships, which has proven to be difficult in the biorefinery field. Further, actors meet barriers to local transformative innovation in the global institutional context in which they are embedded. The thesis shows that transition initiatives are shaped by and dependent on institutional structures on multiple scales, but that opportunities exist for actors to build new networks which can enable the transition to a bioeconomy

A European industrial development policy for prosperity and zero emissions

The objective of this paper is to outline and discuss the key elements of an EU industrial development policy consistent with the Paris Agreement. We also assess the current EU Industrial Strategy proposal against these elements. The “well below 2 °C” target sets a clear limit for future global greenhouse gas emissions and thus strict boundaries for the development of future material demand, industrial processes and the sourcing of feedstock; industry must evolve to zero emissions or pay for expensive negative emissions elsewhere. An industrial policy for transformation to net-zero emissions must include attention to directed technological and economic structural change, the demand for emissions intensive products and services, energy and material efficiency, circular economy, electrification and other net-zero fuel switching, and carbon capture and use or storage (CCUS). It may also entail geographical relocation of key basic materials industries to regions endowed with renewable energy. In this paper we review recent trends in green industrial policy. We find that it has generally focused on promoting new green technologies (e.g., PVs, batteries, fuel cells and biorefineries) rather than on decarbonizing the emissions intensive basic materials industries, or strategies for handling the phase-out or repurposing of sunset industries (e.g., replacing fossil fuel feedstocks for chemicals). Based on knowledge about industry and potential mitigation options, and insights from economics, governance and innovation studies, we propose a framework for the purpose of developing and evaluating industrial policy for net-zero emissions. This framework recognizes the need for: directionality; innovation; creating lead markets for green materials and reshaping existing markets; building capacity for governance and change; coherence with the international climate policy regime; and finally the need for a just transition. We find the announced EU Industrial Strategy to be strong on most elements, but weak on transition governance approaches, the need for capacity building, and creating lead markets

Knowledge recombination for emerging technological innovations: The case of green shipping

The paper explores knowledge recombination by analysing how knowledge networks in established technological fields influenced the formation of the emerging field of green shipping in the period 2007–2018. Previous research has demonstrated that embeddedness, proximity, and status are important mechanisms for the evolution of single technological fields. We investigate if these mechanisms also apply across technological fields. By employing dynamic social network analysis models, we find that actors transferred knowledge across technological fields through (re)combination mechanisms, which affected the emergence of the new technological field, but in different ways. While embeddedness and proximity played an important role, status was less important.publishedVersio

Theoretical perspectives on innovation for waste valorisation in the bioeconomy

This chapter discusses the notion of the circular bioeconomy, and the drivers and barriers for adding value to waste and thereby creating a more sustainable bioeconomy. It highlights the special role of governance including innovation policy in developing the bioeconomy. The bioeconomy is an emerging area for research, policy and economic activity and there are many views on it. Our focus is on the role of innovation in waste valorisation, including technological as well as social and institutional innovation. We discuss the waste pyramid that illustrates the hierarchy of alternative forms of waste management in terms of resource efficiency and sustainability, and the associated notion of the cascading use of biological resources. We conceptualise the different forms of waste management as “integrated socio-technical systems of production and consumption”. This concept brings into play the body of literature on socio-technical transitions, innovation and governance that is central for analysing the patterns and dynamics of waste valorisation

Evaluation of Cross-sector Collaborations in Transition Toward the Bioeconomy: Benefits, Challenges, and Opportunities in the Forest Sector

