Felicity Kelliher & Leana ReinlRIKON Research Group

Waterford Institute of Technology, Ireland18th May 2015

The Green Economy

• “an economy that results in improved human well-being and reduced inequalities over the long term, while not exposing future generations to significant environmental risks and ecological scarcities” (UNEP, 2011: 9).

Research Question?

• How to engage SMEs in the emerging green economy in order to develop untapped economic resources and facilitate sustainable rural development?

• Ethos– Collegial approach to learner facilitation– Enable a research-informed model of practice– Pursue a policy-practice link among rural SMEs

• Goal– Engage rural SMEs in the Green Economy

How do we marry economy & environment in a rural context?

Grow through Green?Grow through Green?

The green debate (Ireland)

Policy reform

GND initiative (‘green collar’ jobs)

Drive forEco-innovation

??

A policy gap?

Policy…• EC (2007) objectives:

– 20% reduction in total EU greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels;

– 20% increase in energy efficiency by 2020;

– Increase in EU consumption from renewable resources to 20%

• Climate & Energy Package (EC, 2009)• Energy Efficiency Plan (EC, 2011)

• OECD: Green Growth Strategy (2011)

Practice…• Green-collar jobs?

• Translation from policy (EPA, 1993) to rural green initiatives has been slow.

• Still seeking ways & means to ‘decouple growth from natural capital depletion’ (OECD, 2011: 10).

Challenge of rural input momentum

Rural SME Engagement in the Green Economy

Input-Output EthosInvest = green jobs

Rural Collaboration (cross the borders)

Döring & Schnellenbach, 2006 Walsh et al. 2012Mariadoss et al. 2011

Da Graҫa Carvalho et al. 2011 Kucera, 2009Renner et al. 2008

Aylward, 2012 Koch et al. 2006 Miles & Tully, 2007

Green Innovation & Future Technology

Renner et al. 2008 Kaufmann & Tödtling, 2002Kelliher & Reinl, 2009

Green Innovation and Future Technologies (GIFT)

GREEN JOBS

SKILLS

PROGRAMME

Partner Complimentary Strengths

Bangor University (Wales)

Waterford Institute of technology (Ireland)

UCD(Ireland)

SME/Corporate Knowledge Transfer

Gift Network: Gift Network: Purpose & DeliverablesPurpose & Deliverables

• Facilitate Connectivity

• Provide training in specialist theme areas

• Spreading knowledge on green practice

The resultant goals…• Develop a comprehensive cross-border green knowledge/ innovation

‘ecosystem’ comprised of all rural stakeholders to facilitate the green agenda with a portfolio of studies and actions;

• Provide technically-based training activities relating to business, the environment, climate change, energy, and waste management;

• Facilitate greater linkages within and between the various disciplines in higher education institutions (HEIs) and rural industry;

• Apply business activities which utilise the environment and can grow through green ways of working and new eco-products/ services.

Geographical Focus• Wales

Blended learning

Annual showcase/

awards

GIFT and the Green Economy

Blended learning

Annual showcase/

awards

SKILLS PROGRAMME

GREEN JOBS

GIFT and the Green Economy

This isn’t simple but it is rewarding

Proposed Framework:Implications for policy

• This research helped identify the core themes in interaction with the wider rural SME community.

• Framework Value– Contemplates knowledge

embodiment & organsiational innovativeness in the context of the green economy

– role in transforming embedded knowledge into embodied knowledge

– benefit of moving towards a sustainable green, smart economy.

• Business evolution– green innovation feeds back

out into a continuous community of practice cycle, facilitating the emergence of a stakeholder eco-system over time.

– new era of eco-innovation and environmentally-friendly business operations

Kelliher, F., Reinl, L. (eds). 2014, Green Innovation and Future Technology: Engaging

Regional SMEs in the Green Economy. Palgrave Pivot, UK.

Thank you for your time

Challenging the Rural Policy-Practice Gap:Engaging rural firms in the green economy