What's underneath? Social skills throughout sustainability transitions

This paper focuses on the critical role of institutional entrepreneurs’ social skills in enabling transformative change as described by the Multi-Level Perspective. Understanding the role of social skills is crucial for developing a micro-foundational view of sustainability transitions. We develop an analytical framework using a multiple case study on Swiss cantonal planners who acted as institutional entrepreneurs during comparable sustainability transitions by introducing sustainable planning practices within their cantons. We find seven applied skills (i) empathic, (ii) analytical, (iii) translational, (iv) framing, (v) tactical, (vi) organizational, and (vii) timing. Four propositions discuss the role of these social skills across transition phases: from pre-development to take-off, from take-off to acceleration, and from acceleration to stabilization. We present conclusions and implications for future research on the micro-foundations of sustainability transitions.