Global influence and national diversity in socio-technical transitions: a sectoral taxonomy

Global influence and national diversity in socio-technical transitions: a sectoral taxonomy. Gerardo Marletto DISEA, University of Sassari & CRENoS Cécile Sillig DIEC/CIELI, University of Genova Abstract Socio-technical transitions (STTs) are used to analyse radical innovations and their extensive and structural impacts on the society. The spatial articulation of STTs is more and more studied to provide a deeper understanding of horizontal (i.e., between areas at the same scale) and vertical (i.e., between areas at different scales) dynamics. In particular, an increasing attention is given to the global scale. This paper contributes to the geography of STTs, by studying the connections between the global and the national scale and by aiming at filling two research gaps: the inadequate consideration of both national diversity and sectoral specificities. Starting from five case studies on agrifood, healthcare, logistics, urban mobility and tourism, we build a sectoral taxonomy of STTs focussed on the relation between global influence and national diversity. Four types of sectors emerge from the analysis: Type 1 sectors with a higher variety of national STTs, mostly depending on no relevant global influence; Type 2 sectors with a typology of national STTs with some (actor-led or discourse-led) global influence; Type 3 sectors with multiscalar STTs and a very limited number of national specifications; Type 4 sectors featuring a global STT and no relevant national diversity. The taxonomy may be used: a) to represent sectors other than those studied here (e.g., defense, education, energy, internal security, justice, media/entertainment, water, Web/TLC), b) for dynamic analyses, i.e. to study the eventual migration of sectors between Types, and c) to provide useful hints for the design and implementation of policies aiming at pushing STTs in a desired direction