Our latest publications

• Innset, Ola (2026). Et optimalt økonomisk system. Trygve Haavelmo i de norske systemdebattene. Arr - Idéhistorisk tidsskrift. ISSN 0802-7005. Full text in Research Archive
• Mäkitie, Tuukka; Andersen, Allan Dahl & Veldhuizen, Gwendolyn Caroline (2026). Processes of multi-system co-evolution: Insights from carbon capture and storage in Norway. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions. ISSN 2210-4224. 62. doi: 10.1016/j.eist.2026.101203. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Net-zero solutions such as carbon capture and storage (CCS) require the creation of whole new clusters of innovations rather than “merely” a transition in existing systems or the diffusion of single technologies. While prior work highlights negative cross-system interdependencies (e.g., chicken and egg problems), this paper presents a theorization and an empirical study of the processes of multi-system co-evolution that contribute to the formation and development of multi-system complexes. To do this, a framework that integrates the concepts of a meta-rule, structural couplings (institutional, technological, organizational) and complementarity formation mechanisms — synchronization, amplification, and integration — is developed. The framework is illustrated through a qualitative case study of two Norwegian carbon capture and storage projects, Mongstad (2006–2013) and Longship (2016–), drawing on a broad range of media and documentary sources, including policy documents and funding agreements, and 20 interviews. The analysis shows how, in Longship, actors have sought to realize CCS by, for example, (i) fostering coordination and simultaneous co-development between CCS systems via contracts and standards, (ii) enabling CCS systems to expand and diffuse via a scalable ship-to-terminal transport design; and (iii) creating robustness in CCS multi-system complex by involving multiple actors, user sectors and business cases. This differed from Mongstad, where actors failed to prioritize the management of CCS system couplings and related uncertainties. The paper proposes how the processes of multi-system co-evolution can be conceptualized, and explores how actors may seek to deal with the issue of system interdependencies in sustainability transitions.

• Thune, Taran Mari & Mäkitie, Tuukka (2026). Captains of Industry? Value Chain Relations and Sustainability Reorientation of Firms. In Steen, Markus; Thune, Taran Mari; Hansen, Teis; Mäkitie, Tuukka & Frenken, Koen (Ed.), Sustainability Transitions and Industrial Transformation: Multi-Sector Dynamics and Policy Perspectives. Palgrave Macmillan. ISSN 9789819548934. p. 247–271. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Attention to industry structures and value chain relations is a useful complement to the literature on incumbent firm behaviour in sustainability transitions. In this chapter, we are interested in understanding mimetic behaviour between lead and follower firms and explore whether positions and relationships in value chains may influence how and when firms engage in sustainability reorientation. We study this issue through a detailed case study of two large incumbent firms in the Norwegian oil and gas value chain. Through an event-based analysis covering developments over a 15-year period, we outline how the two firms over time developed sustainability strategies and initiatives. The chapter discusses how the relationship between the two firms have influenced sustainability reorientation in different ways and finally, discusses the value of looking at value chains and inter-firm relationships when investigating the role of firms and industries in sustainability transitions.

• Bauer, Susanne (2026). ‘Children Got Slightly Smarter with Fish for Lunch’: The WPPSI Test, Randomized Trials, and Optimized Kindergartens. In Caspersen, Håkon Aamot & Kyllingstad, Jon Røyne (Ed.), Historicizing IQ Testing: Intelligence Assessments and their Role in Norwegian Society from the 1900s to the Present. Open Book Publishers. ISSN 9781805116202. p. 243–268. doi: 10.11647/obp.0471.08. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This chapter follows the travels of IQ testing to unexpected terrain and describes how a nutrition study in kindergartens used Wechsler tests in the 2010s. Researchers administered the WPPSI test to examine children’s cognitive capacities as part of a randomized intervention trial in Bergen. This chapter zooms in on the material micro-practices in this fish meal intervention to understand the role of IQ testing in the post-welfare state. Policymakers and industry have promoted the aquaculture industries not only as beneficial for health, but also as a resource poised to constitute Norway’s post-fossil bioeconomy. For the multidisciplinary intervention trial, researchers chose Wechsler tests as validated devices, readily available in Norwegian translation, to compare cognitive performance after the fish meal intervention. With increasingly routinized datafication and evidence-based governance, institutions like kindergartens are enrolled into largely unchallenged regimes of evaluation and optimization. Researchers use such plug-in modules as data-generating instruments in scientific studies, which has contributed to the persistence of the Wechsler tests.

• Engkvist, Elin Helena Wyller & Lykke, Karen Victoria (2026). Curiosity and controversy: The emerging field of regenerative agriculture in Norway. Environment and Planning E: Nature and Space. ISSN 2514-8486. doi: 10.1177/25148486261478093. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This article explores the knowledge controversies within regenerative agriculture in Norway, and how farmers navigate this emerging field based on interviews and participant observations throughout four growing seasons. We employ Thomas Kuhn's classic concept of paradigm shifts and Thomas Gieryn's cultural boundaries of science to analyse the agronomic foundations farmers challenge, the scientific fields they combine, and the social barriers they bridge. Regenerative farmers encountered what we coin the microbial anomaly: knowledge about microbes and natural processes that do not fit within the current agronomic paradigm. It triggered a search for knowledge beyond what is usually included in agricultural science and led farmers to apply knowledge that is accepted within the scientific community but has failed to reach them, and to adopt practices that traditional experts deem unscientific but that experience shows can be useful. Farmers called for interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research that goes beyond the established cultural boundaries of contemporary agronomy, which has shown to limit both knowledge and future imaginaries that are fundamental to agricultural transformation. The emerging paradigm shift provides novel opportunities for farmer-led research that combines science with local knowledge, and can have significant scientific, political and societal implications. However, the structural support for an agronomy that foregrounds microbially mediated plant nutrition and health, and the potential futures it enables, remains marginal. Whether a large-scale agronomic paradigm shift is underway, or whether the microbial anomaly is successfully assimilated into the status quo depends not only on scientific and agronomic credibility contests. They depend on which, and whose, visions of the future are invested in. At stake are farmer livelihoods and autonomy over how to grow food, and whether agriculture shifts from driving environmental degeneration to its regeneration.

• Laboissiere, Anna-Katharina (2026). Moving plants and designing Earth otherwise with assisted migration. Geoforum. ISSN 0016-7185. 176. doi: 10.1016/j.geoforum.2026.104797. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This paper develops an analysis of assisted migration, a controversial proposal to move endangered species beyond their native range to follow current or projected climatic shifts, as a technology for ecosystem engineering and a discourse mobilising terraforming imaginaries. Terraforming serves as a metaphorical lens through which the manipulation of space and landscape via managed biomobilities can be foregrounded, and the rhetoric and experimental attempts of conservation biologists and ecologists engaged as sketches for multiple alternative natures and version of Earth yet to come. It shows how assisted migration develops in the context of simultaneously threatened and proliferating nonhuman migration and how, in response to the challenging weirding of anthropogenic ecologies, it has shifted from providing refugia to single threatened species to an ecosystem engineering technology. As a mobility- and landscape-modifying proposal, assisted migration projects are marked by baselining strategies that engage a variety of planetary pasts to legitimate future interventions, providing different visions of what a recreated, anthropogenic “Earth-likeness” might mean on a compromised planet. The paper identifies three contemporary and emerging modes of conjuring different Earths in assisted migration experiments: an eco-modernist reliance on the tools of industrial landscape management, an eco-spectral conjuring of past geological and climatic versions of the planet, and an eco-continuist mobilisation of past and discredited processes of Indigenous landscape modifications.

• Olsen, Elisabeth Fosseli (2026). Feeling good at the stock exchange: on impact as an affective valuation device. Journal of Cultural Economy. ISSN 1753-0350. doi: 10.1080/17530350.2026.2684635. Full text in Research Archive
• Fagerberg, Jan Ernst (2026). Economic development, environmental challenges & the interests of future generations: Nicholas Georgescu-Roegen's advice revisited. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions. ISSN 2210-4224. 59. doi: 10.1016/j.eist.2026.101103. Full text in Research Archive
• Geels, Frank W. & Andersen, Allan Dahl (2026). Cross-system cascades as drivers of the electrification pathway in net-zero transitions. Nature Sustainability. 9(4), p. 501–508. doi: 10.1038/s41893-025-01728-0.
• Knaus, Tanja & Bauer, Susanne (2026). From genome to voiceome: the quest for voice-based biomarker technologies in health research. BioSocieties. ISSN 1745-8552. doi: 10.1057/s41292-026-00394-5. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  With the advent of datafication and AI-mediated analytics, computer scientists and health researchers have begun to target voice data as potential biomarkers. This paper follows the technoscientific and speculative strategies for deploying voice data as biomarkers in health research. Contributing to infrastructure studies, biomedical science studies, and social studies of AI, we describe and analyze emergent knowledge infrastructures involved in translating and enacting the human voice into a set of biomarker variables. This includes start-ups pursuing standardization of voice samples as referential ‘ground truth’ datasets and developing AI techniques as products for clinical trials. Conceptually and strategically, developers of vocal biomarkers have coined the notion of the ‘voiceome’ to draw on omics infrastructures. They use those existing omics platforms as available templates for how to proceed to study voice features as markers of health and disease. Adding machine listening to digital phenotyping and precision medicine, vocal biomarker research may transform psychiatric practices in specific ways under certain erasures and anticipated value, building on infrastructures that are not (entirely) new, but rather complemented and afforded by automation and predictive screening.

• Edler, Jakob; Gulbrandsen, Magnus; Molas-Gallart, Jordi & Tellmann, Silje Maria (2026). Introduction: the role of science for policy—new requirements, new challenges. Science and Public Policy. ISSN 0302-3427. 53(3), p. 432–435. doi: 10.1093/scipol/scag031. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This Special Section of Science and Public Policy brings fresh perspectives on the impact of science on policy. This has long been a subject of scholarly interest, which has generated a substantial body of literature analysing the processes and conditions under which scientific knowledge can exert different types of influence on policymaking processes. Issues addressed include the barriers to the uptake of scientific evidence and the types of institutional arrangements that facilitate interactions between researchers and the non-academic beneficiaries of their work in general. There is also a broad literature on the interaction of science with policy makers more specifically as part of broader studies of science-society relations, public policy, and social studies of science.

• Asdal, Kristin (2026). Democracy as a Social Epistemology of Grounding: Document-Things, Little Tools of Democracy, and an Exploration into Their Modes of Grounding. Social Epistemology. ISSN 0269-1728. doi: 10.1080/02691728.2025.2595702. Full text in Research Archive
• Tellmann, Silje Maria; Gulbrandsen, Magnus & Høiland, Gry Cecilie Lunder (2026). Finding the right research: articulating and implementing demands for research-based policy advice. Science and Public Policy. ISSN 0302-3427. 53(3), p. 478–488. doi: 10.1093/scipol/scag035. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This study examines the dynamics of research-based policy advice in two Norwegian policy fields: work inclusion and minority integration. By adopting the perspective of policymakers, we show that seeking research-based advice entails navigating a complex advisory subsystem that includes universities, research institutes, consultancies, and internal research and development (R&D) units. We find that policymakers typically prioritize the relevance and quality of advice over the location or academic credentials of advisory actors. This has led to an increasing reliance on contract research, which provides greater control over outputs but may obscure important differences among providers. Furthermore, we emphasize that the search for relevant research is an active, collaborative process requiring significant capacity from policymakers. We conclude that analyses of research-based policy advice should extend beyond academia and advocate for more structured dialogues between advisory actors and policymakers to foster a shared understanding of research needs to enhance the legitimacy of the overall process.

• Thune, Taran Mari; Reymert, Ingvild; Gulbrandsen, Magnus & Tellmann, Silje Maria (2026). Research use in policy organizations: a qualitative comparative analysis of Norwegian ministries. Science and Public Policy. ISSN 0302-3427. 53(3), p. 418–431. doi: 10.1093/scipol/scag030. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Why do some ministries use research more intensively than others and what organizational capacities are associated with frequent use of science in policymaking? We explore this question through a qualitative comparative analysis of 14 Norwegian ministries. Using a mixed-methods data set, our analysis draws on a large-scale survey of government employees, budget and strategy documents, and interviews with policymakers. Our findings show that analytical capacity in policy organizations influence research use, and in particular a dimension of capacity we call organizational commitment. We identify three distinct combinations of capacities associated with high degree of research use in policy, and we discuss possible explanations for the variation between ministries. Our results underscore the need for future scientific work, as well as policies to improve research-policy interaction, and that these need to pay stronger attention to demand side conditions.

