Ruiz, A; Vinke-de Kruijf, J; Santos, J; Volker, L and Dorée, A (2023) Sustainable innovation processes in the asphalt paving sector: A system innovation approach. In: Tutesigensi, A and Neilson, C J (eds.) Proceedings of 39th Annual ARCOM Conference, 4-6 September 2023, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
Abstract
The asphalt paving sector is committed to achieving sustainability targets and the adoption of innovations, such as alternative materials and more efficient production and construction processes, offer a way forward. Despite the progresses already made, widespread implementation of such innovations is lagging, mainly due to social and institutional aspects of the transformation such as policies and regulations, cultural values and norms, lack of awareness and knowledge. This study employs a system innovation approach to determine which key elements shape sustainability innovation processes in the asphalt paving sector. To identify elements, we critically compare empirical patterns that were identified using the Dutch asphalt sector as case study with theoretical patterns that resulted from a literature review on drivers and barriers to sustainability and innovation. We conclude that the system innovation process is determined by a set of fifteen elements including institutional rules, inter and intra-organizational dynamics, and actors' roles. This set of elements can be used to build the structure of the system and explore its dynamics and enable the sector to reach more efficient innovation processes.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | asphalt paving; socio-technical systems; system innovation; sustainability |
| Index terms: | socio-technical system, case study, implementation, dynamics, construction process, transformation, literature review, sustainability innovation, alternative material, paving, regulation, norms |
| Subjects: | political science, building construction, data collection methods, sustainable practices, theoretical framing, materials science, business, sociology, systems engineering, transportation engineering, contractual arrangements, data analysis and analytics |
| Topics: | Research Practice, Sustainability, Site Management, Business Strategy, Governance, Procurement, Engineering Principles |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here