Acceptance dynamics of innovation diffusion: A heuristic framework for analysing actor reorientations in sustainability transitions
Journal
Energy Research & Social Science
Type
journal article
Date Issued
2024-02-22
Author(s)
Editor(s)
E
Abstract
The accelerated decarbonisation of energy systems entails a drastic increase in the diffusion rate of renewable energies. The adoption of ambitious policy mixes to this end faces a number of key challenges related to the resistance of multiple actors against the disruptive changes that such an acceleration entail. Policy-driven innovation diffusion efforts will thus require the sustained support and commitment from numerous stakeholders holding conflicting positions over disruptive processes of renewables' innovation diffusion. Yet despite its multistakeholder and processual character, empirical analyses on the social acceptance of renewables' innovation remain skewed towards static examinations of one specific actor group anchored in one particular point in time and location, omitting the interrelations across acceptance dimensions inherent in multistakeholder processes of innovation diffusion. To address these shortcomings, this paper introduces a novel heuristic framework on the acceptance dynamics of innovation diffusion processes as a key element to guide the examination of actor inertia and reorientation dynamicsdepth, breadth, speed and directionalityover the diffusion of environmental innovations. Based on suggested framework applications, the paper outlines several implications for future research cutting across social acceptance and actor reorientations within sustainable energy transitions.
Language
English
Keywords
heuristic framework
social acceptance
innovation diffussion
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
Refereed
yes
Publisher
Elsevier
Number
111
Start page
103480
End page
103490
Pages
10
Official URL
Subject(s)
Division(s)
File(s)![Thumbnail Image]()
open.access
Name
1-s2.0-S2214629624000719-main.pdf
Size
3.32 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
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