• Edler, Jakob; Karaulova, Maria; Simensen, Erlend Osland & Thune, Taran Mari (2026). How do institutional conditions influence research use by policy makers? Evidence & Policy. ISSN 1744-2648. 22(2), p. 270–300. doi: 10.1332/17442648Y2025D000000070. Full text in Research Archive
• Hanson, Jens & Mäkitie, Tuukka (2026). The Sectoral Configurations of the Hydrogen Innovation System in Norway. In Steen, Markus; Thune, Taran Mari; Hansen, Teis; Mäkitie, Tuukka & Frenken, Koen (Ed.), Sustainability Transitions and Industrial Transformation: Multi-Sector Dynamics and Policy Perspectives. Palgrave Macmillan. ISSN 9789819548934. p. 69–94. doi: 10.1007/978-981-95-4893-4_3. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Based on a case study, this chapter explores the hydrogen innovation system in Norway, and it’s sectoral configurations. We explore the sectoral configurations by looking at how enabling, production, and use sectors are starting to make up elements of a hydrogen value chain and influence innovation system dynamics. By analysing dynamics, such as knowledge development and experimentation, we see activities clustered around certain sectors. These include the maritime user sector and two main hydrogen supply sectors (green and blue hydrogen), each with different enabling sectors (renewable electricity and natural gas coupled with carbon capture and storage), albeit with a focus on green hydrogen so far. Green hydrogen depends on a particular sectoral configuration with strong interdependence with the enabling electricity sector, with potential upscaling restraints. Exploring the sectoral configuration may thus help identify segments and interdependencies where key processes are developing well or where strengthening is needed.

• Yang, Kejia; Tan, Hao & Shen, Wei (2026). Same goal, different paths: regional transformative innovation policies and coal phase-out (down) in China. Regional studies. ISSN 0034-3404. 60(1). doi: 10.1080/00343404.2026.2657871. Full text in Research Archive
• Arcila, Diana Morales & Ramos-Mejía, Mónica (2026). Prohibited Plants: Converging Sustainability Transitions and Local Development in ‘Left-Behind Places’. Sustainable Development. ISSN 0968-0802. doi: 10.1002/sd.71073. Full text in Research Archive
• Steen, Markus; Frenken, Koen; Hansen, Teis; Mäkitie, Tuukka & Thune, Taran Mari (2026). Introduction: Why This Book and Its Contributions. In Steen, Markus; Thune, Taran Mari; Hansen, Teis; Mäkitie, Tuukka & Frenken, Koen (Ed.), Sustainability Transitions and Industrial Transformation: Multi-Sector Dynamics and Policy Perspectives. Palgrave Macmillan. ISSN 9789819548934. p. 1–38. doi: 10.1007/978-981-95-4893-4_1. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This introductory chapter outlines the motivation, conceptual foundation, and contributions of the edited book “Sustainability Transitions and Industrial Transformation: Multi-Sector Dynamics and Policy Perspectives”. The book addresses the urgent need for systemic change in response to climate and environmental crises, acknowledging the importance of better understanding industrial transformation and inter-sectoral dynamics in addressing these challenges. It explores these topics through the lenses of multi-system dynamics, the role of firms and industries, and policy. The chapter reviews existing literature on these perspectives and summarizes the key contributions of the book, which include both empirical and conceptual studies. Ultimately, the chapter positions the edited volume as a timely and interdisciplinary contribution to advancing knowledge on the processes of sustainability transitions and how they can be fostered.

• Hansen, Teis; Frenken, Koen; Mäkitie, Tuukka; Steen, Markus & Thune, Taran Mari (2026). Multi-System Dynamics, Industrial Transformation, and Transition Policy: Future Research Priorities. In Steen, Markus; Thune, Taran Mari; Hansen, Teis; Mäkitie, Tuukka & Frenken, Koen (Ed.), Sustainability Transitions and Industrial Transformation: Multi-Sector Dynamics and Policy Perspectives. Palgrave Macmillan. ISSN 9789819548934. p. 473–493. doi: 10.1007/978-981-95-4893-4_17. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This concluding chapter identifies future research priorities for the study of inter-sectoral dynamics and industrial transformation in sustainability transitions, focusing on multi-system dynamics, industrial transformation, policy, and digitalization. Drawing on insights from the chapters of the edited volume “ Sustainability Transitions and Industrial Transformation: Multi-Sector Dynamics and Policy Perspectives” , it reviews the book’s key conceptual, empirical, and methodological advancements. The chapter calls for, among other topics, more geographically diverse and empirically grounded studies, further theoretical and methodological development of sustainability transition studies especially in terms of multi-system dynamics, and better understanding of the interconnections between socio-technical systems, firms, and policy in sustainability transitions. Finally, it advocates interdisciplinary collaboration and reflexivity in sustainability transitions research to address geopolitical shifts, technological sovereignty, and justice concerns, positioning the field for more inclusive and transformative impact.

• Mäkitie, Tuukka; Andersen, Allan Dahl & Steen, Markus (2026). The Multi-Sectoral Interactions of Electrification in Norwegian Coastal Shipping. In Steen, Markus; Thune, Taran Mari; Hansen, Teis; Mäkitie, Tuukka & Frenken, Koen (Ed.), Sustainability Transitions and Industrial Transformation: Multi-Sector Dynamics and Policy Perspectives. Palgrave Macmillan. ISSN 9789819548934. p. 121–146. doi: 10.1007/978-981-95-4893-4_5. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Existing literature has seldom sought to achieve a holistic perspective of the different inter-industrial dynamics associated with sustainability transitions. This book chapter provides the first empirical application of ‘Multi-sectoral perspective’—a recently proposed framework to conceptualize such dynamics—to a case study: electrification of Norwegian coastal shipping. We ask: how have multi-sectoral interactions affected the electrification of Norwegian maritime sector? Our analysis shows that the framework is useful in providing an overarching and systematized analytical perspective to understand the implications of a diverse set of multi-sectoral interactions for transitions. It enables the basic typology for differentiating between different types of multi-sectoral interactions, namely “horizontal” throughput interactions, “vertical” technology component interactions, and “adjacent” interactions with other value chains. Multi-sectoral perspective thus provides a heuristic that helps analysts and practitioners to analyse and make sense of the multi-sectoral complexities of real-world transition processes.

• Freitas, Isabel Maria Bodas; Castellacci, Fulvio; Lee, Keun & Staessens, Matthias (2026). Trade openness, global value chain integration and firms’ adoption of environment-friendly strategies. World Development. ISSN 0305-750X. 205. doi: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2026.107430. Full text in Research Archive
• Svenberg, Sebastian (2026). Failure of crisis imagination? Temporal worldmaking, tracking error, and non-queer futures at Norges Bank Investment Management. Futures: The journal of policy, planning and futures studies. ISSN 0016-3287. 178. doi: 10.1016/j.futures.2026.103788. Full text in Research Archive
• Finstad, Jørgen & Andersen, Allan Dahl (2026). How do multi-purpose technological innovation systems expand? Insights from carbon capture technology. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions. ISSN 2210-4224. 60. doi: 10.1016/j.eist.2026.101120. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Multi-purpose technologies that interconnect and shape multiple sector transitions are central to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by mid-century. Yet we know little about how such technologies expand into new user sectors. This paper develops a framework for examining multi-purpose technological innovation system (TIS) expansion by extending the TIS value-chain approach. We conceptualize markets as cross-sectoral interfaces consisting of structural couplings—institutional, organizational, and technological—and theorize shifts in user sectors as the stepwise creation and stabilization of these interfaces. We apply the framework to a case study of the Norwegian carbon capture (CC) TIS, focusing on the shift from earlier applications toward new “hard-to-abate” sectors. We find that expansion began by reframing CC as a key solution for industrial decarbonization and by the emergence of shared cross-sector directionality that legitimized collaboration with new sectors. This enabled coupling work to proceed through government-backed projects, shared piloting and knowledge development tailored to new user constraints, and the rise of interface actors that reduced coordination and competence burdens. Through these coupling processes, both the CC-TIS and the new user sectors underwent structural change and became more aligned, mobilizing legitimacy, knowledge, capital, and early demand. The paper contributes a framework that links multi-purpose TIS growth to market formation as cross-sector interface building, refining understandings of market formation, institutional coherence, and life-cycle dynamics under heterogeneous demand.

• Laboissiere, Anna-Katharina (2026). Prehistoric Routes and Oracular Invasives: Assisted Migration as a Revival and Divination Technology. Configurations. ISSN 1063-1801. 34(1), p. 73–73. doi: 10.1353/con.2026.a981316. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  ABSTRACT: This article brings into conversation the question of species revival and projects of assisted migration. It engages the question of assisted migration—the translocation of species threatened by climate change to ranges outside of their natural distribution—as a surprising or overlooked technology for species revival, more specifically the revival and creation of migratory routes and movements rather than individual bodies. Its central argument is that de-extinction is a project that comes to bear not only on cells and bodies but also on the circulatory, geographic, and cultural aspects of a given species. The article closes on a speculative perspective, imagining invasive, migrating species as oracular in order to enrich the imaginary of species revival.

• Strøm-Andersen, Nhat; Szulecka, Julia; Bugge, Markus & Forsberg, Ellen-Marie (2026). Navigating sustainability paradoxes: Unveiling the dynamics of transformative change in the food industry. Research Policy. ISSN 0048-7333. 55(2). doi: 10.1016/j.respol.2025.105407. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The sustainability transitions literature suggests that individual firms struggle to move toward sustainability unless the broader socio-economic system also evolves. Despite firms' willingness to change, existing systemic challenges often impede their progress. This paper employs paradox theory to address this struggle and examines how firms balance economic and societal concerns in their transition from business thinking to sustainability thinking. Based on a qualitative case study of the food industry's collaboration initiatives on food waste reduction and prevention in Norway, the study identifies the systemic challenges and sustainability paradoxes that the industry faces. We find that the firms' efforts to reduce food waste collide with established food industry agreements, standards, business strategies, regulations, and agricultural policies, impeding a systemic and structural transformation of the industry. The paper discusses how the food industry may navigate these challenges collectively and draws implications for the sustainability transitions literature. Primarily, the conclusions signal a need for governance and incentive structures at the system level beyond the action space of individual firms, and secondarily, illustrate how such governance approaches to sustainability transitions are sector-specific and geographically embedded.

• Nordholm, Amber Joy; Finstad, Jørgen & Andersen, Allan Dahl (2026). ‘Lumpy’ technological innovation systems and net-zero transitions: The impact of technology characteristics on the carbon capture innovation system in Norway. Technological Forecasting and Social Change. ISSN 0040-1625. 223. doi: 10.1016/j.techfore.2025.124436. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  While past research indicates that technology characteristics matter for deployment and policymaking, especially for lumpy technologies, these insights have not yet been integrated with more comprehensive understandings of socio-technical diffusion. This is problematic because some net-zero decarbonization challenges require lumpy technologies (e.g., cement). To address this knowledge gap, we articulate a ‘lumpy’ technological innovation systems (TIS) approach by merging literatures on technology characteristics and TIS, deriving three important technology characteristics dimensions for analyzing lumpy technology diffusion: size, complexity, and level of customization. We then test the usefulness of this framework by analyzing the case of carbon capture (CC) innovation for decarbonization of process industrial plants in Norway. These types of CC units, with their large size, high complexity, and high customization requirements, have been notoriously difficult to deploy despite technological maturity. From our analysis, we demonstrate the usefulness of our framework through an empirical case of lumpy technology characteristics directly impacting TIS structures and functions. Theoretically, our findings demonstrate the usefulness of treating the material dimensions of technology as a TIS structure and draw attention to the seldom used materialization function's importance for diffusion of lumpy technologies. Our findings reveal an iterative process by technology developers to alter the characteristics of CC technology, challenging past notions of technology-inherent characteristics. Moreover, our findings confirm the importance of considering technology characteristics in policymaking for net-zero transitions and we contribute a novel approach for policymakers to assess the characteristics of focal technology and why they matter for diffusion.

• Brunet, Lucas; Fochler, Maximilian; Müller, Ruth & Sigl, Lisa (2025). Modes of Relevance in Research: Towards Understanding the Promises and Possibilities of Doing Relevance. Minerva. ISSN 0026-4695. 63(2), p. 183–203. doi: 10.1007/s11024-025-09585-z. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  In response to growing social, ecological and health-related challenges, scientists are increasingly expected to demonstrate the societal relevance of their work. This special issue critically examines the concept of “relevance” in scientific research, exploring how it is defined, enacted and contested across disciplines, institutions and collaborations. We propose a practice-oriented conceptualization of “doing relevance”, understanding it not as an inherent property of knowledge, but as a situated achievement shaped by various practices. To this end, we introduce four distinct modes of relevance: 1) relevance as reorienting research topics and disciplines; 2) relevance as engaging societal actors in user-driven research; 3) relevance as reshaping interactions between science and policy; and 4) relevance as transforming academic institutions. The contributions to this issue analyze how these four modes are enacted through the practices of diverse actors, demonstrating that relevance is not a static or self-evident concept, but is continually redefined in situated and context-specific engagements. Together, the articles illustrate how researchers navigate diverse expectations and institutional demands, leading them to enact relevance through concrete practices instead of following pre-determined criteria. We conclude by calling for future research that further explores how relevance is continually reconfigured in response to specific challenges, and how these reconfigurations enable and constrain science’s capacity to address pressing societal needs.

