CoChat
Sign Up
Cited by 1,524Sustainability and Climate Change GovernanceClimate Change Policy and EconomicsRenewable Energy and Sustainability

Policy mixes for sustainability transitions: an extended concept and framework for analysis

Open access
Rogge, Karoline S., Reichardt, Kristin·2016·Research Policy
DOI 10.1016/j.respol.2016.04.004
Open this paper in CoChat — free accountOpen PDF

Abstract

Reaching a better understanding of the policies and politics of transitions presents a main agenda item in the emerging field of sustainability transitions. One important requirement for these transitions, such as the move towards a decarbonized energy system, is the redirection and acceleration of technological change, for which policies play a key role. In this regard, several studies have argued for the need to combine different policy instruments in so-called policy mixes. However, existing policy mix studies often fall short of reflecting the complexity and dynamics of actual policy mixes, the underlying politics and the evaluation of their impacts. In this paper we take a first step towards an extended, interdisciplinary policy mix concept based on a review of the bodies of literature on innovation studies, environmental economics and policy analysis. The concept introduces a clear terminology and consists of the three building blocks elements, policy processes and characteristics, which can be delineated by several dimensions. Based on this, we discuss its application as analytical framework for empirical studies analyzing the impact of the policy mix on technological change. Throughout the paper we illustrate the proposed concept by using the example of the policy mix for fostering the transition of the German energy system to renewable power generation technologies. Finally, we derive policy implications and suggest avenues for future research.

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1016/j.respol.2016.04.004

Cites

Statistics

Claims the paper makes

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

The self-check needs the paper’s full text.

Cites

No references could be resolved yet.

