Is ‘Digital Transition’ a Syntax Error? Purpose, Emergence and Directionality in a contemporary knowing-of-governance

Abstract: An important precondition for responsible innovation is the awareness of directionality: Dynamic innovation processes can take different turns, and they involve mixtures of more and less favorable consequences. The ongoing wave of digital innovations exemplifies how this directionality challenges societal actors to develop new strategic dispositions and so-called ‘knowings-of-governance’. Approaching innovation directionality from a…

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Théorie des transitions, théorie de l’inertie

This fifth edition (June 16th 2023) also featured a contribution from LAMARTRA/ULB. Transitions research clarifies well how digitalisation connects decarbonisation and labour-related transformations. It highlights the multiple kinds of innovations involved. As such it also underlines the potentials for ‘smart’ solutions to environmental challenges, and the scope for digital tools and digitally-supported collaboration. The presentation…

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The interplay between digitalisation and the green transition

Their presentation of the ‘Digital Reset’ report insightfully established how the ‘twin’ digital/green transition is a two-sided sword with multiple potentials as well as threats. As yet, this emerging transition is not developing in a fair, sustainable direction – it needs to be redirected, a reset is needed. This critical framing of the ‘twin’ transition…

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International Sustainability Transitions conference

Our presentation fitted well into an emerging stream in sustainability transitons research: Organizations & industries in transitions research. The presentation summarized conceptual-methodological-normative reflections of the first 1,5 years of our project. A key point is that LAMARTRA starts from a concept that is as catchy as it is misleading: The ‘dual’ transition usefully expresses the…

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On work and ‘democratization transition’

In her inaugural lecture for the Henri Janne chair at the Université Libre de Bruxelles, prof. Isabel Ferreras explained how the organisation of work is not only about work itself – it is the convergence point between a range of societal crises such as widespread mental exhaustion, ecological crisis, declining trust, and the resurgence of…

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