• Arnold, Nadine & Soppe, Birthe (2025). Heating Up, Cooling Down: The Moralisation of Markets through Devices and Their Unintended Consequences. The International Journal of Sociology of Agriculture and Food (IJSAF). ISSN 0798-1759. 31(1), p. 123–142. doi: 10.48416/g8z56s69. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Social movements play a critical role in politicising food systems, often contesting and moralising markets to advance their social change agenda. To induce moralisation processes, social movements frequently deploy market devices. Examining the case of the creation and development of the Swiss fair trade flower market over time (1990–2005), we investigate how several market devices are being used in moralising a market, including the intended and unintended consequences of this process. Our findings reveal how the sequencing of devices—the gradual build-up of various devices upon one another—enabled the market-pioneering movement to first ‘heat up’ moral concerns and raise awareness, and later ‘cool down’ these concerns by specifying accountabilities and obligations to scale the market. However, the sequencing of devices resulted in a moralised market concentrated on a powerful device—a certification standard for plantations—which in turn triggered tensions within the fair trade movement. The market pioneers became marginalised, and the initial fair trade idea—supporting smallholders—became fundamentally renegotiated at international level. These findings advance our understanding of the mainstreaming process of fair trade, explain how fair trade has come to encompass its first non-food product (i.e., flowers) and planation production, and contribute to research on movement-induced markets by highlighting the unintended consequences and intra-movement conflicts of building moralised markets through devising.

• Oxley, Kristin Synnøve (2025). Partial and particularistic: grant peer review panels evaluating interdisciplinarity. Research Evaluation. ISSN 0958-2029. 34. doi: 10.1093/reseval/rvaf037. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  There are indications that the degree of interdisciplinarity in grant proposals correlates negatively with funding success. However, insight into how this competitive disadvantage is produced is limited. This study provides an exploratory analysis of the challenges interdisciplinary research proposals face in review processes, building on extensive observations of grant review panels and interviews with panellists in a wide variety of funding organizations. Results suggest that individual assessments are partial, with a tendency towards cognitive particularism. The organizational framework and panel interaction potentially perpetuate and even reinforce these individual tendencies. The implications of these findings for review process design and their potential to explain the contrasting results in extant research on cognitive particularism are examined.

• Falkenberg, Ruth; Sigl, Lisa & Fochler, Maximilian (2025). Orientation work: caring for the relevance of research to social-environmental problems. Science as Culture. ISSN 0950-5431. 34(4), p. 548–571. doi: 10.1080/09505431.2025.2531747. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Relevant research in a longer-term perspective is not result of a one-point intervention and re-direction of research to address social-environmental problems. Rather, for a research field to stay relevant to social-environmental issues, researchers and their communities need to continually engage in what we conceptualise as orientation work. Contrary to the notion of an invisible hand governing science in self-organised ways, the notion of orientation work offers a novel conceptual perspective on changes in research direction in the sense of caring for relevance, defined as open-ended, responsive, and collective process. Orientation work requires certain conditions of possibility and attention to value-based questions. The case of soil carbon research illustrates how orientation work can prevent research fields from getting stuck on paths that have (partly) lost their relevance. Slowly emerging in the 2000s, promises that carbon sequestration in soils could make substantial contributions to mitigate the climate crisis have generated much attention and, consequently, research funding and institutional support. Particularly with regard to responding to the climate crisis however, researchers have started to question the strong prioritisation of studying soil carbon within their research field, calling for reflections on its social-environmental relevance. Debates within soil carbon research provide evidence how orientation work on the level of research communities (besides other levels of research governance) can play an important role in addressing social-environmental problems.

• Oxley, Kristin Synnøve (2025). Meetings that matter: the dual benefits of panel peer review. Research Evaluation. ISSN 0958-2029. 34. doi: 10.1093/reseval/rvaf047. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Grant peer review panels constitute a central mechanism for distributing competitive research funding, yet how such panels add value to assessments remains understudied. This exploratory analysis demonstrates that panel review can add value by increasing the extent of systematic over heuristic information processing, potentially resulting in different review outcomes than that which aggregation of individual reviews produces. On the one hand, the prospect of panel discussion can influence individual application processing, as panellists, motivated by reputational concerns, carry out more systematic individual reviews. On the other hand, panel discussion can pool and quality check panellists’ assessments, contributing further to systematic information processing. However, the extent of these benefits depends on the characteristics of the review task. The implications of these findings for review process design are examined.

• Yang, Kejia & Feng, Kaidong (2025). The changing role of the state: two governance models of China's low-carbon energy transitions. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions. ISSN 2210-4224. 58. doi: 10.1016/j.eist.2025.101057. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The paper examines the changing role of the state in sustainability transitions by exploring how governance structures co-evolve with different transition pathways. Using the case of China’s green energy transitions, we compare two distinct governance structures that have emerged in two Chinese provinces. The analysis challenges the dominant narrative that China’s transitions are exclusively state-led, demonstrating that divergent governance structures can emerge at the subnational level. Specifically, we identify two models: one that adheres to a centralised power system, referred to as the developmental state model; the other departs from the existing model by building more distributed energy systems driven by a wide range of actors, referred to as ‘distributed governance structures’. While it remains uncertain whether these two models will complement or compete each other in the future, they represent two divergent transition pathways that could shape China’s future low-carbon development.

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• Morris, Lisa Dionne; Sivarasu, Sudesh; Busby-Earle, Curtis & Saidi, Trust (2026). Frugal Innovation: The Systematic Design of Resource-Intelligent Solutions. CRC Press. ISBN 9781041123590. doi: 10.1201/9781003664376. Full text in Research Archive
• Steen, Markus; Thune, Taran Mari; Hansen, Teis; Mäkitie, Tuukka & Frenken, Koen (2026). Sustainability Transitions and Industrial Transformation: Multi-Sector Dynamics and Policy Perspectives. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 9789819548934. 503 p. doi: 10.1007/978-981-95-4893-4. Full text in Research Archive

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• Tellmann, Silje Maria (2026). Hva er impact, og hva er forutsetninger for at forskningen skal få impact? Full text in Research Archive
• Tellmann, Silje Maria (2026). Essentials of impact. Full text in Research Archive
• Gulbrandsen, Magnus; Zapffe, Linn & Tellmann, Silje Maria (2026). Organising impact by health research funders: a project perspective. Full text in Research Archive
• Ingeborgrud, Lina & Hodal, Katarina Alfredsen (2026). Transformativ læring i klima- og miljøomstilling: Noen smakebiter fra framtidslaboratorier i Latvia, Polen, Norge og Danmark. doi: https:/www.fpol.no/transformativ-laering-i-klima-og-miljoomstilling-noen-smakebiter-fra-framtidslaboratorier-i-latvia-polen-norge-og-danmark/. Full text in Research Archive
• Ingeborgrud, Lina; Hodal, Katarina Alfredsen & Pluciński, Przemysław (2026). Urban Futures in Practice: Building on Methods of Anticipation, STS and Design. Full text in Research Archive
• Gancia, Gino; Mittal, Shivika; Nunno, Giulia Di; Castellacci, Fulvio & Beferull-Lozano, Baltasar (2026). SURE-AI@STAR Workshop on the Environmental Cost of AI. doi: https:/www.mn.uio.no/math/english/research/groups/risk-stochastics/events/seminars/SURE-AI@STARWorkshop-CostAI.html. Full text in Research Archive
• C., Castaldi,; Castellacci, Fulvio; Fronzetti, Colladon, A.; L., Segneri, & F., Venturini, (2026). [2607.18795] Measuring AI innovation with trademark data. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Abstract page for arXiv paper 2607.18795: Measuring AI innovation with trademark data

• C., Castaldi,; Castellacci, Fulvio; Fronzetti, Colladon, A.; L., Segneri, & F., Venturini, (2026). [2607.18795] Measuring AI innovation with trademark data. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Abstract page for arXiv paper 2607.18795: Measuring AI innovation with trademark data

• Castellacci, Fulvio (2026). From the firm- to the application-level: A new typology of AI use in organisations. Full text in Research Archive
• Emanuele, Bazzichi,; Castellacci, Fulvio & Massimo, Riccaboni, (2026). [2604.02189] Bridging Distant Ideas: the Impact of AI on R&D and Recombinant Innovation. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Abstract page for arXiv paper 2604.02189: Bridging Distant Ideas: the Impact of AI on R&D and Recombinant Innovation

• D'Ecclesiis, Enrico; Castellacci, Fulvio & Ahmadi, Arash (2026). Validating LLM-generated synthetic survey samples: A use-dependent multi-dimensional framework for social-science applications. Full text in Research Archive
• Castellacci, Fulvio & D'Ecclesiis, Enrico (2026). AI: Optimist or Skeptic? The Role of Trust in EU Institutions in Shaping Attitudes Toward AI. Full text in Research Archive
• Thune, Taran Mari & Normann, Håkon Endresen (2026). From policy complexity to ungovernability? Exploring limits of innovation policy for transformative change. Full text in Research Archive
• Thune, Taran Mari & Normann, Håkon Endresen (2026). Triumph of the tortoise? Bureaucratic policy work and capacities in troubling times. Full text in Research Archive
• Bugge, Markus & Normann, Håkon Endresen (2026). Er vi rigget for missions i Norge? Full text in Research Archive
• Bauer, Susanne (2026). Beyond Chornobyl: The Many Layers of Fallout in Arctic Borderlands. Full text in Research Archive
• Bauer, Susanne (2026). Data Cargo and Anthropogenic Ecologies in Kazakhstan’s Nuclear Aftermath. Full text in Research Archive
• Bauer, Susanne & Hanke, Christine (2026). Troubled ancestry in more-than-human ruins. Full text in Research Archive
• Bauer, Susanne (2026). Uranium Materialities: From Cold War Technomodernity to Nuclear De-and Recommissioning. Full text in Research Archive
• Nosar, Negar Safara & Andersen, Allan Dahl (2026). International Sustainability Transitions Conference (IST). Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Exploring the geography of multisystem transitions: the case of energy hub ports As sustainability transitions accelerate and broaden in scope, interactions between multiple sociotechnical systems become increasingly important (Sovacool et al., 2025). This has given rise to a growing body of work on multi-system interactions in transition studies, showing that systems interface with one another in novel and sometimes unexpected ways due to systems inherent differences, unleashing new change dynamics while also present conflicts, tensions, and bottlenecks (Andersen et al., 2023; Rosenbloom, 2019). Multi-system research has started to explore the development, growth, and destabilization of complexes of sociotechnical systems that are connected through resource exchanges and shared directionality manifested in meta-rules (e.g., Schot-Kanger, 2018; Andersen-Markard, 2026). Yet, limited attention has been paid to geographical dimensions of multisystem dynamics (Hunt et al., 2026; Andersen & Markard, 2026), particularly spatial conditions which play an important role in transitions including multisystem dynamics (Hanse & Coenen, 2015). We therefore start exploring the geography of multi-system dynamics by studying transitions where multiple sociotechnical systems are co-located and co-evolve. We ask: how do multi-system transitions unfold in spatially bounded sites, and how do they differ from multisystem transitions distributed across broader spatial scales? In doing so, we integrate the concept of innovation junctions – sites where heterogeneous technologies are co-located to support certain functionalities, giving rise to location-specific patterns of interaction and innovation (Van den Boogaard and Disco, 2001; De Wit et al., 2002; Van den Boogaard, 2010) -- with work on multi-system complexes. We use this concept to specify a spatially concentrated form of multi-system complex in which systems are co-located within a territorially bounded site (including a house, a port, an airport, or a city) and connected through location-specific patterns of interaction, coordination, and exchange. Taking this perspective, multisystems transition can be analysed at the level of the territorially bounded site, where reconfiguration occurs across multiple interacting systems rather than within one system alone. In the second step, we integrate multi-system scholarship with proximity theory (Boschma, 2005; Coenen & Raven, 2010; Lopolito et al., 2022) to understand how transition processes in such sites are shaped by spatial proximity. While multi-system research explains why coupling between systems is often difficult due to differences in actor configurations, institutions, and knowledge bases, proximity theory provides a vocabulary for conceptualizing these differences as low social-organizational, institutional, and cognitive proximity, and for examining how spatial co-location may influence such distances and thereby shape multi-system coupling processes in transitions. In the third step, we outline an analytical framework for examining how spatial proximity interacts with other forms of proximity to shape coupling, coordination, and reconfiguration in site-specific multi-system transitions. Ports exemplify this dynamic perfectly. As nodes connecting energy, transport, and industrial systems, they are increasingly adopting the role of low-carbon energy hubs, integrating multiple heterogeneous technologies to support decarbonization across interconnected systems (Damman and Steen, 2021; Eladl et al., 2023), particularly the maritime sector, with its distinct and varied technological demands (DNV, 2019; 2022). The spatial concentration thus creates new interfaces not only among interconnected systems within port. Drawing on qualitative data from two Norwegian ports transitioning toward energy hubs, we examine the agentic, material, and institutional interactions that emerge as low-carbon technologies develop to serve interconnected systems. Preliminary findings show that spatial proximity triggers alliances among systems that lack prior cognitive or institutional proximity, forging complementarity while simultaneously creating tensions. Where organizational and cognitive alignment are reinforced by material joint-use and synergies, they sustain transition momentum. Andersen, A. D., & Markard, J. (2026). Multi-system dynamics in sustainability transitions. In J. Wesche & A. Hendriks (Eds.), Introduction to sustainability transitions research. Cambridge University Press. Andersen, A. D., Geels, F. W., Steen, M., & Bugge, M. M. (2023). Building multi-system nexuses in low-carbon transitions: Conflicts and asymmetric adjustments in Norwegian ferry electrification. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120(47), e2207746120. Damman, S., & Steen, M. (2021). A socio-technical perspective on the scope for ports to enable energy transition. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 91, 102691. Hunt, O. B., Marslev, K., Steen, M., Hansen, T., & Hansen, U. E. (2026). Incorporating insights from global production network and value chain research into the sustainability transitions field. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 59, 101094.

