Bioplastics emergence: A technological niches study

Abstract

Innovation oriented towards a sustainable economy has not yet achieved the desired effects. Given this concern, within social sciences, the Multilevel Perspective (MLP) studies upon the challenges that disruptive innovations face in transforming consolidated markets. Despite its global approach, the model has been criticized for its insufficient conceptual articulation at the micro dimension. In response to this criticism, the objective of this paper is to identify the first technological niches of bioplastics in order to study the alliances between agents who intended to penetrate the market, as well as the contextual elements that facilitated them. Through bibliographic and patent research, pioneer inventors, companies, brands, applications, and those external circumstances that either hindered or facilitated the development of niches were identified. New applications are pointed out. Findings revealed ex-postfeedback between niches of different societal functions, which led to propose the concept technological latency between niches.