Abstract for: How does the Multi-Level Perspective help to conceptualize a System Dynamics analysis of a specific transition challenge?

This paper addresses the challenge of identifying adequate theoretical starting points for problem oriented simulation studies of socio-technical transitions towards near fossil free energy services e.g. for housing and transportation. The identification of adequate starting points for simulation studies is becoming increasingly important for the generalization of simulation results as well as for theory refinement. We found that the Multi-Level Perspective (MLP) offers a helpful language for a modelling experiment based in a feedback perspective. This allows scientific conceptualization of a socio-technical transition challenge departing from an inter-subjective and hence scientific starting point. In addition feedback modelling appears to be a promising mathematical analysis approach that helps to substantiate the MLP. We have seen that the insights of the simulation experiment corroborate basics assumptions of the MLP concerning multi-level alignment processes but also discriminates the decisive determinants and governance mechanism that explain radical innovation and subsequently the creation of path dependency.