The role of transition intermediaries as capability builders for adopting radical innovation in incumbent firms : the case of the UK energy supply sector

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Gonzalez, Horacio and Hannon, Matthew and Tapinos, Efstathios (2026) The role of transition intermediaries as capability builders for adopting radical innovation in incumbent firms : the case of the UK energy supply sector. Business Strategy and the Environment. ISSN 1099-0836 (https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.70817)

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Abstract

Transition intermediaries play a pivotal role in configuring networks aligning the interests of stakeholders to achieve sustainable goals. However, the transition literature has paid little attention to the influence intermediaries can have in strengthening organisational capabilities. Especially in sectors that are slow to change, such as the energy supply industry, where entrenched incumbent firms maintain significant control. In this paper, we develop a conceptual framework for exploring the development of green absorptive capacity (GAC) in incumbent firms through the intervention of transition intermediary functions. We investigated this framework by qualitatively analysing the relationship between incumbent firms and transition intermediaries in the UK energy supply sector. The research found that transition intermediary functions can reduce the inherent risk of innovation through the provision of R&D resources and facilitate its absorption within incumbent firms. This study contributes to the intermediation field by integrating the resource-based view into the transition literature to create our conceptual framework. This enables a deeper examination of the role of transition intermediaries in supporting the development of capabilities for technology absorption in incumbent firms with limited prior engagement in corporate R&D.

ORCID iDs

Gonzalez, Horacio, Hannon, Matthew ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7811-3991 and Tapinos, Efstathios ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2409-6794;
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)