Sustainable innovation processes in the asphalt paving sector: A system innovation approach

The asphalt paving sector is committed to achieving sustainability targets and the adoption of innovations, such as alternative materials and more efficient production and construction processes, offer a way forward. Despite the progresses already made, widespread implementation of such innovations is lagging, mainly due to social and institutional aspects of the transformation such as policies and regulations, cultural values and norms, lack of awareness and knowledge. This study employs a system innovation approach to determine which key elements shape sustainability innovation processes in the asphalt paving sector. To identify elements, we critically compare empirical patterns that were identified using the Dutch asphalt sector as case study with theoretical patterns that resulted from a literature review on drivers and barriers to sustainability and innovation. We conclude that the system innovation process is determined by a set of fifteen elements including institutional rules, inter and intra-organizational dynamics, and actors' roles. This set of elements can be used to build the structure of the system and explore its dynamics and enable the sector to reach more efficient innovation processes.