• Lahn, Bård (2026). Justifying oil: The situated valuations of continued fossil fuel extraction. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Although oil is often primarily valued in economic terms, its extraction has also frequently been justified in other registers of value, such as security and geopolitics. As climate change demands a transition away from fossil fuels, however, petrostates are developing new ways of justifying their plans for continued oil extraction. This can take the form of broad claims about the social, economic or environmental value of oil that are often easily dismissed as ‘greenwashing’. But it can also take the form of elaborate technical arrangements that seek to ascribe more specific values to fossil fuels beyond the economic. A case in point is the recent attempt by the government of Norway to ‘prove’ that increased Norwegian oil production is a net benefit to the global climate. In response to legal challenges against new oil fields, the government has introduced new calculative devices that attempt to ascribe positive environmental value to Norwegian oil. These devices are now becoming a standard part of the governing of the country’s oil resources, and can therefore have important consequences for the future trajectory of its oil extraction. This paper takes its point of departure in justification theory as developed by Boltanski and Thevenot (2009), arguing that in order to effectively challenge claims about ‘climate friendly’ or ‘democratic’ oil, we need to better understand the different registers of worth in which states justify continued fossil fuel extraction. Drawing on STS and pragmatist valuation studies (Asdal and Huse 2024; Muniesa 2011), such justifications can be analysed as situated valuation arrangements that combine calculative and political technologies in order to invest oil with value beyond the economic. The paper analyses the Norwegian government’s recent claims about “climate-friendly oil” to demonstrate the value of this analytical approach.

• Innset, Ola (2026). Friedrich Hayek. Full text in Research Archive
• Tellmann, Silje Maria & Gulbrandsen, Magnus (2026). Temporalities in the societal impact of research. Full text in Research Archive
• Tellmann, Silje Maria (2026). Making Sense of the Societal Territory of Disciplines in the Context of Ex ante Impact Assessments. Full text in Research Archive
• Lahn, Bård (2026). Norway to expand fossil fuel production as countries seek secure energy supply - The World. [Radio]. The World (US). Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Norway stands to make $78 billion this year from its oil and gas sales. This surge is way beyond previous estimates, as the cost of oil and gas continue to rise due to the US-Israeli war with Iran. With Norway now aiming to increase production, The World’s Host Carolyn Beeler learns more from Bård Lahn, […]

• Lahn, Bård (2026). Dansk grønn deal? sosiologen.no. doi: https:/sosiologen.no/omtale/dansk-gronn-deal/. Full text in Research Archive
• Solberg, Espen; Ingeborgrud, Lina & Gulbrandsen, Magnus (2025). Hva er forskning - og hva er det ikke? Full text in Research Archive
• Bauer, Susanne (2025). Anthropogenic Ecologies: Human-Soil Relations in the Nuclear Aftermath. Full text in Research Archive
• Ayache, Urszula Wiszniowska & Soppe, Birthe (2025). A World in Turmoil : Future Imaginaries and Strategic Reversals in Climate Commitments. Full text in Research Archive
• Ayache, Urszula Wiszniowska & Soppe, Birthe (2025). Poster Presentation at "Designing Alternative Futures, Strategies, and Systems-Changes in the Anthropocene", emLyon. Full text in Research Archive
• Huse, Tone & Asdal, Kristin (2025). The great economization of the Ocean: Following cod and doing empirical economy. Full text in Research Archive
• Castellacci., Fulvio; Bugge., Markus & Brinck, Helene Marie (2026). Bruk av kunstig intelligens i salg. En casestudie av hvordan KI brukes, oppleves og implementeres i Telenors salgsavdeling. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Telenor er en av Norges største teknologivirksomheter og en sentral aktør i landets digitale infrastruktur. Selskapet har tatt i bruk kunstig intelligens på flere områder, og salgsavdelingen er en av delene av virksomheten der teknologien gradvis prøves ut. Salgsarbeidet i bedriftsmarkedet kombinerer informasjonsinnhenting, koordinering og tett kontakt med kunder over tid; arbeidsoppgaver der KI både kan effektivisere og utfordre etablerte arbeidsformer. Denne oppgaven undersøker hva KI faktisk brukes til i salgsavdelingen i dag, hva ansatte forventer at teknologien skal kunne bidra med fremover, og hvilke forhold i virksomheten som gjør det enklere eller vanskeligere å ta den i bruk. Studien anvender Unified Teori of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) i kombinasjon med Technology, Organization & People-rammeverket (TOP). Datagrunnlaget består av ni intervjuer med ansatte i ulike salgsroller, supplert med offentlige rapporter og en skriftlig beskrivelse fra avdelingsleder. Funnene viser at KI først og fremst brukes til å hente inn informasjon, lage oppsummeringer og forberede kundemøter. I selve dialogen med kunden, der relasjoner og tillit står sentralt, brukes KI lite. Ansatte ser flere muligheter for at KI kan effektivisere arbeidet videre, men er samtidig tydelige på at teknologien ikke bør erstatte den personlige kontakten med kunden. Denne studien viser at implementeringen drives i stor grad av enkeltledere og kolleger som tar teknologien i bruk og deler erfaringer, mens uklare rutiner, fragmenterte systemer og begrenset tilgang til verktøy bremser den bredere innføringen. Oppgaven viser at det å ta i bruk KI i en stor virksomhet handler om mer enn å gjøre teknologien tilgjengelig for de ansatte. Det handler vel så mye om hvordan arbeidet er organisert, hva ansatte opplever som meningsfullt salgsarbeid, og hvor de selv mener teknologien hører hjemme.

• C., Castaldi,; Castellacci, Fulvio; Fronzetti, Colladon, A.; L., Segneri, & F., Venturini, (2026). [2607.18795] Measuring AI innovation with trademark data. arXiv:2511.05625 . Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Abstract page for arXiv paper 2607.18795: Measuring AI innovation with trademark data

• Emanuele, Bazzichi,; Castellacci, Fulvio & Massimo, Riccaboni, (2026). [2604.02189] Bridging Distant Ideas: the Impact of AI on R&D and Recombinant Innovation. arXiv:2511.05625 . Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Abstract page for arXiv paper 2604.02189: Bridging Distant Ideas: the Impact of AI on R&D and Recombinant Innovation

• Castellacci, Fulvio; Tommaso, Ciarli,; Yuan, Gao,; Marianna, Marino,; Giacomo, Marzi, & Massimo, Riccaboni, [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2026). [2607.24879] Generative Artificial Intelligence in Scientific Research: Individual Benefits, Collective Risks, and a Framework for Responsible Research with AI. arXiv:2511.05625 . Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Abstract page for arXiv paper 2607.24879: Generative Artificial Intelligence in Scientific Research: Individual Benefits, Collective Risks, and a Framework for Responsible Research with AI

• Finstad, Jørgen; Andersen, Allan Dahl & Thune, Taran Mari (2026). Multi-Sector Diffusion of Lumpy Decarbonization Technologies: Carbon Capture in Norway. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Achieving the Paris Agreement and net-zero targets requires the rapid diffusion of multiple decarbonization technologies. Several of these technologies are expected to expand across heterogeneous sectors simultaneously. Carbon capture is one such technology. Once primarily framed as a solution for emissions from coal- and gasfired power plants, carbon capture is now framed as a technology for handling emissions across a variety of sectors. This includes waste incineration, biopower, blue hydrogen, and various process industries, like cement. While many mitigation scenarios envision an expansion from today’s limited carbon capture capacity to capturing several billion tonnes of CO₂ annually within decades, real-world deployment has been slow and uneven. Despite the technology’s potential importance across several sectors, social science research on carbon capture has largely focused on public acceptance rather than broader innovation and diffusion dynamics. From innovation studies, we know that how technologies are shaped, developed, and spread stems from both individual actors and firms and from the broader context – including specific technological characteristics, actor networks, and institutional and economic structures. These broader structures of actors, networks, and institutions are what we refer to as a technology’s innovation system. Similarly, we know that different sectors and industries have distinct characteristics and innovation modes. They consist of different actors and networks, and individual sectors have different opportunities and ways of doing things. For instance, some sectors are resource-rich, innovative, and accustomed to taking risks, while others have lower profit margins and are more risk-averse. These differences in characteristics imply that when a technology spreads and its innovation system starts to integrate a variety of sectors – all with their own particular needs, wants, and ways of doing things – the technology and its innovation system (its actors, actor networks, and institutions) may have to change and adapt to be compatible with the sectors’ way of doing things. With this in mind, this thesis explores how interactions with multiple sectors influence carbon capture technology, the broader innovation system around it, and its diffusion dynamics. Rooted in the fields of innovation studies and sustainability transitions, this thesis investigates (1) how a multi-purpose decarbonization technology, like carbon capture, diffuses to new user sectors, (2) how simultaneous interactions with multiple sectors reshape the technology and its innovation system, and (3) how material characteristics of the technology (like its size and complexity) both influence and are influenced by these processes. Empirically, the thesis draws on a series of qualitative case studies of carbon capture in Norway during a period where the focus shifted from natural gas and power generation to waste-to-energy, cement, hydrogen production, and other energyintensive industries. The thesis draws on a range of academic literatures, theoretical frameworks, and key concepts, including the technological innovation systems (TIS) framework, research on technological diffusion and technology characteristics, and scholarship on how innovation systems and technologies couple with and embed in new user sectors. Building on these strands, several of my papers develop analytical frameworks to examine how technologies such as carbon capture expand into new sectors and how concurrent cross-sector interactions shape both the technologies themselves and the innovation systems surrounding them. As such, the thesis provides conceptual tools for analyzing multi-sector interactions and the diffusion dynamics of multi-purpose technologies. By employing these frameworks in its case studies, the thesis contributes to the technological innovation systems and diffusion literatures by foregrounding sectoral interactions in diffusion and the co-evolution of technology characteristics and innovation systems. The thesis finds that diffusing across multiple sectors simultaneously is a complex process that pulls an innovation system in different directions. This leads to changes in both the broader innovation system (e.g., in terms of which actors are involved, how actors are organized, project structures, contract types, how and which knowledge is developed, etc.) and to the material characteristics of the technology itself, as technology developers try to adapt to new users. Spreading to new user sectors becomes a long, expensive process as actors try to align the structures of the innovation system and the characteristics of the technology to the structures and needs of new user sectors and vice versa. When spreading across multiple sectors simultaneously, this process becomes even more challenging, as differing visions of the future pull the innovation system in different directions, complicating the process and risking fragmentation into multiple segments. To reduce risk, cost, and uncertainty, technology developers actively work to adapt the technology to the new users’ needs. Since these processes can be long and resource-intensive, a strong shared directionality (in terms of actors’ beliefs and motivations) is key to initiating and maintaining the diffusion process. For example, in the case of carbon capture, actors in both the innovation system and the new user sectors adopted and maintained the narrative that carbon capture is a key technology for industrial decarbonization. By studying carbon capture, the thesis also contributes by unpacking the innovation and diffusion dynamics of a potentially important decarbonization technology that has received limited attention in social science studies. By studying how carbon capture spread and was affected by its adoption in new sectors in Norway, I derive a few lessons for supporting the further development and diffusion of carbon capture and similar technologies. This includes focusing on policies that de-risk the diffusion process for first-mover actors in new user sectors, e.g., through governmentsupported demonstration projects in new sectors, or contracts for difference. or through sector-specific policies. The thesis also highlights the importance of being attentive to user-sector characteristics when designing policies to support mitigation technologies. Since user sectors may have different institutional challenges, technology-focused policies alone may fall short. In some cases, measures tailored to specific user sectors may be more effective at promoting the diffusion of a technology than technology-specific policies. For example, green procurement programs for cement can incentivize carbon capture in the cement sector.

• Kannelønning, Mari & Zalewska, Aleksandra Dorota (2026). Når kunstig intelligens møter praksis. En kvalitativ casestudie av hvordan et KI-forsøk formes i møtet med eksisterende praksis for håndtering av pasienthenvendelser. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Denne masteroppgaven undersøker hvordan et forsøk på å ta i bruk kunstig intelligens (KI) formes i møtet med eksisterende praksis for håndtering av pasienthenvendelser. Studien tar utgangspunkt i en mindre privat kirurgisk klinikk, der en KI-løsning ble gjort tilgjengelig for å generere svarutkast til innkomne e-poster. Oppgaven bygger på en kvalitativ casestudie med observasjoner i klinikken og tre intervjuer med ansatte. Studien undersøker ikke effekt, tidsbruk eller kvalitet i pasientkommunikasjonen, men hvordan KI-forsøket tok form i den arbeidspraksisen teknologien skulle inngå i. Analysen viser at pasienthenvendelser ikke forelå som ferdige skriveoppgaver. Før et svar kunne formuleres, måtte ansatte forstå hva henvendelsen gjaldt, hente relevant informasjon, avklare videre oppfølging og vurdere hvem som hadde grunnlag for å svare. Dette fikk betydning for KI-løsningens rolle i svararbeidet. KI-forslagene fikk størst relevans når henvendelsen allerede var bearbeidet nok til å kunne behandles som en skriveoppgave. Der saken fortsatt krevde vurdering, avklaring eller kobling til annen informasjon, fikk tekstgenerering en mer begrenset rolle. Studien viser videre at KI-utkastene ikke bar svargrunnlaget i seg selv. Selv når teksten fremstod relevant, måtte ansatte kontrollere og forankre forslaget i tidligere kommunikasjon, lokale rutiner, kunnskap om saken og ansvarsgrenser. KI-løsningen ble også teknisk tilgjengelig uten å bli tydelig innarbeidet i rutiner, ansvarsfordeling og informasjonsflyt. Oppgaven konkluderer med at KI-forsøket ble formet av arbeidet som gjorde tekstutkastet mulig, kontrollerbart og organisatorisk forankret. Et svarutkast kunne først inngå i pasientkommunikasjonen når saken var forstått, nødvendige avklaringer var gjort, relevant informasjon var tilgjengelig og svaret kunne forankres i klinikkens praksis.

