Innovation Systems

Ulrich Wilke
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Ulrich Wilke: Reutlingen University, Dissertation University of Hohenheim, D100

Chapter 4 in Towards Sustainable Innovations, 2026, pp 45-58 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract The innovation system approach serves as a framework for analyzing the dynamic, interactive processes behind sustainable innovations. Wilke traces the approach’s roots to evolutionary economics and systems thinking, emphasizing knowledge creation, diffusion, and path dependencies as core drivers of technological and economic change. The chapter distinguishes between national, regional, sectoral, and technological innovation systems, highlighting their interdependencies and the need for adaptive governance to address systemic inefficiencies. For sustainability-oriented innovation systems, Wilke underscores the inclusion of additional actors (e.g., NGOs, consumer groups, civil society organizations) and normative dimensions (directionality, legitimacy, responsibility). The chapter concludes by stressing the pivotal role of higher education institutions as neutral knowledge hubs and long-term partners in sustainability networks.

Date: 2026
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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-032-31024-8_4

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