Looking beyond the hype : conditions affecting the promise of behaviour change apps as social innovations for low-carbon transitions

Wemyss, Devon; Cellina, Francesca; Grieder, Manuel; Schlüter, F.

doi:10.1016/j.eist.2023.100702

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-29304

Publication type:	Article in scientific journal
Type of review:	Peer review (publication)
Title:	Looking beyond the hype : conditions affecting the promise of behaviour change apps as social innovations for low-carbon transitions
Authors:	Wemyss, Devon Cellina, Francesca Grieder, Manuel Schlüter, F.
et. al:	No
DOI:	10.1016/j.eist.2023.100702 10.21256/zhaw-29304
Published in:	Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions
Issue:	47
Page(s):	100702
Issue Date:	Jun-2023
Publisher / Ed. Institution:	Elsevier
ISSN:	2210-4224 2210-4232
Language:	English
Subjects:	Social innovation; Behaviour change; Digital innovation; Smartphone app
Subject (DDC):	150: Psychology 302.23: Media
Abstract:	Digital tools, specifically smartphone apps, have emerged as enablers of social innovation for low- carbon transitions by using novel feedback to creatively engage people to act more sustainably, and thus capture the power of collective individual action. Such apps have increasingly been implemented in real-world experiments with positive results in the short-term. However critical reflection is required to look beyond this hype to understand the conditions for longer term impact, thus reaching a transformative social innovation potential. In this paper, we take two exemplary behaviour change apps and perform a cost-benefit analysis to assess the break-even point in number of users to achieve net-positive impact and discuss relevant technical, organisational, political and financial conditions that enable or impede this impact. We find that the required scale-up in users seems challenging, yet feasible. However, guaranteeing that the supportive conditions are available is necessary to warrant the focus on behaviour change apps by research and policy.
URI:	https://digitalcollection.zhaw.ch/handle/11475/29304
Fulltext version:	Published version
License (according to publishing contract):	CC BY 4.0: Attribution 4.0 International
Departement:	School of Management and Law
Organisational Unit:	Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IIE) Center for Energy and Environment (CEE)
Appears in collections:	Publikationen School of Management and Law

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Wemyss, D., Cellina, F., Grieder, M., & Schlüter, F. (2023). Looking beyond the hype : conditions affecting the promise of behaviour change apps as social innovations for low-carbon transitions. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 47, 100702. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eist.2023.100702

Wemyss, D. et al. (2023) ‘Looking beyond the hype : conditions affecting the promise of behaviour change apps as social innovations for low-carbon transitions’, Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, (47), p. 100702. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eist.2023.100702.

D. Wemyss, F. Cellina, M. Grieder, and F. Schlüter, “Looking beyond the hype : conditions affecting the promise of behaviour change apps as social innovations for low-carbon transitions,” Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, no. 47, p. 100702, Jun. 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.eist.2023.100702.

WEMYSS, Devon, Francesca CELLINA, Manuel GRIEDER und F. SCHLÜTER, 2023. Looking beyond the hype : conditions affecting the promise of behaviour change apps as social innovations for low-carbon transitions. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions. Juni 2023. Nr. 47, S. 100702. DOI 10.1016/j.eist.2023.100702

Wemyss, Devon, Francesca Cellina, Manuel Grieder, and F. Schlüter. 2023. “Looking beyond the Hype : Conditions Affecting the Promise of Behaviour Change Apps as Social Innovations for Low-Carbon Transitions.” Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, no. 47 (June): 100702. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eist.2023.100702.

Wemyss, Devon, et al. “Looking beyond the Hype : Conditions Affecting the Promise of Behaviour Change Apps as Social Innovations for Low-Carbon Transitions.” Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, no. 47, June 2023, p. 100702, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eist.2023.100702.