Utilizing the multi-level perspective in empirical field research: methodological considerations - Transition Pathways towards Sustainability in Agriculture: Case Studies from Europe - page 51

Chapter 4

Utilizing the multi-level perspective in
empirical field research: methodological
considerations

P. Karanikolas 1 , G. Vlahos 1 , L-A. Sutherland 2

1 Agricultural University of Athens ([e-mail]); 2 James Hutton Institute, Aberdeen

Introduction

In this chapter we identify the challenges of operationalizing the multi-level perspective
(MLP) in empirical field research, and draw on experiences from field work in the
FarmPath project as a case study of how these issues can be addressed. As described in
Sutherland et al. a (this volume) the purpose of the FarmPath project - and the basis of this
book - is to improve our understanding of transition processes in European agriculture. In
particular, the research focuses on transitions in the making, emphasizing niches which are
in the 'take-off' phase. The research also had a normative aim, specifically to understand
sustainability transitions. Sustainability is understood as a process which takes into account
regional differences in the forms and capabilities of the agricultural sector. In light of this
definition, a transdisciplinary approach was adopted. Each of these orientations of the
research poses specific challenges to the development of methodology.
In conceptualizing sustainability transitions, we utilize the multi-level perspective. The
MLP is perhaps the most frequently used of a number of strands of research falling within
the broader literature on socio-technical transitions. Other strands include strategic niche
management (Caniëlsa and Romijnb, 2008; Schot and Geels, 2008) and transition
management (Loorbach, 2007; Voß et al ., 2009), which share similar theoretical roots. The
appeal of the MLP approach is in its ability to address the dynamics of large -scale socio-
technical systems, and the sustainability challenges that they represent (Smith et al. , 2010).
All three perspectives adopt the position that major change (or transition) occurs through
interactions on three levels: niches (where innovations emerge and gain support); regimes
(rules and established patterns of action); and landscapes (factors beyond the niche and
regime levels). Over the past decade, an extensive literature has developed in which the
MLP is applied in analyses of transition in various industries, including transportation,
energy, public sanitation, food production and entertainment. However, in keeping with the
roots of the MLP in evolutionary economics and the history of technology, these analyses
predominantly focus on completed, historical transitions. The emphasis on understanding
the transition from niche innovation to mainstream - which is conceptualized as occurring
over the course of decades - requires an historical approach. In the research presented in