change in the housing sector. The first theory reviewed that could potentially do this was the Punctuated Equilibrium (PE) perspective (Geels, 2010; 2011; Feeman and Perez, 1988, Freeman and Louca, 2011) The PE perspective improves upon some of the shortcomings with technological substitution models by introducing the concept of technological discontinuity (Anderson and Tushman, 1990; Geels, 2010; 2011). This acknowledges that existing dominant technologies can be in decline and acknowledges that a period of new design, competition and substitution will occur when they are being replaced with new technologies (Geels, 2010; 2011). Within the framework there is considered to be a period where incremental change is ushered in, a period where the old systems and ways of doing are replaced with the new. This creates a passage of time when new technologies and a new dominant design ‘ferment’ emerges (Anderson and Tushman, 1990; Geels, 2010; 2011). Whilst this improves upon the Technological substitution model it still does not incorporate the source of innovation or generate an understanding of where or how radical innovations develop from (Geels, 2010; 2011). As this research project is looking into technical change from the innovation level the PE perspective presents a number of issues in generating a deep enough understanding of the problem area from multiple perspectives. It also relies too heavily on the technological push aspects as the cause of the period of fermentation without improving the understanding of how power, policy, social practice or culture influences it (Anderson and Tushman, 1990; Geels, 2010; 2011). As such the theory was considered to be too focused on techno-economic factors to effectively elaborate and organise the key social and technical issues facing a zero carbon housing transition. Further research identified the theories which took a wider perspective on the issues facing radical socio-technical change and brought the socialisation of technology into the core of the theory, rather then in addition to market factors. One such theory studied was the Long wave theory (LWT) (Feeman and Perez, 1988, Freeman and Louca 2011). LWT improves upon the issues with the PE perspective and technological substitution theories by bringing in co-evolutionary concepts relating to new
change in the housing sector. The first theory reviewed that could potentially do this was the Punctuated Equilibrium (PE) perspective (Geels, 2010; 2011; Feeman and Perez, 1988, Freeman and Louca, 2011) The PE perspective improves upon some of the shortcomings with technological substitution models by introducing the concept of technological discontinuity (Anderson and Tushman, 1990; Geels, 2010; 2011). This acknowledges that existing dominant technologies can be in decline and acknowledges that a period of new design, competition and substitution will occur when they are being replaced with new technologies (Geels, 2010; 2011). Within the framework there is considered to be a period where incremental change is ushered in, a period where the old systems and ways of doing are replaced with the new. This creates a passage of time when new technologies ‘ferment’ and a new dominant design emerges (Anderson and Tushman, 1990; Geels, 2010; 2011). Whilst this improves upon the Technological substitution model it still does not incorporate the source of innovation or generate an understanding of where or how radical innovations develop from (Geels, 2010; 2011). As this research project is looking into change from the innovation level the PE perspective presents a number of issues in generating a deep enough understanding of the problem area from multiple perspectives. It also relies too heavily on the technological push aspects as the cause of the period of fermentation without improving the understanding of how power, policy, social practice or culture influences it (Anderson and Tushman, 1990; Geels, 2010; 2011). As such the theory was considered to be too focused on techno-economic factors to effectively elaborate and organise the key social and technical issues facing a zero carbon housing transition. Further research identified the theories which took a wider perspective on the issues facing radical socio-technical change and brought the socialisation of technology into the core of the theory, rather then in addition to market factors. One such theory studied was the Long wave theory (LWT) (Feeman and Perez, 1988, Freeman and Louca 2011). LWT improves upon the issues with the PE perspective and technological substitution theories by bringing in co-evolutionary concepts relating to new technical
6105467_Final_Thesis_2016_10_01_For_Upload_7.docx