On form and function of intermediaries in greening innovation : a review of the literature and conceptual analysis

Abstract

Intermediaries are receiving increasing scholarly attention in sustainability-oriented research with a growing number of empirical contributions addressing who they are and what they do in order to facilitate the development and diffusion of sustainability innovation eco-innovations. They represent one potential source of knowledge about eco-innovations and can be potentially transformative in speeding up innovation adoption and diffusion. Nonetheless, their structural and functional roles in this domain remain largely unexplored. Through a review of the innovation management and sustainability-oriented literature, this article identifies three themes related to: (i) intermediation needs and relational aspects; (ii) capabilities for intermediation and (iii) impact that influence some aspect of intermediary function in the sustainability field. There is evidence of a diversity of intermediaries acting as facilitators of innovation activity; and a growing number taking up brokerage roles in making connections across actors in the sustainability transitions arena. The review shows that the role of capabilities in developing tailored measures to support adopters in different phases of innovation is a relevant aspect of intermediary function that requires further investigation. It suggests a need to identify suitable impact measures that account for the “soft” aspects of intermediation. The paper provides suggestions for future enquiry.