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Narratives of grassroots innovations: a comparison of voluntary simplicity and the transition movement in Italy

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  • Giuseppe Feola

Abstract

Grassroots innovations (GI) are promising examples of deliberate transformation of socio-technical systems towards resilience and sustainability. However, evidence is needed on the factors that limit or enable their success. This paper set out to study how GI use narratives to empower innovation in the face of incumbent socio-technical regimes. Institutional documents were comparatively analysed to assess how the narratives influence the structure, form of action and external interactions of two Italian grassroots networks, Bilanci di Giustizia and Transition Network Italy. The paper finds an internal consistency between narratives and strategies for each of the two networks. The paper also highlights core similarities, but also significant differences in the ethical basis of the two narratives, and in the organisations and strategies. Such differences determine different forms of innovation empowerment and expose the niche to different potentials to transform incumbent regimes, or to the risk of being co-opted by them.

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  • Giuseppe Feola, 2014. "Narratives of grassroots innovations: a comparison of voluntary simplicity and the transition movement in Italy," International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 8(3), pages 250-269.
    • Handle: RePEc:ids:ijisde:v:8:y:2014:i:3:p:250-269
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    Cited by:

    1. Sazzad Parwez, 2022. "Institutionalisation and Processes of Grassroots Innovations: Evidence from the Literature," Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Emerging Economies, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, vol. 8(2), pages 258-269, July.
    2. Sarrica, Mauro & Biddau, Fulvio & Brondi, Sonia & Cottone, Paolo & Mazzara, Bruno M., 2018. "A multi-scale examination of public discourse on energy sustainability in Italy: Empirical evidence and policy implications," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 444-454.
    3. Hossain, Mokter, 2018. "Grassroots innovation: The state of the art and future perspectives," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 63-69.
    4. Aresu, Simone & Monfardini, Patrizio, 2023. "Oppressed by consumerism: The emancipatory role of household accounting," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).

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