Interactions of efficiency, consistency, and sufficiency across levels assessing innovation tensions through the lens of paradox theory
- This chapter links recent theorizing in the economics and management domains about (partly paradoxical) tensions and trade-offs with studies focusing on the role of innovation and technology for global sustainability. In this regard, it integrates different literature relating to the environmental humanities in terms of efficiency, consistency, and sufficiency, as well as differing views on technology with paradox theory, which have emerged especially in the management field as a new approach addressing tensions and trade-offs. The analysis involves the so-called Impact-Population-Affluence-Technology (IPAT) equation and develops a multi-level perspective, in that it considers interactions between innovation, sustainability, and technology, as well as (potentially paradox) tensions between the macro-, the meso-, and the micro-levels. It furthermore discusses how these aspects integrate with relevant research agendas in the humanities and social sciences, with an emphasis on philosophyThis chapter links recent theorizing in the economics and management domains about (partly paradoxical) tensions and trade-offs with studies focusing on the role of innovation and technology for global sustainability. In this regard, it integrates different literature relating to the environmental humanities in terms of efficiency, consistency, and sufficiency, as well as differing views on technology with paradox theory, which have emerged especially in the management field as a new approach addressing tensions and trade-offs. The analysis involves the so-called Impact-Population-Affluence-Technology (IPAT) equation and develops a multi-level perspective, in that it considers interactions between innovation, sustainability, and technology, as well as (potentially paradox) tensions between the macro-, the meso-, and the micro-levels. It furthermore discusses how these aspects integrate with relevant research agendas in the humanities and social sciences, with an emphasis on philosophy of technology. Engaging with notions of tensions enables novel approaches that support comprehensive system transformations, which, due to historic path dependencies and inertia, are often difficult to realize. Additionally, a paradox lens is particularly suited to address power issues related to the fact that sustainable development implies (relative) gains and losses that challenge historically developed and reproduced power distributions and infrastructures.…