Existing strategies and policies have emphasized the need for cross-sector collaboration as a means for the forest sector to be more competitive. Cross-sector collaboration initiatives of forest sector companies with neighboring industries such as energy, chemicals, plastics, textiles, and packaging are gaining increasing attention as a necessary element for a successful transition to the bioeconomy. This situation presents a significant opportunity for forest sector companies to develop new products, explore new markets, and replace human dependence on fossil-based products with renewable, bio-based materials. Despite this, limited empirical research has investigated cross-sector collaborations involving forest sector companies and the challenges that these companies face in implementing collaboration across sectors. In this dissertation, a three-phase qualitative research design was followed to investigate the key elements involved in collaborations between forest and neighboring sector companies, as well as assess forest sector company potential to collaborate with other industries. In the first phase, a systematic literature review was conducted to identify the main drivers, benefits, and challenges of cross-sector collaboration in the forest sector, and to improve the understanding of company-level, collaborations. Results show that little empirical work has been done regarding the link between forest sector companies and other sectors. Cost reduction, competitiveness, and environmental sustainability are considered the main drivers and benefits. Forest business culture, lack of trust, and lack of parameters to evaluate costs and savings are the key challenges to implementing these collaborations. In the second phase, a multi-case study was implemented to document four collaboration cases involving eight companies. Turbulent environments and desire to be ahead of competitors are the main reasons these forest sector companies chose to collaborate. The documented collaborations that started with an early research and development process and established with startups are more likely to be successful. Findings shed light on the elements, mechanisms, and conditions needed to implement and manage cross-sector collaborations by forest sector companies. In the third phase, the Progress Triangle framework was adapted and used to determine the potential of Oregon’s forest sector companies to collaborate with neighboring industries. Results illustrate a high perceived need to collaborate and a moderate collaborative potential in Oregon’s forest products industry. Training for employees to gain new knowledge and skills on creativity and negotiation skills, increasing their exposure to new technologies and building diverse teams may help to improve the collaborative potential in the industry. Forest sector managers can use recommendations from this dissertation to implement and manage cross-sector collaborations, and address issues, barriers, and challenges in implementing collaborations with firms from neighboring industries

The impact of networking on innovation: the case of SMEs in the pharmaceutical sector in the Middle East and Africa

This research aims to study the impact of networking on innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the pharmaceutical sector in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region. It particularly examines the role of networking in addressing the challenges confronting SMEs working on enhancing their innovative capabilities. Data for analysis was generated from case studies and through qualitative interviews involving 30 participants in five SMEs considered as high performers in the pharmaceutical sector in three different countries in the MEA region. This research identifies organisational and structural limitations, innovation laws and regulations, organisational culture, and economies of scale as the main challenges hindering innovation in SMEs in the pharmaceutical sector. It also indicates that the most critical factors of innovation are human factors, financial capabilities, and governmental support. This research suggests that if political will and risk-taking exist then available and abundant financial resources in some MEA countries can be directed to initiate and support pharmaceutical innovation. Moreover, the research confirms that networking can be an effective strategy for overcoming innovation challenges but underpins informal networks; one common form of networking in the pharmaceutical industry in the MEA, to play a crucial role in supporting innovative capabilities. These informal networks are influential within the pharmaceutical industry communities in the MEA region because they are highly regarded as trusted and effective sources of consultations for critical business decisions. Such informal networks are characterised by being a blend of professional and personal relationships where innovative ideas are freely, transparently, and openly discussed in a manner that depicts what can be considered the MEA’s version of Open Innovation (OI). This research contributes to the literature on innovation and networking by highlighting the institutional, social, and cultural dynamics at play in SMEs in the pharmaceutical sector in the MEA and by showcasing the distinction of innovation due to contextual factors, norms, and values. The research reflects on these findings by introducing a model that comprises two levels of linked and dependent networks, blending formal and informal networks, and synchronising their contributions in a single coherent framework to drive innovation. This indicates that regional, social, and cultural aspects prove to be sources of establishing new networking norms that can serve innovation on a larger geographical scale

How do business networks influence the commercialisation of innovative new technologies? A study of the Australian biotechnology sector

Dr. Misra developed a model of networked Biotechnology commercialisation process (BCP) which is expected to facilitate in designing solutions to resolve the issue of poor commercialisation. It identified network effects that act as barriers or promoters during BCP, and influence BCP negatively or positively. Specific implications & contributions have been suggested

Innovation in the bioeconomy–dynamics of biorefinery innovation networks

The bioeconomy has become a central concept in many strategies for future economic development, emphasising an increasing need for collaboration across industries and sectors for innovation. This paper unpacks aspects of collaboration in the bioeconomy by looking at the development of innovation networks for biorefinery technologies from 2004 to 2014 based on innovation project data from Swedish public funding agencies using a stochastic actor-oriented model for network analysis. The analysis shows that although the network grew significantly during the time period, indicating an increasing interest in biorefinery technology innovation, inter-sectoral collaboration is not favoured over intra-sectoral collaboration. As is known from previous work on social networks trust-building is a key driver for collaboration, as actors tend to form collaborations with previous partners or indirectly connected partners, creating clustered networks