Destabilisation and Discontinuation of and by Innovation

This chapter focuses on the destabilization and discontinuation of and by innovation. It explores how both emerging socio-technical innovations as well as established socio-technical systems decline and end—a dimension of innovation dynamics that has received insufficient attention in mainstream research. We identify four distinct scenarios of system decline: nonstart (innovations that never launch), rupture of innovation (promising developments that fail during implementation), decline of established systems (erosion of mature technologies), and aftercare (managing the remnants after a system’s demise).

The chapter distinguishes between, on the one hand, destabilization and discontinuation impacting on emerging innovations and, on the other hand, destabilization and discontinuation that is triggered or enabled by socio-technical innovations. It also differentiates between passive destabilization—where systems weaken through uncoordinated pressures and internal contradictions—and active discontinuation—where deliberate governance interventions purposefully dismantle existing arrangements. Drawing on conceptual frameworks from transition studies, path dependence theory, and organizational research, we demonstrate that discontinuation represents neither failure nor the opposite of innovation, but rather a necessary complement to it. Understanding how the “old” disappears is as crucial as understanding how the “new” emerges.

We argue that destabilization and discontinuation deserve systematic attention as widespread phenomena that shape technological change, influence policy effectiveness, and determine which futures become possible. This perspective challenges innovation studies’ traditional focus on novelty and growth by revealing the active work required to exit unsustainable pathways.