• Arcila, Diana Carolina Morales & Askeland, Synne (2026). Tradition Meets Transformation: Climate Adaptation in Premium Winemaking. A Comparative Case Study of Burgundy and Piemonte. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This thesis examines how traditional premium wine regions adapt to climate change, focusing on a comparative case study of Burgundy (France) and Piemonte (Italy). Both regions are globally recognized for terroir-driven, high-quality wine production and are characterized by strong cultural traditions, strict regulatory frameworks, and place-based identities. Climate change presents a significant challenge in this context, as rising temperatures, shifting precipitation patterns, and increasing frequency of extreme weather events threaten both grape quality and the continuity of established production practices. Drawing on the framework of Regional Innovation Systems (RIS), the study explores how innovation is understood, developed, and implemented within these traditionally oriented sectors. The research is based on a qualitative comparative case study design, combining semi-structured interviews with winemakers and analysis of documents and institutional and secondary sources. The findings highlight that innovation in both regions is largely incremental and oriented toward preserving, rather than transforming, existing systems. Adaptation strategies include adjustments in vineyard management, experimentation in cellar practices, and selective integration of scientific knowledge, all while maintaining adherence to regulatory and cultural constraints. The study further shows that institutional structures and network configurations play a crucial role in shaping adaptation pathways. Burgundy’s more centralized and coordinated system facilitates structured knowledge dissemination, whereas Piemonte’s more fragmented system enables diversity and localized experimentation. Across both regions, tacit knowledge, tradition, and informal networks remain central to innovation processes, but can also act as constraints. The thesis contributes to the literature on regional innovation systems by demonstrating how innovation in heritage-based industries functions as a mechanism for stability under environmental pressure. It highlights the dual role of institutions in both enabling and limiting adaptation, and argues for a broader understanding of innovation that includes preservation-oriented change in the context of climate challenges.

• Thune, Taran Mari & Dobrev, Trajan Jensen (2026). Å involvere for å innovere. En studie av kunnskapsintegrering i digital tilgjengelighet- og hjelpemiddelsektoren i Norge. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Dersom Norges digitale satsning skal lykkes, må digitale tjenester være anvendbare for alle, uavhengig av funksjonsevne. Kunstig intelligens (KI) anses som en mulig løsning på tilgjengelighetsutfordringer i det digitale. Men å lykkes med digitale teknologier fordrer nært samarbeid mellom aktører med ulike typer kunnskap. Oppgaven undersøker hvordan funksjonshemmedes perspektiver og ulike former for ekspertise koordineres for å oppnå innovasjon i digital tilgjengelighet- og hjelpemiddelsektoren i Norge (DTHS). Aktører i DTHS forsøker på ulike måter forsøker å gjøre digitale tjenester tilgjengelige for alle i Norge. Jeg anvender utvalgte teorier fra litteraturen om innovasjonsprosessen, distribuert innovasjon og kunnskapsintegrering for å belyse innovasjon innen digital tilgjengelighet. Oppgavens forskningsdesign består av en kartleggingsstudie hvor et bredt spekter av aktører i sektoren ble intervjuet, og en casestudie med observasjoner fra, og intervjuer med ansatte i, en organisasjon som utvikler et digitalt hjelpemiddel for funksjonshemmede. Funnene viser at KI-bruk i sektoren hovedsakelig preges av utforskning, samtidig som behovet for integrerte løsninger vokser. Aktører i DTHS har utfordringer med å koordinere tekniske og analoge kunnskapsperspektiver. De lar være å involvere brukere i utviklingsprosesser fordi brukerkunnskap er fragmentert, mangfoldig og vanskelig å sette ord på. Motstridende interesser og manglende bevissthet rundt viktigheten av alternative kunnskapsperspektiver har gitt opphav til hovedsakelig løse forbindelser mellom aktører i DTHS. Manglende kunnskapsutveksling på tvers i sektoren kan forklare hvorfor innovasjon i sektoren går sakte, og får konsekvenser for funksjonshemmedes muligheter til å bruke ikt-løsninger. For å koordinere både interne og eksterne kunnskapsressurser anvender aktører i DTHS strategier for å overføre, oversette og omdanne kunnskap. Funksjonshemmede kan og bør ha en ledende rolle i innovasjon innen digital tilgjengelighet. Aktører må hente innovative idéer utenfra i stedet for å forsøke å kontrollere hele innovasjonsprosessen selv. Kunnskapsintegrering styrker organisasjonens innovasjonsevne gjennom å redusere uforutsigbarhet og gjøre taus kunnskap eksplisitt.

• Niebuhr, Bernardo Brandão; Skarin, Anna; Saijets, Jan; Lipsanen, Aino; Pekkarinen, Antti-Juhani & Sandström, Per [Show all 25 contributors for this article] (2026). Towards understanding and managing cumulative impacts in Sápmi: approaches & collaboration - Workshop Report with focus on spatial data, reindeer and reindeer herding. Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. doi: 10.7557/2.46.2.8865. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Sápmi is inhabited by the Indigenous Sámi people and spans the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and large parts of the Kola Peninsula in Russia. Sápmi and the reindeer herding area have been particularly impacted by the acceleration of industrial land-demanding activities such as forestry, mining for rare minerals, and hydro and wind power production, promoted by the Nordic countries towards a low-carbon economy. Together, the so-called “green transition” adds to past and present pressure on nature, contributing to changes in landscapes and affecting both people and biodiversity. Land-use planning and impact assessments often focus on single projects on a local scale. As a result, planning processes are fragmented, with limited dialogue across sectors and insufficient consideration of cumulative impacts (CI) from past, ongoing, and future activities at relevant scales. Furthermore, Sámi rightsholders experience that their rights and perspectives are not properly understood and considered in planning processes, and in some cases even disregarded. Current research and planning on multiple anthropogenic impacts are also largely limited to local and national contexts, further reinforcing this fragmentation and constraining land-use planning across Sápmi. To assess the impacts of historic and new activities in Sápmi, there is a need for concepts, frameworks, and tools that can address the cumulative impacts of multiple activities across space, time, sectors, and borders, and a stronger knowledge base for just decision-making. Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA) offers a way forward, aiming to understand the combined impacts of multiple land uses and environmental changes. Here, CIA should be understood as a comprehensive approach that can be integrated into regional planning efforts, instead of as a narrow evaluation of (potential) impacts. This report summarizes concepts, tools, and examples of CIA methods (relevant to reindeer husbandry, in particular). It is based on a review of the academic literature and on a workshop held in Oslo in 2025 with experts from Norway, Sweden, and Finland.

• Thune, Taran Mari & Svendsen, Caroline (2026). Hovedtittel: Stein, styring og spenning Undertittel: Et utvalg av norske mineralprosjekter i planleggings- og etableringsfasen. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Denne masteroppgaven undersøker hvordan markedsmessige, sosiopolitiske, institusjonelle og natur- og miljømessige barrierer håndteres i planleggingen og etableringen av nye mineralprosjekter i Norge. Mineraler har fått økt strategisk betydning gjennom grønn omstilling, forsyningssikkerhet og industriutvikling, men nye mineralprosjekter møter samtidig krevende spørsmål om kapital, legitimitet, arealbruk, miljøpåvirkning og lokal forankring. Studien bygger på semistrukturerte intervjuer med aktører fra mineralnæringen, kommune, bransjeorganisasjon og miljøorganisasjon. Empirisk tar oppgaven utgangspunkt i prosjekter som befinner seg i ulike deler av planleggings- og etableringsfasen, blant annet Fensfeltet, Nussir og Stensundtjern. Analysen tar utgangspunkt i Geels’ Triple Embeddedness Framework (TEF), der industrien forstås i samspill med økonomiske og sosiopolitiske omgivelser. I oppgaven utvides rammeverket med natur/miljø som en tredje ytre dimensjon, fordi natur- og miljøforhold ikke bare virker gjennom debatt, motstand eller legitimitetskrav, men også gjennom stedlige, materielle og rettslige betingelser. Analysen viser at planleggings- og etableringsfasen ikke bare er en forberedelse til drift. Det er i denne fasen mye av prosjektets videre handlingsrom blir til. Her dokumenteres forekomster, kapital hentes inn, tekniske løsninger utvikles, plan- og tillatelsesprosesser håndteres, lokale relasjoner bygges, og natur- og miljøforhold virker inn på hvordan prosjektene kan utformes og føres videre. Oppgaven konkluderer med at barrierene ikke løses én gang for alle. De håndteres løpende gjennom forsøk på å gjøre prosjektene mer investerbare, teknisk avklarte, institusjonelt gjennomførbare og i stand til å framstå som legitime. Nye mineralprosjekter blir derfor ikke bare realisert eller stoppet, men gradvis gjort mer eller mindre gjennomførbare i møtet mellom økonomiske vilkår, lokale og politiske relasjoner, institusjonelle krav, bransjepraksiser og natur- og miljøforhold.

• Engen, Stine; Eckhoff, Torjus Solheim & Thorstensen, Hedda (2026). Handlingsrom for kunstig intelligens? En studie av hvordan handlingsrommet for kunstig intelligens skapes og begrenses i Elvia. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive
• Castellacci, Fulvio & Haugen, Marlene Myklebust (2026). From Fragmented Use to Strategic Alignment - Navigating AI in a professional service firm: A case study exploring AI Adoption within a Norwegian Accounting Firm. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  As a cornerstone of society, accounting reaches across industries to provide the essential financial insights, regulatory compliance, and strategic decision-making support. While the industry is highly digitalized, the latest developments of Artificial Intelligence enable fundamentally new ways of organizing and performing the professional work. Within the industrial revolution 4.0, AI use has increased across workplaces, but organizations report being stuck in the experimentation phase, failing to fully integrate AI into core workflows and leverage its potentials. In accounting firms, technology adoption often encounters organizational barriers, rigid structures, and resistance to change. This thesis explores how a Norwegian mid-sized accounting and economic advisory firm adopts AI. Notably, the firm is merged and operates as part of a larger corporate group, reflecting a case of hundred firms across Norway that are undergoing a broader trend of mergers and acquisitions within the industry. This calls for knowledge on measures for change management, that align AI adoption with wider firm strategies, enabling bottom-up solutions that account for each firm's distinct client needs, knowledge compositions and service offerings. Exploring AI adoption and readiness factors within a financial professional service firm, using The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), and framework of AI Readiness factors. The study combines the methods of survey and interviews, gaining perspectives of adoption from different firm roles, and readiness factors from key employees. The combination of methods and theoretical framework enable a micro-macro perspective on adoption within the professional service firm, connecting individual knowledge-workers to surrounding structures shaping adoption. The results show that AI adoption is widespread, while used in varying degrees and levels. AI experimentations happens at individual level, and pose a risk of creating a gap between super-users and less frequent users, implying a further importance of a knowledge-sharing culture and how the firm could structure towards this. The thesis addresses both drivers and barriers evident in such a case, and based on theory and related literature, implies a focus for further adoption. The findings contributes to practical implications for related organizations finding themselves within the context of increasingly digitalized and knowledge-intensive industries.

• Lahn, Bård & Hansen, Erle Marki (2026). Hovedtittel: Mellom planetariske ambisjoner og iskalde tær. Undertittel: Det vitenskapelige feltet som kunnskapssted og legitimeringssted i konstruksjonen av et arktisk klimafiksingsprosjekt. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  --- Sammendrag vil publiseres: 2031-05-18

• Bauer, Susanne & Soleng, Ylva Pettersen (2026). The Algorithmic Taxman. Operationalizing Fairness in the Face of Competing Institutional Logics. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  There is great excitement around artificial intelligence today, and with it, a growing expectation that public sector organizations will keep up. In Norway, the Tax Administration (Skatteetaten) is implementing AI tools across its operations. However, translating abstract ethical principles into functioning technical systems within a complex, rule-bound bureaucracy remains a practical and conceptual challenge. This thesis investigates how Skatteetaten operationalizes fairness in AI development and use, drawing on interviews with professionals across disciplinary backgrounds and analysis of institutional and EU documents, and policy frameworks to examine the practical work of translating abstract ethical principles into practice within a complex public bureaucracy. Drawing on Science and Technology Studies (STS) concepts of co-production and infrastructure, the thesis argues that Skatteetaten’s AI systems are concrete artifacts of ongoing social negotiation. The organization shapes the technology through legal and procedural constraints and in turn, the technology provokes structural and cultural adaptation within the organization. Fairness emerges as a continuous achievement produced through the daily work of designing, reviewing, and documenting systems. The findings reframe ethical AI governance from a question of abstract principles to a problem of institutional design, where trade-offs between explainability, privacy and innovation become visible and subject to negotiation.

