The wife and I have a 'nuclear option' in our infrequent bickerings, namely "whatever you need to tell yourself". It's such a supreme asshole move that we use it either sparingly or tongue-in-cheek. Because, after all, it is a claim to superior knowledge over someone else's 'false consciousness', isn't it? And indifference to that view,... Continue Reading →
Innovation journeys and “proof of concept”
New technologies have the "liability of newness". People are understandably worried about what might go wrong, who would be paying for the cost of the clean-up and so on. And those who are quite happy making money/sustaining their power from the current way of doing things (aka "incumbents") are not above a little lying/fixing of... Continue Reading →
DDT is good for meeeee!! And ‘defensive institutional work’
So, the latest to write about in my 'only read what you intent to blog' Maguire, S. and Hardy, C. 2009. Discourse and Deinstitutionalization: The Decline of DDT. Academy of Management Journal, Vo. 52, (1), pp.148-178. There’s heaps of good stuff in this paper, which is about how DDT went from hero to zero in... Continue Reading →
How the sun also rises- on solar energy, institutional shifts and industry creation
Day three of my policy of writing about each paper/book I read under three categories (in escalating importance a) highlight interesting theory/facts b) relate the reading to other (academic) reading, and c) how it helps me move forward on my Thesis, (Handing Over M-phatically August/September ’17) (aka "THOMAS"). Today's article (and yes, having... Continue Reading →
Blame games and framing battles over renewables in South Australia
Adelaide and energy systems have one thing in common – they rarely dominate the news agenda in Australia. However, twice in the past three months they have been front and centre. That reveals something interesting about the 'framing battles' taking place over renewable energy and whose vision for Australia's future will win. Price spike and... Continue Reading →
Concern trolling, gaslighting, lying and other corporate strategies versus transition…
Day two of my new policy about writing what I read. a) highlight interesting theory/facts b) relate the reading to other (academic) reading, and c) how it helps me move forward on my Thesis, (Handing Over M-phatically August/September (’17) (Thomas). This paper below came via my supervisor and it is bloody fantastic. Smink,... Continue Reading →
Two Lewises and the America Empire. Oh, and resonance machines…
So, new policy. Stuff that gets read while I walk around the park with a backpack full of books and weights [walk in the park], gets written up before I am allowed to do any more reading. And the job is to try to a) highlight interesting theory/facts b) relate the reading to other (academic)... Continue Reading →
“Turn, turn, turn” -policy theory is for the Byrds…
So, there is a corking PhD that I am reading. It's called The politics of governing ‘system innovations’ towards sustainable electricity systems. You can find it here. Mustn't quote too much, obviously (copyright etc). but this was useful, from page 27- 8 *** Traditionally, “Political sociology and political science have focused on how the pursuit of self-interest... Continue Reading →
The upside of coal
See below for a truly extraordinary coal advert from 1975, where, looking for fresh workers, the UK National Coal Board basically says "this job is a fanny magnet." Meanwhile, I just finished Evelyn Waugh's Put Out More Flags, which some say is his best. Published in 1942, it is about the phoney war - it... Continue Reading →
Vale Erik Petersen – “Old time mem’ry”
Just found out that Erik Petersen, of Mischief Brew died earlier this year. I never saw him perform, and have only today been listening to his (excellent) work. Al Baker had covered one of his songs (co-written with Robert Blake), which he kindly played at my wedding. It's a corker; beautiful to listen to, the... Continue Reading →
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