Work

Projecting for sustainability transitions: Contrasting two types of project-oriented agency

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: A core problem in sustainability transitions is to ensure that actors come together and work on a common goal. Earlier research has argued that developing project-oriented agency is essential to ensure transitions. By examining two contrasting cases, the Sustainable Transportation program and the Sustainable Hospital program, we identify two distinct types of project-oriented agency: (1) emergent, and (2) induced. The former showcases an inclusive approach emphasizing open collaboration and resource mobilization, flexible goals, whereas the latter encompasses prescribed resource mobilization , contractual objectives and deadlines. Beyond bottom-up vs top-down dichotomy, these project-orientend agency types highlight different shaping contexts and logics of how actors mobilize projects for change. Our analysis identifies the nuanced dimensions of project-oriented agency and, through what impetus, practices, and temporal structures do they shape transition outcomes. The paper enriches understanding of how targeted projects and programs can bridge experimental niches with mainstream regime transformation, enabling system-wide sustainability transitions.

Source: International Journal of Project Management

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijproman.2025.102721

Authors: Ermal Hetemi, Sofia Pemsel, Jonas Söderlund, Anna Jerbrant

Institutions: Linnaeus University, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Copenhagen Business School

Language: English

Topic: Sustainability and Climate Change Governance

Subfield: Global and Planetary Change

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,200

Funders: Svenska Handelsbankens Forskningsstiftelse, Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan