Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis investigates the case of the Cape Town Central City Provincial Government
Revitalisation Initiative (CCPGRI) as a means to further understanding of socio-technical
transitions. The departure point for this research is the recognition that the current economic
growth and development trajectory is unsustainable. Despite this, deeply institutionalised frames of
reference for decision-making reinforce and perpetuate the utilisation of (incumbent) sociotechnical systems which diminish finite resources and deteriorate eco-system services.
The theoretical notion of decoupling, however, offers an alternative economic development
paradigm. Decoupling has been identified, within this thesis, as the guiding framework through
which adaption strategies should be carried out. This was indentified through a comprehensive
literature review and an assessment of Cape Town's critical networked infrastructure. Networked
infrastructure conveys flows of resources across vast urban spaces, in a linear configuration, thus
conditioning resource flows and consumption. The case of Cape Town, however, illustrates that a
linear configuration of infrastructure is both financially and environmentally unsustainable.
Moreover, the case provides the empirical evidence for decoupling, reinforcing the argument for
the adoption of the notion as an alternative development paradigm.
Networked infrastructure has furthermore been identified as a socio-technical system, and
therefore is considered as the component requiring a system transition and the subsequent
intervention point for decoupling economic growth from resource consumption. From an
implementation perspective, socio-technical system transitions, achieved through innovation, are
the necessary component for realising sustainable urban development.
It is argued that innovation, necessary for socio-technical system transitions, should be the product
of sustainability-orientated innovation systems (SOIS's). SOIS's are implicitly linked to decoupling
through the shared goal of enabling greater sustainability. The Cape Town CCPGRI has been
extrapolated onto the multi-levelled perspective (MLP) model and is used to further understanding
about how socio-technical system transitions are achieved. Findings indicate that socio-technical
systems transitions are possible in urban areas that have multiple niche innovations developing
simultaneously. Of significance is the presence of an intermediary, who is able to facilitate and
manage the development of niche innovations emerging from SOIS's. It is therefore argued that
high quality networking is critical for achieving socio-technical transitions which emerge from
SOIS's. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis ondersoek die geval van die "Cape Town Central City Provincial Government
Revitalisation Initiative" (CCPGRI) as 'n manier om die begrip van sosio-tegniese oorgange te
bevorder. Die vertrek punt vir hierdie navorsing is die insig dat die huidige verloop van ekonomiese
groei en ontwikkeling onvolhoubaar is. Ten spyte hiervan versterk en verleng
geïnstitusionaliseerde verwysingsraamwerke vir besluitneming die gebruik van (opgelegde) sosiotegniese sisteme wat uitputbare bronne verminder en ekosisteem dienste laat agteruitgaan.
Die teoretiese idee van ontkoppeling bied nogtans 'n alternatiewe paradigma vir ekonomiese
ontwikkeling. Hierdie tesis identifiseer ontkoppeling as die rigtinggewende raamwerk waardeur
aanpassing strategië uitgevoer behoort te word. Dit is geïdentifiseer deur 'n omvattende
literatuurstudie en 'n beoordeling van Kaapstad se kritiese infrastruktuur netwerk. Netwerke van
infrastuktuur vervoer die vloei van bronne in 'n liniêre konfigurasie oor wye stedelike ruimtes en
kondisioneer daardeur die vloei en verbruik van bronne. Die geval van Kaapstad illustreer egter dat
'n liniêre konfigurasie van infrastruktuur beide finansieel en omgewingsverwant onvolhoubaar is.
Verder voorsien hierdie geval die empiriese bewyse vir ontkoppeling en versterk daardeur die
argument vir die aanvaarding van die idee as „n alternatiewe paradigma vir ontwikkeling.
Infrastruktuur netwerke is verder geïdentifiseer as 'n sosio-teniese sisteem en word daarom geag
as die komponent wat 'n sisteem oorgang vereis en die gevolglike punt van ingryping om
ekonomiese groei van bron verbruik te ontkoppel. Uit „n implemetering oogpunt is die oorgang van
sosio-tegniese sisteme, voltrek deur innovering, die noodsaaklike komponent om volhoubare
stedelike ontwikkeling te realiseer.
Daar word geredeneer dat innovering – noodsaaklik vir sosio-tegniese sisteem oorgang – die
produk behoort te wees van volhoubaar georiënteerde innovering sisteme. Hierdie sisteme is
implisiet verbind aan ontkoppeling deur die gedeelde doel om groter volhoubaarheid moontlik te
maak. Die Kaapstadse CCPGRI is op die meervlakkige perspektief model ge-ekstrapoleer en is
aangewend om begrip te bevorder van hoe sosio-tegniese sisteem oorgang bereik word.
Bevindings dui daarop dat sosio-tegniese sisteem oorgang moontlik is in stedelike gebiede waar
meervoudige niche innoverings gelyktydig ontwikkel. Die teenwoordigheid van 'n tussenganger,
wat die ontwikkeling van niche innoverings wat voortspruit uit die volhoubaar georiënteerde
innovering sisteme kan fasiliteer en bestuur, is belangrik. Daar word dus geredeneer dat hoë
kwaliteit netwerk daarstelling krities is vir die uitvoer van sosio-tegniese oorgange wat uit
volhoubaar georiënteerde innovering sisteme voortspruit.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/6464 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Hyman, Katherine |
| Contributors | Swilling, M., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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