Title: From environmental management to radical technological change: industry in sustainable development

Authors: Karel F. Mulder

Addresses: Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management, Department of Technology Dynamics and Sustainable Development, Delft University of Technology, Jaffalaan 5, NL2628RZ Delft, The Netherlands

Abstract: How can industrial technological change be stimulated to minimise the environmental burden? In this paper, it is argued that radical technological change is needed. First, concepts that can be used to analyse industrial technological change are described. Then an analysis of the driving forces behind two cases of radical technological change will be given; the revolutionary change in car tyre design in the 1970s and the development of potato starch packaging. The paper concludes that radical technological change should simultaneously be managed at various levels in society.

Keywords: technological change; innovation; transition; car tyres; potato starch packaging; environmental management; sustainable development; sustainability; automobile industry; tyre design.

DOI: 10.1504/IJETM.2007.015628

International Journal of Environmental Technology and Management, 2007 Vol.7 No.5/6, pp.513 - 526

Published online: 06 Nov 2007 *

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