IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/envirc/v35y2017i1p130-146.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Intermediary activities and agendas of regional cleantech networks in Sweden

Author

Listed:
  • Brita Hermelin
  • Hans Rämö

Abstract

A vision of cleantech has been implemented on an international scale with financial assistance, new organizations and programmes. Given the wider contexts of political and commercial promotion, this article investigates management and governance of eight cleantech networks operating in different regions in Sweden. The aim of this article is to explore how an integrated approach based on network theories of economic sociology and a regional development perspective can contribute to the study of network intermediaries. What roles do intermediaries play in triple-helix networks? A suggested answer to this question is a typology of three intermediaries: a brokerage function for business agreements, a facilitation function whereby actors facilitate various processes and co-ordinate arrangements and a legitimizing function involving activities conducted in the political and wider societal realms. The legitimiser role of regional cleantech networks has important feedback effects on the wider discourses of environmental development, of which cleantech is a particular and influential vision.

Suggested Citation

  • Brita Hermelin & Hans Rämö, 2017. "Intermediary activities and agendas of regional cleantech networks in Sweden," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 35(1), pages 130-146, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envirc:v:35:y:2017:i:1:p:130-146
    DOI: 10.1177/0263774X16644256
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0263774X16644256
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/0263774X16644256?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Howells, Jeremy, 2006. "Intermediation and the role of intermediaries in innovation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(5), pages 715-728, June.
    2. Mads Bruun Ingstrup, 2010. "The role of cluster facilitators," International Journal of Globalisation and Small Business, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 4(1), pages 25-40.
    3. Philippe Lefebvre, 2013. "Organising deliberate innovation in knowledge clusters: from accidental brokering to purposeful brokering processes," Post-Print hal-01476060, HAL.
    4. Sapsed, Jonathan & Grantham, Andrew & DeFillippi, Robert, 2007. "A bridge over troubled waters: Bridging organisations and entrepreneurial opportunities in emerging sectors," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(9), pages 1314-1334, November.
    5. G. Hodgson, 2007. "What Are Institutions?," Voprosy Ekonomiki, NP Voprosy Ekonomiki, issue 8.
    6. Loet Leydesdorff & Henry Etzkowitz, 1996. "Emergence of a Triple Helix of university—industry—government relations," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 23(5), pages 279-286, October.
    7. Gordon Walker & Bruce Kogut & Weijian Shan, 1997. "Social Capital, Structural Holes and the Formation of an Industry Network," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 8(2), pages 109-125, April.
    8. Edward J. Malecki, 2012. "Regional Social Capital: Why it Matters," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(8), pages 1023-1039, June.
    9. Ron Martin, 2009. "Rethinking Regional Path Dependence: Beyond Lock-in to Evolution," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 0910, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised Sep 2009.
    10. Matthew Paterson & David Humphreys & Lloyd Pettiford, 2003. "Conceptualizing Global Environmental Governance: From Interstate Regimes to Counter-Hegemonic Struggles," Global Environmental Politics, MIT Press, vol. 3(2), pages 1-10, May.
    11. Maarten H. Batterink & Emiel F.M. Wubben & Laurens Klerkx & S.W.F. (Onno) Omta, 2010. "Orchestrating innovation networks: The case of innovation brokers in the agri-food sector," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(1), pages 47-76, January.
    12. Kirkels, Yvonne & Duysters, Geert, 2010. "Brokerage in SME networks," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(3), pages 375-385, April.
    13. Brunsson, K., 1998. "Non-Learning Organizations," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 14(4), pages 421-432, December.
    14. Jonathan S. Davies, 2004. "Conjuncture or disjuncture? An institutionalist analysis of local regeneration partnerships in the UK," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(3), pages 570-585, September.
    15. Mark Goodwin, 2013. "Regions, Territories and Relationality: Exploring the Regional Dimensions of Political Practice," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(8), pages 1181-1190, September.
    16. Anonymous, 1998. "Organized Symposia," Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 30(1), pages 243-246, July.
    17. Josh Whitford, 2012. "Waltzing, Relational Work, and the Construction (or Not) of Collaboration in Manufacturing Industries," Politics & Society, , vol. 40(2), pages 249-272, June.
    18. Ian Clarke & Matias Ramirez, 2014. "Intermediaries and Capability Building in ‘Emerging’ Clusters," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 32(4), pages 714-730, August.
    19. Jennifer Lewis Priestley & Subhashish Samaddar, 2007. "Multi-Organizational Networks: Three Antecedents of Knowledge Transfer," International Journal of Knowledge Management (IJKM), IGI Global, vol. 3(1), pages 86-99, January.
    20. Timo Pihkala & Vesa Harmaakorpi & Satu Pekkarinen, 2007. "The Role of Dynamic Capabilities and Social Capital in Breaking Socio‐Institutional Inertia in Regional Development," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(4), pages 836-852, December.
    21. David Gibbs, 2006. "Prospects for an Environmental Economic Geography: Linking Ecological Modernization and Regulationist Approaches," Economic Geography, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 82(2), pages 193-215, April.
