How Do Ports Organise Innovation? Linking Port Governance, Ownership, and Living Labs
🤖 AI Summary
This study addresses the critical yet underexplored role of port governance in shaping the implementation and scalability of sustainability and digitalization initiatives through Living Labs. It proposes an innovative “Governance–Living Lab Alignment Framework” that systematically links port governance models with the four pillars of Living Labs—co-creation, real-world settings, iterative learning, and institutional embedding. Through a multi-level comparative case analysis of Aalborg Port’s energy community and Trelleborg Port’s green coordinator mechanism, complemented by institutional analysis and process tracing, the research reveals how distinct governance types influence innovation adoption and diffusion. Findings indicate that “landlord” governance leverages leases and tendering to institutionalize outcomes and enable cross-tenant replication, whereas “instrumental/public service” governance achieves strong internal benefits but faces constraints in external institutionalization. Success hinges on clearly defined roles, sustained stakeholder engagement, and alignment with policy decision windows.
Application Category
📝 Abstract
Ports are pivotal to decarbonisation and resilience, yet port studies rarely examine how ownership and decision rights shape the process and outcomes of sustainability and digital pilots. Living Lab (LL) scholarship offers strong concepts, but limited sector-grounded explanation of LL-governance fit in ports. We develop and apply a governance-LL fit framework linking port governance and ownership to four LL pillars: co-creation, real-life setting, iterative learning, and institutional embedding (multi-level decision-making). We apply the framework in a comparative case study of two analytically contrasting ports, anchored in port-defined priorities: an Energy Community pilot in Aalborg and a Green Coordinator function in Trelleborg. Using an LL macro-meso-micro lens, we distinguish the stable constellation of actors and mandates (macro), the governance of specific projects (meso), and the methods used to generate and test solutions (micro). Findings show that Landlord governance offers contract- and procurement-based landing zones (concessions/leases and tender clauses) that can codify LL outputs and support scaling across tenants and infrastructures. Tool/Public Service governance embeds learning mainly through SOPs, procurement specifications, and municipal coordination, enabling internal operational gains but limiting external codification without bespoke agreements. Across both ports, key needs are clear role definition, sustained stakeholder engagement, and timely alignment with decision windows. Overall, LL effectiveness is governance-contingent, reflecting where decision rights sit and which instruments embed learning into routine practice.
Problem
Research questions and friction points this paper is trying to address.
port governance
ownership
Living Labs
sustainability pilots
decision rights
Innovation
Methods, ideas, or system contributions that make the work stand out.
governance-LL fit framework
port governance
Living Lab
institutional embedding
sustainability pilots
🔎 Similar Papers
No similar papers found.
