In English, Vaikuttava korkeakoulu 1.11.2024

Practical Insights and Tools for Systemic Transitions

Teksti | Mikael Seppälä

How can transition theories be turned into practical tools for system change? At Engagement Week 2024 in Barcelona, global experts shared hands-on methods that can for example help scale experimentation in place-based approaches. This article explores transformative outcomes, one of the key tools introduced during the event and insights for ecosystem orchestrators and intermediaries in facilitating sustainable transitions.

Photo: Mikael Seppälä/Laurea University of Applied Sciences

Bridging Theory and Practice: Exploring Tools for Sustainable Transitions

The Engagement Week 2024: Scaling Experimentation – A catalyst for transformative system change event, organized by the Transformative Innovation Policy Consortium (TIPC) and the Deep Transitions Lab, provided an inspiring platform to explore how experimental approaches can be harnessed to tackle complex global challenges. Set against the historic backdrop of Barcelona’s Palau Reial de Pedralbes, a royal palace nestled in lush gardens, the event gathered experts to bridge theory and practice in the field of transformative system change—applying theoretical insights from transition studies to real-world, scalable practices.

Transition theory, a core theme of the event, examines how large-scale systemic changes happen over time, especially toward more sustainable futures (Schot & Steinmuller 2018). These transformations are often place-based, meaning they are grounded in specific local contexts, cultures, and economies (Bianchi et al. 2024). The event also emphasized the importance of transformative outcomes, which are targeted processes that help innovations take root and disrupt existing systems to drive sustainable change (Ghosh et al. 2019).

My invitation to the event came through my involvement with the TIP Resource Lab (https://tipresourcelab.net), an online platform that equips policymakers, researchers, and practitioners with methods from Transformative Innovation Policy (TIP) to foster systemic change. The TIP Resource Lab training for the network of coaches helped me gain insights into practical tools for change, which align with my work on ecosystem orchestration in two key projects: SERkut and KauKo.

The SERkut project (Sähkö- ja ElektroniikkalaiteRomut kiertoon uusilla toimintatavoilla, https://kiertoelektroniikka.fi), a collaborative initiative by Forum Virium Helsinki and Laurea University of Applied Sciences, focuses on advancing the circular economy for electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) in the Helsinki metropolitan area and Uusimaa. By fostering ecosystem collaboration, SERkut seeks to address urban electronic waste management challenges and promote circular electronics as a viable business model (Seppälä 2024). This initiative brings together stakeholders from various sectors—businesses, municipalities, policymakers—to create sustainable solutions for recycling and managing EEE lifecycles.

The KauKo project (Kaupunkiympäristöt Kokeilualustana hyvinvointi-innovaatioille, https://hevinnovations.fi/kauko/) explores urban environments as platforms for testing wellbeing innovations. Part of the broader HEVi program, KauKo works to build a sustainable ecosystem around health and wellbeing in urban settings, addressing resident experiences holistically rather than through isolated organizational lenses. Through workshops, stakeholder engagement, and collaborative efforts, KauKo aims to create an innovation ecosystem that enhances community wellbeing (Jalo, Seppälä, Töllikkö, & Saarelainen 2024).

Both projects highlight the importance of ecosystem orchestrators in fostering sustainable transitions. As intermediaries, orchestrators help align different actors toward common sustainability goals. By facilitating cooperation across sectors, they ensure that innovations can scale and achieve a broader systemic impact.

One of my most significant insights from Engagement Week 2024 was the role of ecosystem orchestrators as intermediaries in sustainability transitions. According to the literature, intermediaries act as key facilitators of change by linking actors across various sectors and levels of society, fostering collaboration and innovation (Kivimaa et al. 2019).

A question of specific interest to me regarding the event was how might intermediaries and ecosystem orchestrators use transformative outcomes to scale transformation in place-based approaches?

Scaling Transformation Through Place-Based Approaches

Cristian Matti (2024), Policy Analyst at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, introduced the transformative outcomes tool, a framework designed to help stakeholders scale transition efforts based on the unique dynamics of specific locations. This tool, as outlined in the MOTION Handbook, focuses on nurturing niche innovations, expanding successful ones, and destabilizing unsustainable regimes (Alvial Palavicino et al. 2021; TIP Resource Lab 2024). It serves as a practical guide to organizing and measuring transformation processes within different geographical and social contexts.

