Foundations for research on the dynamics of water innovation

21 December 2017

The Special Volume of the Journal of Cleaner Production, published on 10 January 2018, focuses on the dynamics of water innovation. Together with my  guest co-editors Carlos Montalvo (TNO), I argue that there is a striking absence of academic studies on the dynamics of water innovation.

Together with other contributors to the special volume, we capture the current understanding of the dynamics of water innovation, provide insights into how the water innovation process can be fostered and how research into the dynamics of water innovation can be framed. The Special Volume consists of 15 papers and an editorial.

Based on several decades of innovation research and drawing on three areas (management, strategy and policy), the guest editors provide a taxonomy of innovation studies that consists of four organising dimensions: type of innovation, stage of innovation, level of analysis and measurement. This taxonomy enables researchers to study the dynamics of water innovation from different combinations of conceptual and thematic angles, drawing on the field of innovation studies in a systematic fashion.

The taxonomy can be downloaded here.

This Special Volume provides relevant insights for AfriAlliance, based on analyses of efforts - in Africa and elsewhere - to fostering the water innovation process. These include incubators, accelerators and demonstration sites as well as new ways of strengthening those capabilities and competencies that are actually required and applied in water innovation projects.