Breeman, G.E.

Dewulf, A.

Termeer, C.J.A.M.

Werkman, R.A.

English

Name not available

Steering System Innovations : a Theoretical Exploration of Transition Management

NARCIS 

Wageningen Yield 

Art Dewulf – art.dewulf@wur.nl –  1-Feb.-08  1/1 
Abstract for the 15th Annual Conference on Multi-Organizational Partnerships, 
Alliances and Networks (MOPAN), June 25 - 27, 2008, Boston 
Steering system innovations – a theoretical exploration of 
transition management 
Art Dewulf (art.dewulf@wur.nl) 
Katrien Termeer 
Renate Werkman 
 
Public Administration and Policy Group 
Wageningen University (The Netherlands) 
 
 
Transition and transition management have become major topics in scientific research 
over the last years. In the Netherlands, the concept of transitions was adopted by 
several governmental agencies as one of the leading principles for ‘steering’ 
sustainable development. Transitions are defined as long-term societal changes that 
require system innovations. Transition processes involve multiple actors within a 
societal subsystem and fundamentally change both the structure of the system and the 
relation among the actors. Transitions are not linear processes but rather shifts from 
an initial dynamic equilibrium to a new dynamic equilibrium. They are often 
represented by an S-shaped curve where consecutive phases can be distinguished: 
predevelopment (innovative niches), take-off, acceleration and stabilization (new 
equilibrium). An example are greenhouses transforming from high energy consumers 
to net energy producers. However, even this very successful innovation in the 
agricultural sector has difficulties to take-off and accelerate, amongst other things due 
to the emerging competition between greenhouse energy producers and  traditional 
energy companies.  
Transition management aims at better organizing and coordinating transition 
processes at a societal level, and tries to steer them in a sustainable direction. 
However, interventions to initiate, steer or manage transitions are not always as 
effective as hoped. Is transition management a new approach to the makeable society, 
a new attempt at social engineering? How manageable or steerable are transitions? 
We will address these questions by theoretically exploring transition management 
from a number of related fields on which the transition literature selectively draws, 
such as multi-actor negotiation, network theory, multi-level governance, social 
learning, systems theory, innovation and change management. By analyzing how 
transition management incorporates certain elements and drops other elements from 
these related theories, we provide additional insights on if and how transitions can be 
managed. 


Steering System Innovations : a Theoretical Exploration of Transition Management

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Wageningen Yield