Entrepreneurs are often envisioned as small private start-up firms operating against all odds. Here, we investigate how in the context of the Triple Helix various entrepreneurs form communities and drive institutional and technological change. To theoretically shape a socialized view of entrepreneurship, we use the Triple Helix approach. Our empirical basis is a highly regulated sector driven by various agents, i.e. the Dutch energy system. As it depends very much on natural gas and relies less on renewables compared to similar countries, we analyse two cases where entrepreneurs drove the uptake of renewable energy sources. In our paper, we investigate how entrepreneurs from the private, public and academic sectors drive the evolution of the Triple Helix. From our results, two general features of entrepreneurship in the Triple Helix emerge. First of all, private stand-alone enterprises do not mirror entrepreneurs at large. Second, networks of various entrepreneurs are much more common and much more complex than usually anticipated. More specifically, we find that there are rather divergent developments in Dutch energy systems. Whereas in the case of Aardwarmte Den Haag, a number of key players collaborated in order to realize one specific technology, in the LochemEnergie case, we see a project-to-project approach supported by subsidies. In both cases, a variety of entrepreneurs from the private, public and academic sectors with different roles, goals, incentives, resources, knowledge and policy levers drive the development of their energy system. It depends on the actual situation on who has the incentives and resources to be in charge and act and to include others when it seems necessary. Entrepreneurs in such a set-up require particular skills including the ability to engage with their (knowledge) network, identify gaps, attract new participants and motivate the new and existing participants. Entrepreneurs managing these networks handle a whole range of semi-unpredictable actors and environmental factors that also influence each other; therefore, they can be defined as truly complex sociotechnological systems. As the development of local energy initiatives unfold along the way, entrepreneurs have to be flexible and open to organizational change. While large organizations such as municipalities or large multinational companies are usually less flexible, they might create space for smaller entrepreneurial activities by supporting individuals, start-ups or academics in finding novel solutions. At the same time, a major role for public entrepreneurs lies in stimulating and subsidizing entrepreneurs and their networks.The analytical framework provided here can be used to study the principles of the Triple Helix concept in a dynamic environment in which technological innovation requires the expertise and capabilities of multiple types of actors. Its function is not only to identify roles and types of entrepreneurs and their incentives, but to also assess which resources (knowledge, skills, subsidies) they can contribute to the initiative.@en

This paper reports on the refinement of constructive conflict methodology (CCM) combining Q methodology and stakeholder dialogue workshops for gas futures for the Netherlands. Since the end of the 1950s, natural gas exploration and exploitation has been a major focus of the Dutch energy policy. Discussions about the future of energy in the Netherlands tend to focus either on pro-gas or pro-renewable energy. Using Q methodology we have constructed more nuanced perspectives on the future of energy in the Netherlands. We used these perspectives in a stakeholder dialogue, in
which the participants further detailed the perspectives and discussed future policy options. Analysis of the outcomes of this process teaches us that the Netherlands remain gas-focused, that renewable energy sources are as much a dogma as nuclear power was in the 1960s, and that the prospect of an austere future is a non-debatable issue. From a methodological perspective it can be concluded that the refined methodology contributed to diversity in views, opened up the dominant discourse and led to learning among participating stakeholders.@en

The interconnected nature of the different components of smart grids is a prime example of complexity in technological systems. Developing such systems is highly dependent on the wishes and needs of end-users and other stakeholders. We argue that stakeholder values should be taken into consideration during the design and standardisation of complex infrastructures, and illustrate this with a case of smart meters and home energy management systems. We base our argument on the literature in the technology management fields, particularly those strands related to standardisation. We conduct a case study of the acceptance of smart meters (standards) in the Netherlands, based on stakeholder interviews. We use q-methodology to analyse the most salient values in this case. The Dutch smart meter case arguably demonstrates that a lack of consideration for stakeholder values led to the postponed roll-out of smart meters in the Netherlands. By not addressing privacy issues, economic advantages, and the need for informed consent, the roll-out of smart meters was delayed for several years. This lead to a more gradual approach and increased stakeholder involvement. This case may serve as an example for other European countries who also face public concern regarding the impact of advanced metering infrastructures.@en

Smart home energy systems are technically possible to realize but are not yet applied on a large scale partly due to the fact that no common standards exist that enable interconnection of components that make up these smart energy systems. Multiple standards have been developed which are competing in standards battles. In this paper we conduct a step by step approach for the identification of these standards battles. By giving an overview of the different standards battles. This study aims to decrease uncertainty for firms and other stakeholders involved; firms may not be aware of the different standards battles that are being vied. The cases of standards battles that are arrived at in this paper may be used by academics as candidate cases for standards battles for the home energy management system and may form a point of departure for commercial stakeholders such as firms.@en

In times of restructuring governmental policies and resources, the
need for strategic asset management is growing. Maturity models offer
organisations a structure to assist them in improving their asset management
performance. We present the results of a repeated maturity measurement based
on the infrastructure management maturity matrix (IM3) in Rijkswaterstaat, a
Dutch public infrastructure organisation. The IM3 distinguishes five maturity
levels from ad hoc to optimised, and seven asset management dimensions:
information management, internal coordination, external coordination, market
approach, risk management, processes and roles, and culture and leadership.
The results show significant progress on all dimensions, and continued learning
and widespread awareness of asset management in the organisation. In the
discussion, we reflect on the findings and possible future developments for the
organisation. We also discuss the potential impact of infrastructure maturity
models for the professionalisation of other asset intensive organisations@en