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How much does economic crisis affect sustainability transitions? A social network analysis of the Italian biofuel sector

Author

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  • Pasquale Marcello Falcone

    (Rome)

  • Edgardo Sica

    (University of Foggia)

Abstract

The present paper investigates the impact of the current economic crisis on the process of sustainability transitions by exploring the case of a green niche, namely the biofuel sector. From a methodological point of view, we employ a social network analysis aimed at comparing the Italian biofuel niche in two different time periods, specifically before and during the crisis. Our findings provide evidence that biofuel actors are responding to the economic crisis by raising the degree of their knowledge exchange. At the same time, they are exhibiting a general scepticism about the future development of the niche, showing a lower level of expectations compared to that of 2007 (i.e. before the crisis). These results suggest that the economic crisis is concretely hindering the transition towards a biofuel-based regime by affecting the degree of maturity of the niche.

Suggested Citation

  • Pasquale Marcello Falcone & Edgardo Sica, 2015. "How much does economic crisis affect sustainability transitions? A social network analysis of the Italian biofuel sector," Economy of region, Centre for Economic Security, Institute of Economics of Ural Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, vol. 1(1), pages 264-270.
    • Handle: RePEc:ura:ecregj:v:1:y:2015:i:1:p:264-270
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Geels, Frank W. & Schot, Johan, 2007. "Typology of sociotechnical transition pathways," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 399-417, April.
    2. Geels, Frank W., 2002. "Technological transitions as evolutionary reconfiguration processes: a multi-level perspective and a case-study," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(8-9), pages 1257-1274, December.
    3. ., 1998. "Technological Change," Chapters, in: Heinz D. Kurz & Neri Salvadori (ed.), The Elgar Companion to Classical Economics, volume 0, chapter 127, Edward Elgar Publishing.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ionica Oncioiu & Ioana Duca & Mirela Anca Postole & Georgiana Camelia Georgescu (Crețan) & Rodica Gherghina & Robert-Adrian Grecu, 2021. "Transforming the COVID-19 Threat into an Opportunity: The Pandemic as a Stage to the Sustainable Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-18, February.
    2. Ema Gusheva & Vincent de Gooyert, 2021. "Can We Have Our Cake and Eat It? A Review of the Debate on Green Recovery from the COVID-19 Crisis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-16, January.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    economic crisis; sociotechnical transitions; sustainability; social networks analysis; biofuel;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D85 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Network Formation
    • Q01 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - General - - - Sustainable Development
    • B52 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Current Heterodox Approaches - - - Historical; Institutional; Evolutionary; Modern Monetary Theory;

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