Alternative technology niches and sustainable development

摘要

This paper contrasts two niche-based approaches to sustainable development, bothrnrecommended for greening technology systems. One is new, the other is old. In fact,rna gap of thirty years separates Strategic Niche Management (SNM) from the AlternativernTechnology movement (AT), yet both share a niche-based perspective on change.rnTheir core approach is to generate knowledge and disseminate lessons about sustainablerntechnological practices through innovative, bottom-up activities. The ambitionrnfor both is to seed a sustainable transformation of incumbent technological regimes.rnSNM proves to be more managerial in its approach; while AT conceptualises nichesrnas a much more grassroots activity. This reflects their different histories. Comparisonsrnbetween the two uncover some fundamental issues regarding alternative technologyrnniches and sustainable development.