The Bren School of Environmental Science & Management
at the University of California, Santa Barbara

Presents

A RESEARCH COLLOQUIUM

"Escaping the Green Prison: the role of eco-entrepreneurship
in creating opportunities for environmental sustainability"

Hosted by Roland Geyer

See slides from the presentation

Abstract

In recent years, society has been turning increasingly to private organizations and individuals to respond to growing demands for environmental improvements. While entrepreneurial activity is considered to be an important force for social and ecological sustainability; its efficacy is dependent upon the nature of market incentives. This limitation is sometimes explained by the metaphor of the prisoner’s dilemma. In the context of environmental sustainability, this dilemma can be termed the "green prison." The lecture will explain how eco-entrepreneurs can escape the "green prison" by altering or creating institutional settings (norms, property rights, legislation etc.) and will show the key role that entrepreneurial communities and networking play in this endeavor.

Biography

Klaus Fichter is professor of Innovation and Sustainability Management in the Department of Economics, Management and Law at the University of Oldenburg, Germany. He is on the board of directors of the University's Center for Sustainability Economics and Management (CENTOS) and is head of the eco-entrepreneurship program of the Oldenburg Business School. He is also the founder and director of the Borderstep Institute for Innovation and Sustainability (www.borderstep.eu), an independent nonprofit think tank located in Berlin, Germany. The emphasis of his research is upon innovation management, eco-entrepreneurship, and the creation of sustainable innovations. His particular focus is therefore upon strategic and interactive methods, innovation communities, and entrepreneurial ecosystems.

NOTE: Research colloquia are hosted by Bren faculty members and are generally high-level talks about research in a particular area of environmental science and management.

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