Researching socio-cultural aspects of industrial symbiosis

摘要

Industrial symbiosis is a relationship between two or more social actors, involved in exchange of material resources, water or energy, where each actor follows its own benefits, while contributing to the benefits of other social actors and society in general. Its primary research field belongs to ecology, economy as well as sociology. Socio-cultural aspects, which belong to the field of sociology, are a very important factor in exchange as key activity in industrial symbiosis. These factors include inter-organizational trust, cooperation, motivation, flexibility and creativity. For the researcher, socio-cultural research involves many challenges and dilemmas due to the lack of specific methodologies enabling its research. In its current phase, the researcher can choose between qualitative and quantitative paradigm of research and available options of triangulation to study the socio-cultural aspects. According to general characteristics of these paradigms, research is possible in both, whereas triangulation is also a viable option. An overview of literature, presented in this article, shows that qualitative paradigm is more appropriate than the quantitative one. The key component of this article, however, is a graphic display of a potential research case and research environment, and research plan for studying socio-cultural aspects of industrial symbiosis in the future.