Research works printed but not linked: 55

  1. Andrews, K.R., 1987. The concept of corporate strategy. In: Perry, K. (Ed.), The Concept of Corporate Strategy. Richard D. Irwin, New York, pp. 13-34.
  2. Bödeker, P., Rogge, K.S., 2014. The Impact of the Policy Mix for Renewable Power Generation on Invention: a Patent Analysis for Germany, 15th ISS Conference of the International Schumpeter Society , Jena: ISS.
  3. Bigsten, A., 2007. Development policy: coordination, conditionality and coherence. In: Sapir, A. (Ed.), Fragmented Power: Europe and the Global Economy. Bruegel Books, Brussels, pp. 94-127.
  4. Blazejczak, J., Edler, D., Hemmelskamp, J., Jänicke, M., 1999. Environmental policy and innovation-an international comparison of policy frameworks and innovation effects. In: Klemmer, P. (Ed.), Innovation Effects of Environmental Policy Instruments. Analytica, Berlin, pp. 9-30.
  5. Smits, R., Kuhlmann, S., Shapira, P. (Eds.), The Theory and Practice of Innovation Policy-An International Research Handbook. Edward Elgar, Cheltenham, pp. 333-359.
  6. Bouckaert, G., Peters, B.G., Verhoest, K., 2010. The Coordination of Public Sector Organizations, Shifting Patterns of Public Management. Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke.
  7. Daly, H.E., Farley, J., 2010. Ecological Economics: Principles and Applications. Island Press, Washington, DC.
  8. Dunn, W.N., 2004. Public Policy Analysis: An Introduction. Pearson, Upper Saddle River.
  9. Dye, T.R., 2008. Understanding Public Policy. Pearson, Upper Saddle River.
  10. Forster, J., Stokke, O., 1999. Coherence of policies towards developing countries: approaching the problematique. In: Forster, J., Stokke, O. (Eds.), Policy Coherence in Development Co-operation. Frank Cass Publishers, London, pp. 16-57.
  11. Foxon, T.J., Pearson, P.J.G., 2007. Towards improved policy processes for promoting innovation in renewable electricity technologies in the UK. Energy Policy 35, 1539-1550.
  12. Foxon, T.J., Pearson, P.J.G., 2008. Overcoming barriers to innovation and diffusion of cleaner technologies: some features of a sustainable innovation policy regime. J. Clean. Prod. 16, 148-161.
  13. Fukasaku, K., Hirata, A., 1995. The OECD and ASEAN: changing economic linkages and the challenge of policy coherence. In: Fukasaku, K., Plummer, M., Tan, J. (Eds.), OECD and ASEAN Economies, The Challenge of Policy Coherence. OECD, Paris, pp. 19-40.
  14. Gunningham, N., Grabosky, P., 1998. Smart Regulation Designing Environmental Policy. Oxford University Press, New York.
  15. Hemmelskamp, J., 1999. Umweltpolitische Instrumente und ihre Innovationseffekte -ein Literaturüberblick. In: Böhringer, C. (Ed.), Umweltpolitik Und Technischer Fortschritt. Physica-Verlag, Heidelberg, pp. 25-42.
  16. Hess, D., Mai, Q.D., 2014. Renewable electricity policy in Asia: a qualitative comparative analysis of factors affecting sustainability transitions. Environ. Innov. Soc. Trans. 12, 31-46.
  17. Hoebink, P., 2004. Evaluating Maastricht's tripple C: the 'C' of coherence. In: Hoebink, P. (Ed.), The Treaty of Maastricht and Europe's Development Co-operation. EU, Brussels, pp. 183-218.
  18. Howlett, M., Ramesh, M., Perl, A., 2009. Studying Public Policy: Policy Cycles and Policy Subsystems. Oxford University Press.
  19. Howlett, M., 2005. What is a policy instrument? Tools, mixes and implementation styles. In: Eliadis, P., Hill, M.M., Howlett, M. (Eds.), Designing Government. From Instruments to Governance. McGill-Queen's University Press, Montreal, pp. 31-50.
  20. Huttunen, S., Kivimaa, P., Vikramaki, V., 2014. The need for policy coherence to trigger a transition to biogas production. Environ. Innov. Soc. Trans. 12, 14-30.
  21. Hydén, G., 1999. The shifting grounds of policy coherence in development Co-operation. In: Forster, J., Stokke, O. (Eds.), Policy Coherence in Development Co-operation. Frank Cass Publishers, London, pp. 58-77. RESPOL-3282; No. of Pages 16
  22. Jänicke, M., Blazejczak, J., Edler, D., Hemmelskamp, J., 2000. Environmental policy and innovation: an international comparison of policy frameworks and innovation effects. In: Hemmelskamp, J., Rennings, K., Leone, F. (Eds.), Innovation-Oriented Environmental Regulation: Theoretical Approach and Empirical Analysis. Springer Verlag, Heidelberg, pp. 125-152.
  23. Jänicke, M., 1998. Umweltinnovation aus der Sicht der Policy-Analyse: vom instrumentellen zum strategischen Ansatz der Umweltpolitik. In: Jann, W., König, K., Landfried, C., Wordelmann, P. (Eds.), Politik und Verwaltung auf dem Weg in die transindustrielle Gesellschaft. Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft, Baden-Baden, pp. 323-338.
  24. Jänicke, M., 2009. On ecological and political modernization. In: Mol, A.P.J., Sonnenfeld, D.A., Spaargaren, G. (Eds.), The Ecological Modernisation Reader. Environmental Reform in Theory and Practice. Routledge, Milton Park, pp. 28-41.
  25. Jacobsson, S., Bergek, A., 2011. Innovation system analyses and sustainability transitions: contributions and suggestions for research. Environ. Innov. Soc. Trans. 1, 41-57.
  26. Kemp, R., Rotmans, J., 2005. The management of the Co-Evolution of technical, environmental and social systems. In: Weber, M., Hemmelskamp, J. (Eds.), Towards Environmental Innovation Systems. Springer, Heidelberg, pp. 33-55.
  27. Kemp, R., 2007. Integrating environmental and innovation policies. In: Parto, S., Herbert-Copley, B. (Eds.), Industrial Innovation and Environmental Regulation: Developing Workable Solutions. United Nations University Press, Hong Kong, pp. 258-283.
  28. Lehmann, P., 2010. Using a policy mix to combat climate change-an economic evaluation of policies in the German electricity sector, PhD thesis. Universität Halle-Wittenberg.
  29. Lehmann, P., 2012. Justifying a policy mix for pollution control: a review of economic literature. J. Econ. Surv. 26, 71-97.
  30. Loorbach, D., 2007. Transition Management -New Mode of Governance for Sustainable Development, PhD Thesis. Erasmus Universiteit, Rotterdam.
  31. Majone, G., 1997. Independent agencies and the delegation problem: theoretical and normative dimensions. In: Steuenberg, B., van Vught, F. (Eds.), Political Institutions and Public Policy. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, pp. 139-156.
  32. Malerba, F., 2004. Sectoral Systems of Innovation. Concepts, Issues and Analyses of Six Major Sectors in Europe. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
  33. Markard, J., Suter, M., Ingold, K., 2015. Socio-technical transitions and policy change -Advocacy coalitions in Swiss energy policy. Environ. Innov. Soc. Trans. 18, 215-237.
  34. May, P.J., 2003. Policy design and implementation. In: Peters, B.G., Pierre, J. (Eds.), Handbook of Public Administration. Sage Publications Ltd, London, pp. 223-233.
  35. Miles, R.E., Snow, C.C., 1978. Organizational Strategy, Structure, and Process. McGraw-Hill, New York.
  36. Mintzberg, H., 1999. Ünd hier, meine Damen und Herren, sehen Sie: Das wilde Tier Strategisches Management. ¨. In: Mintzberg, H. (Ed.), Strategy Safari: eine Reise durch die Wildnis des strategischen Managements. Ueberreuter, Wien, pp. 13-36.
  37. Mowery, D.C., 1995. The practice of technology policy. In: Stoneman, P. (Ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Innovation and Technological Change. Blackwell Publishers Inc., Oxford, UK, Cambridge, USA, pp. 511-557.
  38. Pal, L.A., 2006. Policy Analysis: Concepts and Practice, Beyond Policy Analysis - Public Issue Management in Turbulent Times. Nelson, Toronto, pp. 10-13.
  39. Popp, D., Newell, R.G., Jaffe, A.B., 2009. Energy, the Environment, and Technological Change. NBER Working Paper Series, 14832, Cambridge.
  40. Porter, M.E., 1980. Competitive Strategy. Free Press, New York.
  41. Quitzow, R., 2015a. Assessing policy strategies for the promotion of environmental technologies: a review of India's National Solar Mission. Res. Policy 44, 233-243.
  42. Quitzow, R., 2015b. Dynamics of a policy-driven market: the co-evolution of technological innovation systems for solar photovoltaics in China and Germany. Environ. Innov. Soc. Trans. 17, 126-148.
  43. Raven, R., Schot, J., Berkhout, F., 2012. Space and scale in socio-technical transitions. Environ. Innov. Soc. Trans. 4, 63-78.
  44. Reichardt, K., Rogge, K.S., 2016. How the policy mix impacts innovation: Findings from company case studies on offshore wind in Germany. Environ. Inno. Soc. Trans. 18, 62-81.
  45. Richardson, J., 1982. The concept of policy style. In: Richardson, J. (Ed.), Policy Styles in Western Europe. George Allen & Unwin, London, pp. 1-16.
  46. Rogge, K.S., Schleich, J., Haussmann, P., Roser, A., Reitze, F., 2011a. The role of the regulatory framework for innovation activities: the EU ETS and the German paper industry. International Journal of Technology. Policy Manage. 11, 250-273.
  47. Rogge, K.S., 2010. The Innovation Impact of the EU Emission Trading System: An Empirical Analysis of the Power Sector. PhD Thesis. ETH Zurich, Zurich.
  48. Rotmans, J., Kemp, R., van Asselt, M., 2001. Emerald Article: more evolution than revolution: transition management in public policy. Foresight 3, 15-31.
  49. Sabatier, P.A., Mazmanian, D.A., 1981. The Implementation of Public Policy: A Framework of Analysis, Effective Policy Implementation. Lexington Books, Toronto, pp. 3-35.
  50. Sabatier, P.A., Weible, C.M., 2014. Theories of the Policy Process. Westview Press, Boulder.
  51. Salamon, L.M., 2002. The new governance and the tools of public action: an introduction. In: Salamon, L.M. (Ed.), The Tools of Government, A Guide to the New Governance. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 1-47.
  52. Schmidt, T.S., Schneider, M., Rogge, K.S., Schuetz, M.J.A., Hoffmann, V.H., 2012b. The effects of climate policy on the rate and direction of innovation: a survey of the EU ETS and the electricity sector. Environ. Innov. Soc. Trans. 2, 23-48.
  53. Sorrell, S., 2004. Understanding barriers to energy efficiency. In: Sorrell, S., O'Malley, E., Schleich, J., Scott, S. (Eds.), The Economics of Energy Efficiency - Barriers to Cost-Effective Investment. Edward Elgar, Celtenham, pp. 25-94.
  54. Sterner, T., 2000. Review of Policy Instruments, in: Sterner, T. (Ed.), Policy Instruments for Environmental and Natural Resource Management. Resources for the Future Press, Washington, DC, pp. 67-70.
  55. de Heide, M.J.L., 2011. R&D, Innovation and the Policy Mix. PhD Thesis. Tinbergen Institute, Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam.

