Eawag: Cirus: Innovation Systems and Industry Dynamics in Clean-Tech Sectors

The research group on innovation systems and industry dynamics has a strong competence in analyzing emerging industries of potentially more sustainable technologies and complex sectoral changes that go along with it. Innovation processes are analyzed from a socio-technical systems perspective, i.e. considering the interplay among different kind of actors (firms, academia, end users, policy makers, associations civil society groups), networks and institutional structures. Innovation system approaches have grown into a widely adopted explanatory framework in innovation policy and management over the last thirty years. The application of these approaches to sustainability related problems is much more recent. Cirus staff is one of the highly visible research groups in this field by making original contributions to conceptual frameworks. The group is furthermore among the international leaders of transition studies in the field of sustainable urban water management in OECD countries and emerging economies.

One of the key competencies of the group is the analysis of spatial dimensions in transition processes, i.e. the “geography of transitions”. Other strong points relate to the analysis of institutional structures which sustain or hinder large scale transition processes, as well as the development of life cycle concepts for early industry formation processes. Methodologically, Cirus staff has strong competencies in interview campaigns, discourse analysis, social network analysis, strategic foresight, discursive scenario methods and road-mapping.

Key research questions

Which conditions support the success of radical innovations in infrastructure sectors?
Under which conditions and where could strongly decentralized system structures become a widespread technological component of urban water management?
What role do spatial relationships play in explaining success of failure of early industry formation processes?
What are critical conditions for technological leapfrogging in utility sectors?
How would a comprehensive methodology for the analysis of innovation and transformation processes might look like, particularly in utility sectors?
How can the co-evolution of technologies and institutions be analyzed?
How should/could core concepts of innovation systems be operationalized (e.g. in order to measure performance or to compare different innovation systems)?

Key conceptual publications

Truffer, B., Coenen, L. 2012 Environmental innovation and sustainability transitions in regional studies. Regional Studies. 46 (2), 1-22.

Coenen, L., Benneworth, P., Truffer, B., 2012. The geography of transitions. Addressing the hidden spatial dimension of socio-technical transformations. Accepted for Special Issue on socio-technical transitions for sustainability in Research Policy 41 (6), 955-967.

Markard, J., Raven, R., Truffer, B., 2012. Sustainability Transitions: An emerging field of research and its prospects. Research Policy 41 (6), 968-979.

Dewald, U. Truffer, B. 2012. The Local Sources of Market Formation: explaining regional growth differentials in German photovoltaic markets. European Planning Studies 20 (3), 397-420.

Markard, J., Truffer, B. 2008. Technological innovation systems and the multi-level perspective: towards an integrated framework. Research Policy, 37, 596–615.

Markard, J., Truffer, B., 2006. Innovation processes in large technical systems: Market liberalization as a driver for radical change? Research Policy. 35, 609-625..

Hoogma, R., Kemp, R., Schot, J., Truffer, B. 2002: Experimenting for Sustainable Transport. The approach of Strategic Niche Management. Spon Press (Routledge), London. pp. 212.

Key publications with a focus on potential urban water management transitions

Truffer, B., Binz, C., Gebauer, H. Störmer, E., 2012. Market success of on-site treatment: a systemic innovation problem In Larsen, T.A. Udert, K.M., Lienert, J. (eds.) Wastewater Treatment: Source Separation and Decentralisation. IWA Publishing 2012, pp. 209 – 223.

Binz, C. and Truffer, B., Li, L., Shi, Y., Lu, Y. 2012. Leapfrogging in Infrastructure. Conceptualizing leapfrogging with spatially coupled innovation systems: The case of onsite wastewater treatment in China. Technological Forecasting and Social Change. 79, 1, 155-171.

Gebauer, H. Truffer, B., Binz, C., Störmer, E. 2012. Business network formation for onsite wastewater treatment systems. European Business Review, 24(2), 169-190.

Dominguez, D., Truffer, B., Gujer, W. 2011. Tackling uncertainties in infrastructure sectors through strategic planning -- The contribution of discursive approaches in the urban water sector. Water Policy, 13, 299-316.

Störmer, E., Truffer, B., Dominguez, D., Gujer, W., Herlyn, A., Hiessl, H., Kastenholz, Klinke, A., H., Markard, J., Maurer, M., Ruef, A., 2009. The Exploratory Analysis of Trade-Offs in Strategic Planning. Lessons from Regional Infrastructure Foresight. Technological Forecasting and Social Change. 76, 1150-1162.

Dominguez, D., Worch, H., Markard, J., Truffer, B., Gujer, W. 2009. Strategic Planning and Organizational Transformation in Infrastructure Sectors: Case Study Evidence from Swiss Wastewater Utilities. California Management Review, 51(2), 30-50.