The transformative outcomes tool is structured around three macro-processes: (1) building and nurturing niches, (2) expanding and mainstreaming niches, and (3) unlocking and opening up regimes. These processes provide a roadmap for scaling innovations while ensuring that they are contextually adapted and aligned with broader system change goals. The tool includes 12 processes that are outlined in picture 1 that can influence the three macro-processes. For example, one of the key processes is “shielding” niche innovations from dominant market forces, allowing them to grow in a protected environment until they are ready to challenge existing systems. (Matti 2024; Alvial Palavicino et al. 2021.)

This image outlines the "Transformative Outcomes" framework, divided into three macro-processes that lead to transformation: Building and Nurturing Niches, Expanding and Mainstreaming Niches, and Opening Up and Unlocking Regimes. Each macro-process is broken down into specific outcomes: 1. Shielding: Creating support for new innovations, including resources and safe spaces. 2. Learning: Facilitating learning opportunities that challenge existing values. 3. Networking: Encouraging new practices by connecting people and building systemic links. 4. Navigating Expectations: Inspiring shared visions and goals among diverse actors. 5. Upscaling: Helping new practices to be adopted more widely. 6. Replication: Transferring successful practices to different contexts. 7. Circulation: Strengthening the exchange of ideas and resources across systems. 8. Institutionalisation: Formalising new practices through rules, norms, and partnerships. 9. Destabilising: Disrupting unsustainable practices in existing systems. 10. Deep Learning: Supporting actors to question existing regimes and seek alternatives. 11. Niche-Regime Interactions: Strengthening the relationship between niche innovations and dominant regimes. 12. Changing Perceptions: Encouraging dominant actors to promote new visions for systemic change. Each outcome is accompanied by reflective questions that help guide users in achieving transformative system changes.
Picture 1. Transformative outcomes related to the three macro-processes leading to transformation (Alvial Palavicino et al. 2021; CC-BY-4.0).

Matti also introduced the ACTIONbook (Bianchi et al. 2024), which provides practical strategies for fostering collaboration across sectors and regions. It outlines methods for engaging local stakeholders and developing place-based strategies that can be scaled across different contexts. This resource complements the MOTION Handbook by focusing on the actionable steps intermediaries can take to build multi-level collaboration and achieve systemic impact.

At the event, we had the opportunity to apply these tools in an interactive session facilitated by peer-learning partners, including myself, from the network of coaches and elsewhere, which gave us insights into how place-based approaches can be used to adapt transition strategies to specific localities. This was particularly relevant for my work in the SERkut and KauKo projects, where context-specific challenges require tailored solutions that can be scaled across different sectors.

From an ecosystem orchestration perspective, Matti’s approach highlights the role of intermediaries in connecting diverse actors, such as businesses, local governments, and civil society, to foster systemic change. Intermediaries use the transformative outcomes framework and tools from the ACTIONbook to facilitate collaboration, ensuring that niche innovations are not only scaled but also integrated into the mainstream in a way that transforms existing regimes. By applying these tools, ecosystem orchestrators can guide projects toward achieving long-term, systemic impacts (Matti 2024; Alvial Palavicino et al. 2021; Bianchi et al. 2024).

Conclusion: Ecosystem Orchestration and the Role of Intermediaries in Transitions

Engagement Week 2024 demonstrated the critical connection between transition theories and practical tools that can be implemented in real-world contexts. The tools presented—such as Matti’s transformative outcomes tool—offer valuable insights for designing and executing sustainable transitions.

The role of intermediaries in scaling is particularly relevant. The event underscored that scaling is not just about expanding successful experiments but also about rethinking how systems can be transformed. Scaling must consider local contexts and address how niche innovations can destabilize and replace unsustainable regimes. This area requires further research, especially to understand how intermediaries can influence both the pace and direction of scaling efforts (Kivimaa et al. 2019).

Intermediaries are not only facilitators but also strategic enablers of sustainability transitions. By leveraging tools like those presented at Engagement Week 2024, intermediaries help ensure that the innovations driving systemic change can reach their full potential. As I continue my work on ecosystem orchestration in the SERkut and KauKo projects, the insights from the event will guide my efforts to foster collaboration, drive systemic change, and support the scaling of sustainable innovations.

References

URN http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2024110188423
author´s photo.
Mikael Seppälä
mikael.seppala(at)laurea.fi
Senior Specialist (innovation management and ecosystems)

business ecosystems management sustainability systems thinking

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