Interactions Among Multiple Niche-Innovations and Multi-regimes: The Case of the “Welfare Mall” in Higashiomi

Abstract

This chapter focusses on the dynamics of interactions among multiple niche-innovations and multi-regimes that occur under the pressure of slow but structural landscape changes. The energy transition, for example, is one of the core and broad changes that fundamentally impact not only the energy system but also systems of food, agriculture, and healthcare, as well as patterns of economic activity. Little work has been done on sustainability transitions that involve multiple niche-innovations, which may interact with each other as well as with regimes. This chapter investigates the case of the city of Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, where a community business project called the “Welfare Mall” clustered local production of food, energy, and elderly care in one shopping mall-like venue. The project is ongoing as of this writing. This chapter focuses on the common struggles and challenges of regimes in different domains under the pressure of fundamental landscape shifts. Using the concepts of multi-level and multi-regime, the central issue concerns how the bottom-up attempt of multi-niche innovations from a geographically local context interacts with multiple regimes. We identify the multi-niche as a nexus of geographic proximity and multi-domain interaction, and therefore as a typical example of urban transition. Furthermore, the case underscores the relevance of reflexive activities for urban transition management.