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Networks in global socio-technical regimes : Ownership interlocks in the petrochemical industry

Tilsted, Joachim Peter LU orcid and Bauer, Fredric LU orcid (2021) 12th International Sustainability Transitions Conference
Abstract
Internationalised networks constitute a central aspect of global socio-technical systems and the governing and organisation of global markets. Yet, their role in sustainability transitions has not received much attention in the transition studies literature. To inform and expand recent theorisation on the global nature of socio-technical regimes, this paper engages with role of global networks in upholding contemporary patterns of production and consumption. It does so in two ways. First, through reviewing how networks are conceptualised in the sustainability transitions as well as the global value chain and global production network literatures, we seek to illustrate how transition studies can gain from work that address power dynamics... (More)
Internationalised networks constitute a central aspect of global socio-technical systems and the governing and organisation of global markets. Yet, their role in sustainability transitions has not received much attention in the transition studies literature. To inform and expand recent theorisation on the global nature of socio-technical regimes, this paper engages with role of global networks in upholding contemporary patterns of production and consumption. It does so in two ways. First, through reviewing how networks are conceptualised in the sustainability transitions as well as the global value chain and global production network literatures, we seek to illustrate how transition studies can gain from work that address power dynamics and economic materiality in global corporate networks. Secondly, by analysing corporate ownership networks across lead firms in the global petrochemical sector and demonstrating how interlocks across value chains work to maintain the value of fossil capital, we illustrate the role of inter-sectoral global MNC networks and the configuration of these in maintaining and reproducing fossil fuel lock-in. The findings point to a need for taking such relations into account when pursuing parallel transitions across socio-technical systems including energy, chemicals, and plastics to break from fossil fuel dependency and accelerate decarbonisation efforts. (Less)
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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to conference
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Socio-Technical Systems, global regimes, petrochemicals, ownership neworks
conference name
12th International Sustainability Transitions Conference
conference location
Karlsruhe, Germany
conference dates
2021-10-05 - 2021-10-08
project
STEPS – Sustainable Plastics and Transition Pathways, Phase 2
Petrochemicals and Climate Change: Mapping Power Structures
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
0ad44f7d-e4a1-4a74-a753-8f5229e91cf4
date added to LUP
2021-10-14 16:12:32
date last changed
2021-11-02 02:19:41
@misc{0ad44f7d-e4a1-4a74-a753-8f5229e91cf4,
  abstract     = {{Internationalised networks constitute a central aspect of global socio-technical systems and the governing and organisation of global markets. Yet, their role in sustainability transitions has not received much attention in the transition studies literature. To inform and expand recent theorisation on the global nature of socio-technical regimes, this paper engages with role of global networks in upholding contemporary patterns of production and consumption. It does so in two ways. First, through reviewing how networks are conceptualised in the sustainability transitions as well as the global value chain and global production network literatures, we seek to illustrate how transition studies can gain from work that address power dynamics and economic materiality in global corporate networks. Secondly, by analysing corporate ownership networks across lead firms in the global petrochemical sector and demonstrating how interlocks across value chains work to maintain the value of fossil capital, we illustrate the role of inter-sectoral global MNC networks and the configuration of these in maintaining and reproducing fossil fuel lock-in. The findings point to a need for taking such relations into account when pursuing parallel transitions across socio-technical systems including energy, chemicals, and plastics to break from fossil fuel dependency and accelerate decarbonisation efforts.}},
  author       = {{Tilsted, Joachim Peter and Bauer, Fredric}},
  keywords     = {{Socio-Technical Systems; global regimes; petrochemicals; ownership neworks}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  title        = {{Networks in global socio-technical regimes : Ownership interlocks in the petrochemical industry}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}