Projecting for Sustainability Transitions: Contrasting Two Types of Project-oriented Agency

A core problem in sustainability transitions is to ensure that actors come together and work on a common goal. Earlier research has argued that developing a project-oriented agency is essential to ensure transitions. By examining two contrasting cases, the Sustainable Transportation program and the Sustainable Hospital program, we identify two distinct types of project-oriented agency: (1) emergent and (2) induced. The former showcases an inclusive approach emphasizing open collaboration and resource mobilization, flexible goals, whereas the latter encompasses prescribed resource mobilization, contractual objectives, and deadlines. Beyond bottom-up vs. top-down dichotomies, these project-oriented agency types highlight different shaping contexts and logics of how actors mobilize projects for change. Our analysis identifies the nuanced dimensions of project-oriented agency and the impetuses, practices, and temporal structures through which they shape transition outcomes. The paper enriches the current understanding of how targeted projects and programs can bridge experimental niches with mainstream regime transformation, thereby enabling system-wide sustainability transitions.