Overview of interviewees.

This paper builds on the literature on mission-oriented innovation policy, governance, transition studies and innovation systems, and develops a structural-functional approach to formatively evaluate mission governance from a Mission-oriented Innovation Systems (MIS) perspective. Central to this MIS approach is the mission arena, a governance structure where actors formulate and govern the mission, by mobilizing and directing other, preexisting system components. Their goal is to meet the mission by developing and diffusing innovative mission solutions and destabilizing harmful practices. The MIS approach involves a problem-solutions diagnosis and an analysis of structural, functional, and systemic barriers. To provide formative mission governance recommendations, the systemic barriers are then contrasted with the mission arena’s governance tasks. To illustrate the value of the MIS approach, we use a case study of the Dutch mission for sustainable maritime shipping. This case study illustrates a mission arena striving to increase coherence amongst different innovation system structures in semblance of a MIS. The mission arena configuration of actors shaped the mission formulation and negotiated governance actions. Dominant industry networks negotiated green growth as problem direction and non-committal governance actions, which are likely ineffective for inherently transformative sustainability missions. The paper concludes by identifying directions for further developing the MIS approach and the mission arena concept.

本研究立足于面向任务的创新政策、治理、转型研究与创新系统领域的既有研究成果，从面向任务的创新系统（Mission-oriented Innovation Systems, MIS）视角出发，构建结构-功能分析框架，对任务治理开展形成性评估。该MIS方法的核心为任务场域：这是一类治理架构，行动者可通过该架构调动并引导既有的系统组成要素，制定并推进相关任务的治理工作。其核心目标为：通过研发与推广创新性任务解决方案、破除有害实践，达成既定任务目标。MIS方法涵盖问题-解决方案诊断，以及对结构性、功能性与系统性障碍的分析。为提出形成性的任务治理优化建议，研究将系统性障碍与任务场域的治理任务进行对比分析。为阐释MIS方法的应用价值，本文以荷兰可持续海运任务为案例开展实证研究。该案例展现了一个正致力于在不同创新系统结构间提升协调性，以初具MIS特征的任务场域。任务场域的行动者架构塑造了任务制定流程，并就治理行动开展多方协商。占据主导地位的行业网络将绿色增长界定为问题导向方向，并推动了敷衍保守的治理举措，而这类举措对于本质上具有变革性的可持续性任务而言，大概率难以发挥实效。本文最后提出了进一步完善MIS方法与任务场域概念的研究方向。