    22. Alfred Posch, 2010. "Industrial Recycling Networks as Starting Points for Broader Sustainability‐Oriented Cooperation?," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 14(2), pages 242-257, March.
    23. Horbach, Jens, 2008. "Determinants of environmental innovation--New evidence from German panel data sources," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 163-173, February.
    24. Pernilla S. Rafiqui, 2009. "Evolving economic landscapes: why new institutional economics matters for economic geography," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 9(3), pages 329-353, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Birgit Leick & Susanne Gretzinger, 2018. "Brokerage and governance for business networks: a metasynthesis-based discussion," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 22(4), pages 773-804, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. De Silva, Muthu & Howells, Jeremy & Meyer, Martin, 2018. "Innovation intermediaries and collaboration: Knowledge–based practices and internal value creation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(1), pages 70-87.
    2. Birgit Leick & Susanne Gretzinger, 2018. "Brokerage and governance for business networks: a metasynthesis-based discussion," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 22(4), pages 773-804, December.
    3. Clarke, Ian & Klerkx, Laurens & Ramirez, Matias, 2016. "Learning and innovation in developing economy clusters: Comparing private and non-profit intermediaries in cluster governance," Greenwich Papers in Political Economy 16712, University of Greenwich, Greenwich Political Economy Research Centre.
    4. Anna Yström & Hedvig Aspenberg, 2017. "Open For Innovation? Practices Supporting Collaboration In Swedish Regional Clusters," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 21(05), pages 1-28, June.
    5. Isabelle Leroux & Paul Muller & Béatrice Plottu & Caroline Widehem, 2014. "Evolution of business models in French ?Pôles de compétitivité?: the role of intermediaries in horticultural varietal creation," ERSA conference papers ersa14p693, European Regional Science Association.
    6. Brita Hermelin & Grete Rusten, 2018. "A place-based approach to social entrepreneurship for social integration – Cases from Norway and Sweden," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 33(4), pages 367-383, June.
    7. Kirkels, Yvonne & Duysters, Geert, 2010. "Brokerage in SME networks," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(3), pages 375-385, April.
    8. Jenson, Ian & Doyle, Richard & Miles, Morgan P., 2020. "An entrepreneurial marketing process perspective of the role of intermediaries in producing innovation outcomes," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 291-299.
    9. Hurmelinna-Laukkanen, Pia & Nätti, Satu & Pikkarainen, Minna, 2021. "Orchestrating for lead user involvement in innovation networks," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    10. Etty Ragnhild Nilsen & Anne Haugen Gausdal, 2017. "The Multifaceted Role Of The Network Orchestrator — A Longitudinal Case Study," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 21(06), pages 1-23, August.
    11. Lefebvre, Virginie M. & Molnar, Adrienn & Gellynck, Xavier, 2013. "The Role of Network Administrative Organizations in the Development of Social Capital in Inter-Organizational Food Networks," International Journal on Food System Dynamics, International Center for Management, Communication, and Research, vol. 3(3), pages 1-15, February.
    12. José-Antonio Belso-Martínez & Manuel Expósito-Langa, 2015. "Persistence and extinction of brokerage roles in clusters: the role of status, former experiences and extra-cluster relationships," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 1501, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised Jan 2015.
    13. Matias Ramirez & Ian Clarke & Laurens Klerkx, 2018. "Analysing intermediary organisations and their influence on upgrading in emerging agricultural clusters," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 50(6), pages 1314-1335, September.
    14. Francesco Campanella & Maria Rosaria Della Peruta & Stefano Bresciani & Luca Dezi, 2017. "Quadruple Helix and firms’ performance: an empirical verification in Europe," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 42(2), pages 267-284, April.
    15. Abdelkader Djeflat & Yevgeny Kuznetsov, 2014. "Innovation Policy Reforms, Emerging Role Models and Bridge Institutions: Evidence from North African Economies," African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 6(5), pages 467-479, September.
    16. Roldán-Suárez, Elizabeth & Rendón-Medel, Roberto & Camacho-Villa, Tania Carolina & Aguilar-Ávila, Jorge & Toledo, José, 2020. "Innovation in the rural sector of Mexico: the role of the innovation broker," Economia Agraria y Recursos Naturales, Spanish Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 20(02), December.
    17. Laurens Klerkx & Andy Hall & Cees Leeuwis, 2009. "Strengthening agricultural innovation capacity: are innovation brokers the answer?," International Journal of Agricultural Resources, Governance and Ecology, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 8(5/6), pages 409-438.
    18. Casanueva, Cristóbal & Castro, Ignacio & Galán, José L., 2013. "Informational networks and innovation in mature industrial clusters," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(5), pages 603-613.
    19. Ruggieri, Giovanni & Iannolino, Salvatore & Baggio, Rodolfo, 2022. "Tourism destination brokers: A network analytic approach," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    20. Zofia Gródek-Szostak & Marcin Suder & Rafał Kusa & Anna Szeląg-Sikora & Joanna Duda & Marcin Niemiec, 2020. "Renewable Energy Promotion Instruments Used by Innovation Brokers in a Technology Transfer Network. Case Study of the Enterprise Europe Network," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-13, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:envirc:v:35:y:2017:i:1:p:130-146. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.