New insights into socio-technical transitions: A technology management perspective

Abstract

This paper places technology management and socio-technical transitions opposite each other with the aim of understanding what alternative insights into socio-technical transitions we can gain by exploring such transitions from a technology management perspective. A capability-based approach to socio-technical transitions is subsequently proposed. The proposed approach does not aim to substitute any existing frameworks or approaches; the aim is rather to address the five identified dimensions along which the way technology management is structured could enhance transition frameworks and approaches. We argue that there are four main concepts where lessons from the way that the different elements of technology management are structured and integrated could enhance the understanding of socio-technical transitions.