• Finstad, Jørgen & Hajum, Christian Styve (2026). Generative AI in Knowledge Work. Task reconfiguration and organisational adaptation in two Norwegian organisations. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This thesis examines how generative artificial intelligence is implemented in knowledge-intensive organisations, how it reshapes work tasks and job roles, and how organisations and employees respond to these changes. The study is based on a qualitative multiple-case design with seven semi-structured interviews conducted in two Norwegian organisations, Wittario and Grønn Jobb. The analysis draws on a task-based perspective and a dynamic capabilities framework, focusing on routines, practices and managerial decisions. In both organisations, AI is integrated into existing work processes through selective use in specific subtasks, particularly in early phases such as drafting, structuring and information retrieval. Implementation develops through employee experimentation within managerial boundaries, without formal programmes or workflow redesign. Use varies across tasks and organisational contexts, shaped by task structure and accountability requirements. Work is reshaped through changes in how tasks are carried out. Employees spend more time evaluating, adapting and contextualising outputs. Tasks also become more iterative through repeated interaction with AI. This changes how expertise is applied, with greater emphasis on judgement throughout the task. Job roles remain formally stable, while their performance shifts through increased responsibility for assessing and refining outputs. Adaptation emerges in everyday work. Employees learn through repeated use and informal exchange, resulting in variation across individuals and tasks. These practices are only partly shared across the organisation, and adaptation remains uneven. The study shows how AI becomes embedded through adjustments in task execution and highlights how coordination, learning and evaluation remain uneven and locally organised under decentralised use.

• Lahn., Bård; Asdal., Kristin & Dilauro., Julie (2026). Kraftmarkedet som teori og praksis. Et perspektiv på økonomisering i det norske kraftmarkedet. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Med et stadig økende behov for mer kraft og fornybar energi må utformingen av kraft-markedet tilpasses nye målsetninger. Den nye funksjonen kraftmarkedet skal innfri innebærer nye forventninger til markedsdesign, prissignaler og samspill mellom aktører. For å undersøke dette er det nødvendig å sette spørsmål ved hva et marked egentlig er, og hvilke funksjoner det er ment å oppfylle. På bakgrunn av dette diskuterer oppgaven hvordan kraftmarkedet fungerer ved å undersøke hva som kjennetegner det norske kraftsystemet, hvordan dagens kraftmarked er organisert og konkrete markedsverktøy som har hatt særlig innflytelse i utformingen av samtidens kraftmarked. Kraftmarkedet kan forstås som en rekke konfigurasjoner av verktøy, aktører og modeller som kontinuerlig justeres for å understøtte markedets overordnete målsetninger. Markedet er ikke et naturgitt fenomen, det består av et koordinert og målrettet arbeid av mangfoldige aktører og markedsverktøy som skaper, innrammer og omformer markedet gjennom ulike mekanismer, metoder og utregninger. Oppgaven viser hvordan strøm gjøres økonomisk på ulike måter og hvordan dette kan forstås som en bestemt form for økonomisering som forutsetter spesifikke markedsverktøy (market devices). På dette grunnlaget utvikler jeg begrepet teknisk økonomisering for å fange hvordan økonomiske verdier i kraftmarkedet i økende grad forstås og produseres gjennom tekniske modeller, utregninger og algoritmer. Empirisk undersøker jeg dette ved å analysere utviklingen av det norske kraftmarkedet, flytbasert markedskobling og den sentrale Euphemia-algoritmen som ulike typer markedsverktøy. Deretter viser oppgaven hvordan denne Euphemia-algoritmen har blitt et obligatorisk passasjepunkt for kraftmarkedet med overraskende og tidvis kontraintuitive utfall. Disse utfallene skaper spenninger knyttet til transparens, kapasitetsutnyttelse, prissignaler og handel, og synliggjør kraftmarkedet som en pågående prosess av teknisk økonomisering, der både innramming og markedsverktøy stadig justeres og tilpasses.

• Eckhoff, Torjus Solheim & Lundberg, Marthe (2026). Når fremtiden former nåtiden: KI i arbeidslivet. En kvalitativ casestudie av konsulenters rolle som kunnskapsbærere. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Kunstig intelligens (KI) trekkes ofte frem som en teknologi som vil endre arbeidslivet. I offentligheten finner man både positive og negative fortellinger hvor enkelte mener at KI vil bidra til mer effektivt arbeid og økt tidsbesparelse, mens andre er mer kritiske til teknologien eller frykter at den vil erstatte arbeidsoppgaver. Slike forestillinger er ikke bare abstrakte idéer, men kan få konkrete konsekvenser i måten organisasjoner tar beslutninger, investerer og organiserer arbeid på. Litteraturgjennomgangen belyser hvordan nye teknologier historisk ofte har vært preget av høye forventninger og fremtidsoptimisme, men viser at den faktiske utviklingen ikke alltid samsvarer med de opprinnelige visjonene. KI-utviklingen er en utvikling vi står midt i og jeg har intervjuet teknologikonsulenter fra konsulentselskap samt jurister som samarbeider tett med teknologikonsulentene fra samme konsulentselskap. Jeg intervjuet også ansatte fra bedriftssiden som har hatt besøk av teknologikonsulenter for å undersøke hva slags bilde og påvirkning de fikk av konsulentene. Jeg har tatt utgangspunkt i følgende problemstilling: Hvordan fungerer konsulenter som kunnskapsbærere i utviklingen og implementeringen av kunstig intelligens i virksomheter? Analysen tar utgangspunkt i perspektiver fra Vitenskaps- og teknologisturider (STS), som vektlegger hvordan teknologi utvikles gjennom samspill mellom tekniske systemer, kunnskap, organisasjoner og samfunnsmessige forhold. Teoriene sosiotekniske forestillinger (STI), black box og infrastruktur brukes for å analysere hvordan blant annet informantenes fremtidsbilder knyttet til KI preger hvordan teknologien forstås, og hvordan slike forestillinger kan bidra til ulike holdninger og handlinger knyttet til utvikling og bruk av KI. Samtidig som KI i arbeidslivet fortsatt er under utvikling og delvis lite forstått, viser empirien at teknologien allerede tas litt i bruk på ulike måter i virksomheter, både synlig gjennom strategiske satsninger og mer usynlig gjennom ansattes daglige arbeidspraksiser. Oppgaven belyser dermed hvordan KI kan forstås som en fremvoksende infrastruktur, samtidig som jeg gir innsikt i hvordan KI ikke bare er en teknologisk utvikling, men også formes gjennom aktører som konsulenter, og deres påvirkning på beslutninger og praksis.

• Bugge, Markus & Andreassen, Karoline Flood- (2026). Omstilling til digitale produktpass på tekstiler. En casestudie av Unils møte med nye krav til sporbarhet, samarbeid og organisatorisk endring. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Sammendrag Nøkkelord: Digitale produktpass, tekstiler, dynamiske kapabiliteter, bærekraftsorientert innovasjon, relasjonell kompleksitet, åpen innovasjon. Denne masteroppgaven undersøker hvordan bedriften Unil kan omstille seg for å møte kommende krav om digitale produktpass (DPP) på tekstiler. Innføringen av DPP gjennom EUs Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) stiller nye krav til innhenting, lagring og deling av produktdata på tvers av verdikjeden, og utfordrer både interne prosesser og samarbeid med eksterne aktører. Den sentrale problemstillingen er: Hvordan kan/må Unil omstille seg og samarbeide med andre aktører for å møte kravet om digitale produktpass på tekstiler? Studien er gjennomført som en kvalitativ casestudie, basert på semistrukturerte intervjuer med interne og eksterne informanter, observasjon av et møte med GS1 Norge, samt relevante EU-dokumenter og Webinarer om digitale produktpass. Analysen av oppgaven bygger på teorier om dynamiske kapabiliteter, bærekraftsorientert innovasjon (SOI), åpen innovasjon og relasjonell kompleksitet. Funnene viser at Unils arbeid med DPP i stor grad er preget av fokus på etterlevelse av regelverk, og tilpasning av eksisterende systemer. Samtidig utvikles det en økende forståelse for at DPP representerer mer omfattende endring, som krever koordinering og samarbeid på tvers av verdikjeden. Arbeidet er midlertidig fortsatt preget av begrensede ressurser, uklare ansvarsforhold og utfordringer knyttet til samhandling med eksterne aktører. Studien viser også at implementeringen av digitale produktpass ikke kun er et teknologisk eller regulatorisk krav, men også innebærer organisatoriske og relasjonelle endringer, der samarbeid, standardisering og tydelig styring blir sentrale forutsetninger. Funnene må samtidig forstås i lys av at Unil befinner seg i en pågående regulerings- og omstillingsprosess, der både EU-krav og organisatoriske tilpasninger fortsatt er under utvikling.

• Arcila, Diana Carolina Morales & Hauan, Maja Kristine Bredal (2026). Contributing to Marine Sustainability Transitions: The potentials and limits of IMTA. A qualitative case study on Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture in the Norwegian aquaculture sector. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This thesis examines the development and diffusion of Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) in Norway through an in-depth case study of an IMTA pilot project in Norway. Through the analysis of interviews and relevant documents and public policy, and guided by the Technological Innovation Systems (TIS) framework, it analyses how drivers, barriers and functional dynamics influence IMTA’s contributions to sustainable transitions in Norwegian Aquaculture. Situated within national and European Blue Growth narratives for sustainable aquaculture and enhanced resource security, IMTA offers potential environmental and economic benefits by integrating low‑trophic species into salmon farming to recapture excess nutrients, reduce emissions, and contribute to circular value chains. The findings show strong collaboration and knowledge development, but limited market formation, weak economic incentives, and regulatory misalignment. High production costs, immature technologies, and lack of processing infrastructure further constrain IMTA’s scalability. While environmental benefits and positive local perceptions support legitimation, the system remains in an early formation phase. The study concludes that clearer policy incentives and stronger institutional alignment are necessary for the TIS to graduate from a development to a growth phase and contribute meaningfully to a more sustainable Norwegian aquaculture sector.

• Bugge, Markus; Tambøl, Katharina Lien & Stakkestad, Hedda Marie Knutsen (2026). Inkrementelle skritt mot transformativ endring. Drivere og barrierer for adopsjon av generativ kunstig intelligens i Redd Barna. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Denne masteroppgaven undersøker hvordan generativ kunstig intelligens adopteres i Redd Barna, og hvilke drivere og barrierer som påvirker prosessen. Generativ KI har på kort tid blitt en relevant teknologi for organisasjoner på tvers av sektorer, også i humanitær sektor. Teknologien gir nye muligheter for effektivisering, læring, idéutvikling og støtte i arbeidsprosesser, og har potensial til å endre hvordan organisasjoner arbeider. Samtidig stiller den krav til organisering, kompetanse, styring og ansvarlig bruk. Selv om interessen for generativ KI er økende, er det fortsatt begrenset kunnskap om hvordan slike teknologier faktisk adopteres, forankres og håndteres i praksis i ideelle organisasjoner. Oppgaven søker derfor å besvare følgende problemstilling: Hvordan adopteres generativ kunstig intelligens i en ideell organisasjon, og hvilke drivere og barrierer former prosessen? Oppgaven bygger teoretisk på litteratur om teknologiadopsjon i organisasjoner, med TOE-rammeverket som struktur for å analysere hvordan teknologiske, organisatoriske og eksterne forhold former adopsjonen av generativ KI. Dette suppleres med et prosessuelt perspektiv på dynamiske kapabiliteter, som belyser hvordan organisasjoner over tid identifiserer muligheter og risiko, mobiliserer tiltak og gradvis omformer praksiser og styring. I tillegg anvendes et normativt perspektiv forankret i Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI), som gir begreper for å analysere hvordan ansvarlighet, legitimitet og verdimessige hensyn former adopsjonsprosessen i verdidrevne organisasjoner. Sammen gjør dette det mulig å undersøke adopsjon som mer enn et spørsmål om teknologisk tilgjengelighet, ved å rette oppmerksomheten mot interne ressurser, organisatoriske forutsetninger og normative rammer. Studien er gjennomført som en kvalitativ casestudie av Redd Barna, basert på 13 semistrukturerte intervjuer, interne dokumenter og brukerundersøkelser. Datamaterialet er analysert gjennom en stegvis deduktiv–induktiv tilnærming (SDI) med tematisk analyse som analyseteknikk. Gjennom å kombinere flere datakilder søker oppgaven å gi en empirisk forankret forståelse av hvordan generativ KI tas i bruk i organisasjonen. Funnene viser at adopsjonen av generativ KI i Redd Barna best kan forstås som en kontrollert, gradvis og verdibasert endringsprosess. Teknologien er legitimert og tatt i bruk av mange ansatte, men bruken er hovedsakelig oppgavestøttende og knyttet til individuell produktivitet. Ledelsesforankring, opplæring og organisatorisk struktur fremstår som sentrale drivere. På den andre siden er tidspress, variasjon i kompetanse, endring i nøkkelroller og sterke krav til ansvarlighet og legitimitet sentrale barrierer. Analysen viser videre at Redd Barna er sterkere på å identifisere muligheter og mobilisere tiltak, enn på å omforme arbeidsprosesser og roller. Et sentralt funn er at teknologien ikke kun vurderes ut fra potensiell verdi og muligheter, men ut fra hvordan den kan brukes uten å komme i konflikt med organisasjonens formål og samfunnsmandat. Studien bidrar med innsikt i hvilke betingelser som må være til stede for at generativ KI skal kunne skape verdi i praksis. Samtidig gir den et bidrag til forskningen på teknologiadopsjon i humanitær sektor, ved å vise hvordan verdidrevne organisasjoner kan fremme balanse mellom innovasjon, kontroll og legitimitet.

