IST 2023 Best Paper Award

Winner:

Improving Discursive Approaches to Sustainability Transition Studies: Elaborating Discourse Network Analysis

By Kimberley Vandenhole, Kristijan Garic, Philip Leifeld

The paper applies discourse network analysis as a method for studying sustainability transition processes. It is well written, includes a state-of-the-art literature review, and provokes discussion on the application of mixed methods in transition studies. Its novel contribution is taking a dynamic perspective into discourse analysis.

Runners up:

The politics of directionality in transformative innovation policy through the lens of policy process frameworks

By Sabine E. de Graaff, Iris Wanzenböck, Koen Frenken

The paper addresses directionality as a political process in the context of a new generation of innovation policy. It has a well-written conceptual analysis and a novel contribution in attempting to conceptualise directionality more specifically.

Technology innovation systems and financial development: Measuring the financial maturity of technologies

By Anurag Gumber, Florian Egli, Bjarne Steffen

The paper connects technology development to the financial regime, which is a novel angle, and contributes to the literature on finance in transitions. The conceptual contribution is the financial maturity framework.