TY - JOUR
T1 - Exploring incumbents’ agency
T2 - Institutional work by grid operators in decentralized energy innovations
AU - Galeano Galvan, Maria
AU - Cuppen, Eefje
AU - Taanman, Mattijs
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - The agency of incumbents has gained increasing attention in the study of transitions. Recent studies show that besides being inert and resistant to change, incumbents can also support transitions. We focus on the agency of a particular type of incumbent, grid operators. In several countries, these actors play an active role in institutional change in the energy domain. At the same time, they are engaging in activities to maintain the regime. This paper examines the actions of grid operators when performing institutional work, i.e. when creating, maintaining and disrupting institutions. We conducted a qualitative content analysis of Dutch media to analyze the actions of grid operators while engaging with decentralized energy innovations. We conclude that grid operators are both subject and object of institutional work as part of a distributed, collective process of institutional change. Furthermore, our analysis reflects on their paradoxical position as embedded actors engaging in institutional change.
AB - The agency of incumbents has gained increasing attention in the study of transitions. Recent studies show that besides being inert and resistant to change, incumbents can also support transitions. We focus on the agency of a particular type of incumbent, grid operators. In several countries, these actors play an active role in institutional change in the energy domain. At the same time, they are engaging in activities to maintain the regime. This paper examines the actions of grid operators when performing institutional work, i.e. when creating, maintaining and disrupting institutions. We conducted a qualitative content analysis of Dutch media to analyze the actions of grid operators while engaging with decentralized energy innovations. We conclude that grid operators are both subject and object of institutional work as part of a distributed, collective process of institutional change. Furthermore, our analysis reflects on their paradoxical position as embedded actors engaging in institutional change.
KW - Decentralized energy innovations
KW - Embedded agency
KW - Energy transition
KW - Grid operators
KW - Incumbents
KW - Institutional work
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85090011983&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.eist.2020.07.008
DO - 10.1016/j.eist.2020.07.008
M3 - Article
SN - 2210-4224
VL - 37
SP - 79
EP - 92
JO - Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions
JF - Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions
ER -