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Services and the Green Economy pp 99–124Cite as

Palgrave Macmillan

The Transformative Roles of Knowledge-Intensive Business Services in Developing Green ICT: Evidence from Gothenburg, Sweden

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Abstract

The spatial complexities of green economy are sparse in the literature but there is growing interest in research on Environmental Economic Geography as an emerging field (Bridge 2008; Soyez and Schulz 2008), the local aspects of developing green technology (Weiss 2008), and the eco-network (Störmer 2008) as well as theoretical/empirical contributions to the conceptualization of green economy (Caprotti and Bailey 2014; Gibbs and O’Neill 2014). Ecological modernization and transition management approaches have been influencing geographers (Aoyama et al. 2010, p. 221; Cooke 2013). The ecological modernization perspective embraces the role of technology innovation and institution to unfold the green future. The transition theory applies a systematic perspective to stress that this process involves the co-evolution of social, economic, political and scientific-technological subsystems (Cooke 2011). However, none of these thoughts emphasizes the role of service activities, in particular the knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) activities during green transition. If technology, institution and structure are the visible components of the ‘greening’ system, what are the soft conjunctions to connect and synchronize these heterogeneous activities? This question leads us to think about the roles of KIBS in the greening process of the economy. Previous research shows that KIBS are of importance in economic structural change and regional competitiveness as co-producers of innovation (Wood 2009; Bryson 2009; Ström and Wahlqvist 2010; Daniels 2013; Yeh and Yang 2013). A recent study of the business service industry for the European Union also shows the importance and potential of advanced services for future economic growth (EU 2014). One of the most significant contributions from these services is the intermediary role they play for knowledge transfer and productivity gains across industrial bases. Additionally, the international reach of these service providers is also important for achieving cross-sector competitive advantage. The techno-social transition to an energy-efficient, low-carbon economy is also a process of innovation. KIBS make up the ‘glue’ that holds heterogeneous economic activities together (Riddle 1986, p. 26) and act as facilitators, carriers or sources of innovation (Hertog 2000).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for International Business Studies/Economic Geography, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

    Xiangxuan Xu & Patrik Ström

Authors
  1. Xiangxuan Xu
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  2. Patrik Ström
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Sch of Arts & Social Science, City Univ London, London, United Kingdom

    Andrew Jones

  2. Department of Business Administration, University of Gothenburg, Goteborg, Sweden

    Patrik Ström

  3. NORRKÖPING, Sweden

    Brita Hermelin

  4. Department of Geography, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway

    Grete Rusten

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© 2016 The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s)

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Xu, X., Ström, P. (2016). The Transformative Roles of Knowledge-Intensive Business Services in Developing Green ICT: Evidence from Gothenburg, Sweden. In: Jones, A., Ström, P., Hermelin, B., Rusten, G. (eds) Services and the Green Economy. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-52710-3_5

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