The impact of TIS on technological variety: The case of biomass digestion

Abstract

The technological innovation system (TIS) looks at the development and interaction of a technology with its embedded innovation system. Further, for successful technology development it is important to create technological variety. The combination of these theories is lacking in innovation literature, the aim of this study is therefore to empirically examine the influence of TIS on technological variety. Theorizing from evolutionary economics, TIS and social network analysis it is hypothesized that four concepts within these theories influence technological variety, i.e. subsidies, networks, actors and resources. These hypotheses are analyzed by assessing their influence on the technological variety of biomass digestion. This is done by fitting a multiple linear regression model to the biomass digestion projects that started during 2001-2013. In this model the technological variety of each project is measured and compared to the subsidy type, the place in the network, the number and diversity of actors and the resource diversity of the project. By performing this study it is demonstrated among others how TIS can be combined with actual technology development through the creation of technological variety. Furthermore, it is supported that research subsidies stimulate technological variety more than exploitation subsidies. Finally, the model can be used as a short subsidy evaluation tool in terms of creating technological variety.