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Rogge, K. S., & Reichardt, K.
Affiliations
  • University of Sussex (GB)
  • Utrecht University (NL)
Corresponding author
Rogge, Karoline S.
ORCID
Rogge, Karoline S.
Venue
Research Policy
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2016-10
Volume
45
Issue
8
Pages
1620-1635
ISSN
0048-7333 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.respol.2016.04.004
OpenAlex
W2363378650
Cited by
1,524
References
0
Citations by year
2026: 322 · 2025: 224 · 2024: 181 · 2023: 145 · 2022: 218 · 2021: 124 · 2020: 107 · 2019: 79 · 2018: 71 · 2017: 52 · 2016: 1
FWCI
50.18
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Research Policy (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Sussex Research Online (University of Sussex) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Fraunhofer-Publica (Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • University of Sussex
  • Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (01LA1117A)
  • Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich
  • Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/KO11790/1, EP/K011790/1)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Sustainability and Climate Change Governance
  • Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Economics and Econometrics › Climate Change Policy and Economics
  • Physical Sciences › Energy › Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment › Renewable Energy and Sustainability
Keywords
policy mix, sustainability transitions, technological change, policy instruments, policy process, policy characteristics, analytical framework, decarbonization, renewable energy transition, German energy system, energy policy, innovation policy

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review