Towards an integrated framework for sustainable innovation policy

An integrated framework for the analysis and development of sustainable innovation policy was developed, based on a combination of the transition management framework, the strategic niche management approach, and policy recommendations resulting from technological innovation system (TIS) studies. In the framework, the multilevel view from transition management has been integrated with the functions approach from the TIS literature. The integrated policy framework shows that specific policy goals and measures can be found at the specific points of intervention related to landscape, regime, TIS and niches. The integrated framework suggests that stimulation of a TIS only makes sense when this is well aligned with landscape and regime developments. The framework also suggests that the three TIS functions entrepreneurial activities, knowledge development and knowledge diffusion can be seen as policy goals, whereas the four other TIS functions are more directly linked to policy measures.