The influence of different framing strategies in the social construction of a niche: ambidexterity in developing a bio resource market

Which framing strategy helps developing a regional bio resource market? Building on literature interested in the social construction of niches in the renewable energy technology, we examine how the enactment of different framing strategies (diagnostic, prognostic, and motivational) influence how a niche is shielded against competing bio-resource niches, how mobilization and learning unfolds, and pre-determine the strategies underlying the empowerment of a niche. In a comparative study, we evaluate two regional bio-resource projects aimed to develop a sustainable bio resource market for small scale combustion in the Netherlands in the period 2009 until 2014. In analyzing the first project, we found that a diagnostic framing strategy that emphasizes the sustainable character of a project is important for shielding a bio-resource project as well as developing exposure and legitimacy. However, it constrains mobilization and learning processes and requires a radical transformation of existing logics and practices. In the second project, we found that prognostic and motivational framing strategies are useful to spur nurturing in terms of mobilization and learning because such strategies provide a rational for action especially when such strategies account for the individual economic and image benefits of participating parties. Overall, our study suggest that a diagnostic frame is important to justify a bio-resource project but should not overshadow the processes that support the nurturing and empowerment of a bio resource niche. This papers aims to contribute to scholarship interested in the social construction of renewable energy niches by showing how framing strategies influence the development of niches. Furthermore, we offer interested renewable energy practitioners a taxonomy of framing strategies that can be used for shielding, nurturing, and empowering their ideas.