Collective agency as a leverage point in multi-actor innovation: Two case studies from Swedish horticulture

Sammanfattning

The aim of this study is to investigate how horticultural firms meet their need for innovation within the innovation system. A comparative process ethnography approach was applied to two cases of long-term collaboration between multiple actors in Swedish horticulture. The retrospective reconstruction of the cases through documentation and interviews allowed for triangulation of data in a grounded theory approach. The leverage points of the developing collaborative processes were found to be; having agency and a network approach, the forming of collective agency through social learning, enhancing resource access, and operationalization of results. The concept of leverage points is useful for understanding evolutionary changes in multi-actor collaborations. The use of the concept of collective agency contributes to the understanding of the dynamics of demand articulation, illustrating a reciprocal process between the actors' individual agencies, and evolving over time through their social learning. The results point to a need for policymakers and practitioners to develop a broader understanding of how actors work in the innovation system to enhance knowledge development and innovation.

Nyckelord

agricultural innovation systems; AKIS; demand articulation; collaboration; social learning; evolutionary perspective

Publicerad i

Agricultural and Food Science
2023, volym: 32, nummer: 3, sidor: 166-178
Utgivare: SCIENTIFIC AGRICULTURAL SOC FINLAND

SLU författare

• Blix Germundsson, Lisa

  • Institutionen för människa och samhälle, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
    

• Ljung, Magnus

  • Institutionen för människa och samhälle, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
    

Globala målen (SDG)

SDG2 Ingen hunger
SDG9 Hållbar industri, innovationer och infrastruktur

UKÄ forskningsämne

Trädgårdsvetenskap/hortikultur
Systemvetenskap, informationssystem och informatik med samhällsvetenskaplig inriktning

Publikationens identifierare

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.23986/afsci.128680

Permanent länk till denna sida (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/126864