• Veldhuizen, Gwendolyn Caroline; Bugge, Markus & Furmanovych, Stella (2026). Small Modular Reactors as a Niche Innovation in Norway’s Renewable-Based Energy System. The Role of the Policy Mix. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This thesis examines how the Norwegian policy mix conditions the emergence of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) as a niche technology within Norway’s stable, renewable-based energy regime. Norway provides a distinctive case for studying niche emergence because its energy system is characterised by a strong renewable electricity base, high institutional stability, and a long-standing reliance on established energy infrastructures. However, regime stability does not mean that the system is free from transition pressures. Increasing energy demand from energy-intensive sectors, broader electrification trends, climate targets, grid constraints, and concerns related to system adequacy and flexibility create new pressures within the existing energy regime. In this context, SMRs have gained attention as a potential firm low-carbon option that could complement the existing energy mix, rather than as a necessary solution for decarbonising electricity generation. The thesis contributes to sustainability transitions research by analysing how a new technological option is framed under conditions of regime stability. The theoretical framework combines the Multi-Level Perspective and the Policy Mix Framework. The Multi- Level Perspective is used to position SMRs in relation to landscape pressures, regime stability, and niche emergence. The Policy Mix Framework is used to analyse how policy strategies, instruments, processes, and policy mix characteristics condition this emergence. The concept of protective space is used to assess whether policy visibility is translated into active niche development. Methodologically, the thesis is designed as a qualitative case study and relies primarily on document analysis of Norwegian policy and governance documents. The findings show that the Norwegian policy mix creates strategic openness and administrative visibility for SMRs, but does not provide the instruments or protective space needed to support their development as a niche trajectory. SMRs are increasingly recognised through political debate, public assessment, regulatory clarification, and project-specific administrative processes. However, this visibility is not matched by deployment-oriented instruments, experimentation, demand-pull measures, or a clear policy pathway for implementation. As a result, SMRs emerge in an evaluative rather than developmental form. The thesis argues that the Norwegian policy mix stabilises SMRs as an assessable future option without committing to their adoption. SMRs have not reconfigured the Norwegian energy regime, but their increasing policy relevance indicates that some elements of the regime are adjusting to the possibility of a future technological option. This finding shifts attention from regime stabilisation alone to the stabilisation of the niche itself under stable regime conditions.

• Druglitrø, Tone & Saleh, Saba Waleed (2026). Verdsetting og vaksinevalg. En verdiografisk analyse av HPV-vaksinen i det norske barnevaksinasjonsprogrammet. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  HPV-vaksinen har grunnet nylige anbudskonkurranser for barnevaksinasjonsprogrammet i Norge blitt gjenstand for stor debatt og uenighet mellom fageksperter, klinikere, politikere og lekfolk. Denne oppgaven undersøker hvordan vurderingsprosesser rundt HPV vaksinen i Norge fungerer som verdsettingsprosesser der medisinske, helseøkonomiske og etiske verktøy og hensyn tar vaksinen fra å være et omstridt valg for barnevaksinasjonsprogrammet, til et krav om eliminering av livmorhalskreft og HPV-relatert sykdom. Gjennom vitenskap- og teknologistudier (STS) bruker jeg en verdsettings- og verdiografisk inngang for å studere vaksinens verdsetting i institusjonelle og politiske praksiser. Ved å bruke praksisorientert dokumentanalyse studerer jeg metodevurderinger, helseøkonomiske beregninger, anbefalingsrapporter, etiske utredninger, offentlige strategier og politisk debatt fra 2007 til 2024. Analysen viser hvordan vaksinens verdsetting er relasjonell og tidsmessig ustabil; den etableres som prioriteringsverdig og kjønnet, og omforhandles til et kjønnsnøytralt, eliminasjonsrettet folkehelsetiltak. Oppgaven besvarer hvordan verdien av HPV vaksiner etableres, stabiliseres og omforhandles gjennom slike vurderingsprosesser, og hvordan helseøkonomiske verktøy som QALY, IKER og diskontering virker som verdsettingsverktøy med politiske og etiske implikasjoner.

• Gulbrandsen, Magnus & Nedrebø, Karen Bergøy (2026). Digitalisering i praksis: Dynamiske kapabiliteter i prosjektbaserte organisasjoner. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Bygg- og anleggsbransjen står overfor økende krav til effektivitet, dokumentasjon og samarbeid. Digitalisering av bransjen trekkes ofte frem som en løsning på disse utfordringene, men digitale verktøy skaper nødvendigvis ikke verdi alene. For at digitalisering skal lykkes, må teknologien tas i bruk, tilpasses og integreres i organisasjonens arbeidsprosesser. Denne masteroppgaven undersøker hvordan digitalisering utvikles og anvendes i praksis i en prosjektbasert entreprenørbedrift. Med Implenia Norge som case søker studien å besvare problemstillingen: Hvordan utvikler og anvender Implenia dynamiske kapabiliteter for å lykkes med digitalisering? Studien bygger på teorien om dynamiske kapabiliteter, med vekt på evnene oppdagelse, utnyttelse og omstilling. Det empiriske grunnlaget består av ti kvalitative intervjuer, hvor seks av dem er interne informanter fra Implenia og fire av dem er eksterne aktører i bygg- og anleggsbransjen, samt to dokumentanalyser. Funnene viser at Implenia utvikler og anvender dynamiske kapabiliteter gjennom læring, samarbeid og balanse mellom stabilitet og endring. Oppdagelse skjer i stor grad gjennom konkrete behov som oppstår i prosjektene. Utnyttelse av digitale løsninger skjer gjennom opplæring og pilotering, mens omstilling skjer gradvis gjennom nye rutiner, felles plattformer og videreføring av erfaringer på tvers av prosjekter. Digitaliseringsavdelingen i Implenia har en viktig rolle som bindeledd mellom prosjektene og ledelsen, ved å samle erfaringer, standardisere løsninger og bidra til at kunnskap ikke blir værende igjen i enkeltprosjekter. Studien viser samtidig at dynamiske kapabiliteter ikke alltid utnyttes fullt ut. Ulik digital kompetanse, manglende forankring, systemoverlapp og dobbeltarbeid gjør implementering krevende. Et sentralt funn er likevel at digital kvalitetssikring, gjennom blant annet digitale sjekklister, redusert bruk av e-post og felles plattformer, kan bidra til bedre kontroll og læring. Studien viser dermed at digital transformasjon ikke skjer over natten, men gjennom mange små forbedringer som over tid kan føre til større organisatoriske endringer.

• Castellacci, Fulvio; Øyane, Oliver Christoffersen & Langsrud, Marte Jørstad (2026). Kunstig intelligens i Skatteetaten: Mellom strategi og praksis. En studie av Skatteetatens arbeid med utvikling og implementering av kunstig intelligens. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Kunstig intelligens (KI) blir i økende grad løftet frem som et sentralt virkemiddel for å effektivisere, forbedre og modernisere offentlig sektor. Samtidig er det krevende å gå fra strategiske ambisjoner og teknologisk utforsking til implementering og gevinstrealisering. Denne masteroppgaven undersøker hvordan arbeidet med KI formes i Skatteetaten, og hvilke forutsetninger og barrierer som preger utvikling og implementering av KI i en stor offentlig virksomhet. Oppgaven er utformet som en kvalitativ casestudie av Skatteetaten. Datagrunnlaget består av 16 semistrukturerte intervjuer med ansatte i leder-, fag- og rådgiverroller som har erfaring fra utvikling, koordinering eller implementering av KI-relaterte initiativer. Analysen tar utgangspunkt i et KI-kapabilitetsperspektiv, som brukes til å undersøke hvilke materielle, menneskelige og immaterielle ressurser etaten har for å arbeide med KI. I tillegg anvendes søppelbøttemodellen for å belyse hvordan beslutningsprosesser, problemer, løsninger og deltakere kobles i KI-arbeidet. Analysen suppleres også med begrepene strategisk konsensus og ambideksteritet. Funnene viser at Skatteetaten har flere viktige forutsetninger for å lykkes med KI-arbeidet, blant annet sterke fagmiljøer, høy teknisk kompetanse, godt datagrunnlag og en tydelig ambisjon om å ta i bruk ny teknologi. Samtidig peker studien på betydelige organisatoriske og styringsmessige utfordringer. Strategiske føringer oppleves som åpne og vanskelige å omsette til praksis, beslutningsløpene er uklare, og tid og økonomiske ressurser er begrensede. I tillegg preges KI-arbeidet av uklar rolle- og ansvarsfordeling, krevende koordinering på tvers av divisjoner og fagmiljøer, og manglende sammenheng mellom utforsking og produksjonssetting. Studien argumenterer for at Skatteetatens KI-arbeid formes av en ubalanse mellom sterke tekniske kapabiliteter og svakere organisatoriske mekanismer for prioritering, koordinering og implementering. Studien viser hvordan KI-initiativer ikke bare avhenger av tilgang på data, teknologi og kompetanse, men også av beslutningsanledninger der problemer, løsninger og relevante aktører kobles sammen. Oppgaven bidrar med empirisk innsikt og en mer helhetlig forståelse av KI-arbeid i offentlig sektor.

• Castellacci, Fulvio; Jørstad-Langsrud, Marte & Øyane, Oliver Christoffersen (2026). Kunstig intelligens i Skatteetaten: Mellom strategi og praksis. En studie av Skatteetatens arbeid med utvikling og implementering av kunstig intelligens. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Sammendrag Kunstig intelligens (KI) blir i økende grad løftet frem som et sentralt virkemiddel for å effektivisere, forbedre og modernisere offentlig sektor. Samtidig er det krevende å gå fra strategiske ambisjoner og teknologisk utforsking til implementering og gevinstrealisering. Denne masteroppgaven undersøker hvordan arbeidet med KI formes i Skatteetaten, og hvilke forutsetninger og barrierer som preger utvikling og implementering av KI i en stor offentlig virksomhet. Oppgaven er utformet som en kvalitativ casestudie av Skatteetaten. Datagrunnlaget består av 16 semistrukturerte intervjuer med ansatte i leder-, fag- og rådgiverroller som har erfaring fra utvikling, koordinering eller implementering av KI-relaterte initiativer. Analysen tar utgangspunkt i et KI-kapabilitetsperspektiv, som brukes til å undersøke hvilke materielle, menneskelige og immaterielle ressurser etaten har for å arbeide med KI. I tillegg anvendes søppelbøttemodellen for å belyse hvordan beslutningsprosesser, problemer, løsninger og deltakere kobles i KI-arbeidet. Analysen suppleres også med begrepene strategisk konsensus og ambideksteritet. Funnene viser at Skatteetaten har flere viktige forutsetninger for å lykkes med KI-arbeidet, blant annet sterke fagmiljøer, høy teknisk kompetanse, godt datagrunnlag og en tydelig ambisjon om å ta i bruk ny teknologi. Samtidig peker studien på betydelige organisatoriske og styringsmessige utfordringer. Strategiske føringer oppleves som åpne og vanskelige å omsette til praksis, beslutningsløpene er uklare, og tid og økonomiske ressurser er begrensede. I tillegg preges KI-arbeidet av uklar rolle- og ansvarsfordeling, krevende koordinering på tvers av divisjoner og fagmiljøer, og manglende sammenheng mellom utforsking og produksjonssetting. Studien argumenterer for at Skatteetatens KI-arbeid formes av en ubalanse mellom sterke tekniske kapabiliteter og svakere organisatoriske mekanismer for prioritering, koordinering og implementering. Studien viser hvordan KI-initiativer ikke bare avhenger av tilgang på data, teknologi og kompetanse, men også av beslutningsanledninger der problemer, løsninger og relevante aktører kobles sammen. Oppgaven bidrar med empirisk innsikt og en mer helhetlig forståelse av KI-arbeid i offentlig sektor.

