In recent years, an increasing number of studies have stressed the relevance of the consumer experience in the research about new trajectories towards sustainability. These studies suggest that consumers should not be viewed solely as passive agents who select between different commercial options.This paper argues for a broader application of Technological Innovation System (TIS) conceptual framework and proposes an analytical approach that explicitly considers consumers and producers as interacting and then co-evolving actors. We apply the TIS framework to the food industry, a low-medium technology sector where several "alternative" food networks (AFN) are emerging and acting as innovative systems in the transition towards sustainability. The analysis allows us to better understand the common structure and the functional patterns shared by the various models of AFNs. The paper points out how the interactive relation between consumers and producers may foster the transition into a more sustainable socio-technical regime.

Analysing the role of consumers within technologicalinnovation systems: The case of alternative food networks / Randelli, F.; Rocchi, B.. - In: ENVIRONMENTAL INNOVATION AND SOCIETAL TRANSITIONS. - ISSN 2210-4224. - STAMPA. - 25:(2017), pp. 94-106. [10.1016/j.eist.2017.01.001]

Analysing the role of consumers within technologicalinnovation systems: The case of alternative food networks

RANDELLI, FILIPPO;ROCCHI, BENEDETTO
2017

Abstract

In recent years, an increasing number of studies have stressed the relevance of the consumer experience in the research about new trajectories towards sustainability. These studies suggest that consumers should not be viewed solely as passive agents who select between different commercial options.This paper argues for a broader application of Technological Innovation System (TIS) conceptual framework and proposes an analytical approach that explicitly considers consumers and producers as interacting and then co-evolving actors. We apply the TIS framework to the food industry, a low-medium technology sector where several "alternative" food networks (AFN) are emerging and acting as innovative systems in the transition towards sustainability. The analysis allows us to better understand the common structure and the functional patterns shared by the various models of AFNs. The paper points out how the interactive relation between consumers and producers may foster the transition into a more sustainable socio-technical regime.
2017
25
94
106
Randelli, F.; Rocchi, B.
File in questo prodotto:
Non ci sono file associati a questo prodotto.

I documenti in FLORE sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificatore per citare o creare un link a questa risorsa: https://hdl.handle.net/2158/1081087
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 44
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 37
social impact