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Circular Economy in the Triple Helix of Innovation Systems
- Source :
- Sustainability, Volume 10, Issue 8, Sustainability, Vol 10, Iss 8, p 2646 (2018)
- Publication Year :
- 2018
- Publisher :
- MDPI AG, 2018.
-
Abstract
- The Triple Helix concept of innovation systems holds that consensus space among industry, government and university is required to bring together their competences to achieve enhanced economic and social development on a systemic scale. In line with this argument, this article analyses empirically how the concept of circular economy is conceived in the institutional spheres of &ldquo<br />industry&rdquo<br />&ldquo<br />government&rdquo<br />and &ldquo<br />university&rdquo<br />Innovation systems are constantly being reconstructed through knowledge production and communication, which is reflected in how concepts develop in the different spheres. By applying natural language processing tools to key contributions from each of the three spheres (the &ldquo<br />Triple Helix&rdquo<br />), it is shown that, although institutional backgrounds do contribute to differing conceptualizations of circular economy, there is a substantial but limited conceptual consensus space, which, according to the Triple Helix, should open new opportunities for innovations. The consensus space shared across the three spheres focuses on materials and products and sees circular economy as a way to create new resources, businesses and products from waste. The industry sphere highlights business opportunities on global scale, which are also evident in the government sphere. The government sphere connects circular economy to waste-related innovation policies targeted at industrial renewal, economic growth, investments and jobs. The university sphere, in turn, focuses on production and environmental issues, waste and knowledge, and is rather distinct from the two other spheres. The importance of the differing conceptions of circular economy is based on the logic of Triple Helix systems. Accordingly, sufficient consensus between the Triple Helix spheres can advance the application of the concept of circular economy beyond the individual spheres to achieve systemic changes.
- Subjects :
- 020209 energy
Geography, Planning and Development
TJ807-830
industry-government-university interaction
02 engineering and technology
010501 environmental sciences
Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
Space (commercial competition)
TD194-195
topic modelling
01 natural sciences
Renewable energy sources
CHINA
TEXT
triple helix
Argument
0202 electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering
Production (economics)
GE1-350
INDUSTRY-GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
TOPIC MODELS
0105 earth and related environmental sciences
Government
Environmental effects of industries and plants
Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Scale (chemistry)
Circular economy
circular economy
POLICIES
SCIENCE
sustainability
innovation
Environmental sciences
8. Economic growth
Sustainability
511 Economics
Business
Economic system
Triple helix
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 20711050
- Volume :
- 10
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Sustainability
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....d928f1c1a5ad7007e756b78b36170968