• Finstad, Jørgen & Skaanevik, Christian (2026). Fra Student til Kunnskapsarbeider: Overføring av AI kompetanse fra Høyere Utdanning til Arbeidslivet. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  --- Sammendrag vil publiseres: 2029-05-04

• Bugge., Markus & Westlund., Sara Louise (2026). Når virkeligheten kan forfalskes. En analyse av deepfakes og tillitsmisbruk i Europa. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Denne masteroppgaven undersøker hvordan dokumenterte europeiske deepfake-hendelser synliggjør nye former for tillitsmisbruk og skade, og hvorfor den europeiske institusjonelle responsen ser ut til å henge etter denne utviklingen. Utgangspunktet for oppgaven er at deepfakes ikke bare representerer en ny teknologisk kapasitet til å produsere falskt innhold, men også en utfordring for autentisitet, autoritet og troverdighet i digitale samfunn. Når stemmer, ansikter og audiovisuelle uttrykk kan manipuleres slik at de fremstår ekte, oppstår det nye muligheter for svindel, sosial manipulering, personlig krenkelse og samfunnsmessig påvirkning. Studien bygger på et kvalitativt, dokumentbasert forskningsdesign. Datagrunnlaget består av seks dokumenterte deepfake-hendelser med europeisk relevans, hentet fra AI Incident Database, samt et avgrenset utvalg europeiske styrings- og reguleringsdokumenter. Blant de sentrale dokumentene er EU AI Act, ENISA-rapporter og Europakommisjonens arbeid med transparens og merking av AI-generert innhold. Analysen gjennomføres i tre trinn: først analyseres hendelsene enkeltvis, deretter undersøkes mønstre på tvers av casene, og til slutt analyseres hvordan deepfake-relaterte risikoer beskrives og håndteres i europeiske dokumenter. Teoretisk tar oppgaven utgangspunkt i Multi-Level Perspective, Technological Innovation Systems og Borrás og Edlers perspektiv på governance i sosio-tekniske endringsprosesser. Multi-Level Perspective brukes til å forstå hvordan deepfakes utvikler seg fra et mer avgrenset teknologisk fenomen til et bredere samfunnsmessig tillitsproblem. Technological Innovation Systems brukes til å analysere hvordan den institusjonelle responsen formes, og hvorfor den kan fremstå som fragmentert, ujevn eller forsinket. Governance-perspektivet brukes til å tydeliggjøre hvorfor deepfakes er krevende å håndtere institusjonelt, der fenomenet krysser etablerte sektorgrenser og gjør det nødvendig å se ansvar, virkemidler og responskapasitet i sammenheng. Oppgavens hovedfunn er at deepfakes bør forstås som et bredt tillitsproblem snarere enn bare som et spørsmål om falskt innhold. De utvalgte hendelsene viser at teknologien brukes til å etterligne personer, aktivere tillit og påvirke mottakere i situasjoner der de forventes å tro på det som formidles eller handle på grunnlag av det. Analysen viser samtidig at den europeiske responsen er tydelig, men ofte mer generell og mindre situasjonstilpasset enn de skadeformene og tillitsbruddene som kommer til syne i materialet. Selv om Europa har etablert et regulatorisk og institusjonelt rammeverk for AI-relaterte risikoer, peker oppgaven mot at deepfakes utfordrer styringssystemer som fortsatt i stor grad er organisert gjennom sektorskiller, brede virkemidler og gradvis institusjonell utvikling. Oppgaven bidrar dermed til å belyse deepfakes som et fenomen i skjæringspunktet mellom teknologi, tillit og styring. Den viser at utfordringen ikke bare ligger i å identifisere falskt innhold, men i å utvikle institusjonelle svar som er tilstrekkelig robuste, samordnede og situasjonstilpassede til å møte en teknologi som virker på tvers av flere samfunnsområder.

• Engen, Stine; Svenberg, Sebastian & Nielsen, Sara Lunde (2026). Selvforsyning som tall, politikk og fremtid. En kvalitativ studie av hvordan selvforsyning forstås, defineres og praktiseres av ulike aktører i Norge. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Norge har ambisiøse mål om å øke selvforsyningsgraden de kommende årene. Denne masteroppgaven undersøker hvordan ulike aktører konstruerer, forhandler og praktiserer selvforsyning i norsk matproduksjon. Med utgangspunkt i vitenskaps- og teknologistudier (STS) er selvforsyning studert som en kontrovers – ikke som et problem som skal løses, men som en situasjon der det som ellers blir tatt for gitt blir synlig. Oppgaven er organisert rundt tre analytiske steder: selvforsyning som tall, selvforsyning som politikk og selvforsyning som fremtid. For å besvare oppgavens forskningsspørsmål er det benyttet en kvalitativ metodisk tilnærming, som kombinerer dokumentanalyse, semistrukturert intervju, og observasjoner. Det er tre politiske og faglige dokumenter som er analysert: Jordbruksavtalen 2025 – 2026, Resultatkontrollen for gjennomføring av landbrukspolitikken 2025, og Selvforsyningsgrad – sammenligning av norske og internasjonale beregninger. Det er gjennomført intervjuer med bønder fra Jæren med ulike produksjoner, en fra Felleskjøpet, og en tidligere bonde, som er bankansatt med erfaring fra landbruksfinansiering. I tillegg er det gjort observasjoner under et Stormøte på Varhaug. Det empiriske materialet er analysert gjennom aktør- nettverksteori. Funnen viser at selvforsyning ikke er et entydig begrep med én definisjon og én løsning, men et felt med ulike forståelser, kunnskapsformer og interesser. Selvforsyningsgraden varierer betydelig avhengig av hvem som beregner den og hvilken metode som brukes. For 2022 var selvforsyningsgraden på alt fra 24 til 47 prosent avhengig av hvilke definisjoner som ligger til grunn og faktorer som inkluderes. Videre viser funnene at det eksisterer en spenning mellom politiske ambisjoner om økt selvforsyning, og den hverdagslige praksisen i norsk matproduksjon. Bønders praksisbaserte kunnskap om jord, klima, teknologi og marked oversettes ikke uten videre til politiske dokumenter og beregningsmodeller. Fremtidens selvforsyning formes ikke bare av politiske vedtak, men også av naturens egne betingelser, og forbrukernes matvalg. Oppgaven konkluderer med at det er vesentlig å studere flere sider ved fenomener, som selvforsyning, og inkludere ulike aktører for å tilegne ulike former for kunnskap og erfaringer. Studien bidrar til eksisterende forskning ved å anvende et STS- perspektiv på en norsk selvforsyningskontekst, og ved å synliggjøre bønders praksisbaserte kunnskap som en viktig kunnskapsform i selvforsyningsdebatten.

• Skogen, Kari-Elisabeth Vambeseth (2026). Using research: Perspectives from inside policy organisations. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This thesis is about the use of research among civil servants in – primarily – Norwegian ministries. I am a civil servant working in the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research, and the motivation behind this study is an honest curiosity about how civil servants practically engage with and integrate research in the tasks they conduct. Public policy is increasingly expected to be based on updated scientific evidence (Christensen and Holst, 2021), and the notion of evidence-based policy appeals to politicians, civil servants, researchers, and society at large. However, policy development is undeniably complex. What is politically desirable does not simply refer to what the political leadership want based on ideology, party policy and government platform. It also includes legality, international relations and settings, anecdotes, lobbyism, media attention, the state budget, and probably much more. These are often competing interests to the use of research (narrow understanding of evidence, produced following scientific standards) in policymaking. But the barriers – and drivers – to using research exceed those related to the political tug of war. Research is rarely straightforward, neither to produce nor to access, understand or use. Perhaps due to this complexity, the use and impact of research in policy has been a hot topic among scholars across disciplines for several decades (e.g. Boswell and Smith, 2017, Landry et al., 2003, Caplan, 1979). Over the years, we have gained plentiful insights from the researchers’ point of view regarding how they produce and disseminate relevant research for policy. And about formal policy processes that are easily accessible for investigations. In this thesis, the user, the civil servant, is my point of departure. I argue that it is necessary to enter the organisation and study it from the inside to further disentangle and understand research use practices. My dual role as a researcher and a civil servant made this possible. As a result, the thesis offers novel and nuanced insights that deepen our understanding of hitherto hidden research use practices inside policy organisations. Guiding the work is an overall research question: How do civil servants use research knowledge in their daily tasks? The research question is answered through three papers in this multi-method study. The first paper is a literature review that gathers and summarises theoretical and empirical explanations for variation in research use. The second paper is based on a quantitative analysis of a large-scale survey among Norwegian civil servants, investigating how they connect research and policy through boundary spanning roles and activities. The third paper uses qualitative data from interviews and observant participation to study how civil servants integrate research knowledge into their tasks and how task characteristics influence these processes. Key findings include that i) the use of research is challenging to investigate in isolation because it is often used in combination with other sources and types of evidence, ii) individual civil servants have different patterns of practice in how they access, assess, and disseminate research, but there are few indications of open communication and sharing of practices within and across units and organisations, iii) task characteristics such as the time available, the complexity of the task, and the degree of political involvement influence how research and evidence is used and integrated into the task at hand, and that iv) research use is a cyclical endeavour, and tasks and conditions that influence research use processes are connected and often dependent on each other. The thesis concludes with implications for practice, highlighting the need for time, competence and structures to build capacity and reap the benefits of complementary individual efforts.

• Scordato, Lisa Adina (2026). Public sector capabilities for resilience. Tensions between knowledge and action in crisis management. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This thesis is motivated by the need to better understand how leaders and professionals in public authorities can effectively respond to large-scale crises that place pressure on existing protocols and procedures for addressing them. Large-scale crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic or climate-induced disasters (e.g., floods and droughts), create new threat environments requiring rethinking and adapting current crisis management structures. This presents a dilemma for bureaucratic authorities entrusted by society to manage and coordinate swift and meaningful responses. However, a problem is that they often rely on traditional risk management approaches, prioritizing known threats, technical data, and historical trends. The thesis is positioned within the crisis management literature and draws upon ideas from sustainability transitions and policy studies. Based on these perspectives, it explores how public sector organizations can manage unknowns in large-scale crises and under what conditions public sector capabilities for resilience are enabled or constrained. A better understanding of how to meaningfully respond to new types of threats has increasingly been recognized as an important research area within studies of crisis management in public administration. One of the key concerns of this research is the tension and persistent disconnect between knowledge and action. This thesis provides a closer examination of the knowing-doing relationship in crisis management, particularly emphasising how resilience—the ability to cope with and adapt to disruptions—plays out in practice within local public administrations. More specifically, the thesis explores the broader implications of resilience as a capability to adapt to unforeseen threats. An interpretive perspective informs the research design, drawing on qualitative research methods to study public sector organizations in Norway and Italy. The dissertation also includes a systematic literature review on the conceptualization of resilience in sustainability transitions research. The review provided insights that were applied and reflected upon in the two empirical papers. The thesis emphasizes that there is no single optimal way to connect knowledge and action, which will enhance crisis management performance. What becomes important is recognizing the key role of different forms of knowledge to be better equipped. The thesis emphasizes the importance of recognizing procedural knowledge, which is manifested as intuition, wisdom, pragmatism, and networks of relationships built on trust alongside structural features. Two main conceptual contributions can be drawn from the dissertation. The first relates to how resilience is tied to shocks and disruptions in the sustainability transitions of sociotechnical systems. While sustainability transitions scholarship has historically focused on shocks and disruptions as windows of opportunity for policy change and transformations, studies have only recently placed explicit focus on the crises themselves and on how they impact the development of new social practices and structures. Moreover, transition studies’ concern with long-term structural changes has overlooked the immediate social and cultural aspects of managing disruptions. This thesis addresses this gap, drawing on crisis management literature, and contributes insights into how public authorities are adapting to become more prepared and aware of unpredictable threats. A key contribution of this thesis lies in its emphasis on how resilience plays out in crisis management and the pivotal role of interpersonal and social dimensions as foundational conditions for resilience. The second insight pertains to the intricate balance between rational and pragmatic approaches in addressing contemporary crises. Through my research, I have observed how these tensions have played out and how actors have addressed issues related to flexibility, adaptability, and pragmatism. As public authorities' crisis management structures continue to be tested, the demand for adaptive approaches that incorporate improvisation, intuition, and flexible decision-making will increase. However, achieving this shift requires a strong and persistent focus on enabling conditions and social structures built on trust as an essential resource in crisis management. The thesis comprises three articles published in or under review in various peer-reviewed journals. The articles are preceded by an introductory chapter that provides the overall theoretical background, explains the core concepts used, outlines the research design, and discusses the central findings.

• Nyberg, Martin Emil (2025). Enacting Terroir: Climate Change, Valuation and Co-Production in the Vineyards of Piedmont. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive
• Lande, Hilde Vatne (2025). Innebygd arkivering. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive
• Eidset, Frøydis (2025). Å verdsette det verdiløse: En studie av hvordan «pay-or-consent» utfordrer personvern og verdien av persondata i den datadrevne økonomien. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive
• Vold, Oda Karine Frøyen (2025). Implementing AI in Norwegian Newsrooms - The process of adopting AI in journalism. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This thesis explores how artificial intelligence (AI) is being implemented in Norwegian newsrooms. Special attention has been paid to how this innovation process unfolds in Norwegian editorial organizations. The project looks at how the newsrooms began using AI tools, how they approach the technological shift, and what kinds of strategies and decisions are involved. The research is based on qualitative interviews with newsroom managers in eight news distributors in Norway. Two theoretical concepts are applied: The Four A`s Framework and the Multi-level perspective (MLP). The findings are analyzed through these lenses. The analysis reveals how AI is still in an early stage of adoption, marked by experimentation, uncertainty and learning through practice. The main research question guiding this thesis is: «How do media managers in Norwegian newsrooms approach the implementation of AI tools into editorial workflows? ». By combining theory and empirical data, the thesis finds that AI is being treated as a radical and potentially transformative technology, yet its use is still being tested and shaped, The findings show that while the process is still in its early stages, there is great motivation from management to move forward with the implementation process. The thesis contributes to the field of innovation- and journalism studies by offering a detailed look at how innovation processes unfold in journalism during a time of technological transition.

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