User-led Innovation Processes: The Development of Professional Car Sharing by Environmentally Concerned Citizens

Bernhard Truffer · 2003 · Innovation The European Journal of Social Science Research

Summary. User-led innovation drives early technology development and diffusion. Citizen groups shape technological characteristics, costs, and use forms, creating 'technological niches' where essential learning occurs. This case study traces organized car sharing in Switzerland from neighborhood experiments in the late 1980s to a professional service serving 50,000 customers. The research shows how users' initial contributions became difficult for professional actors to replicate, and examines how user roles shifted during market expansion toward sustainable transport.

Read the original

@article{truffer-2003-user-led-innovation-processes-development,
  title   = {User-led Innovation Processes: The Development of Professional Car Sharing by Environmentally Concerned Citizens},
  author  = {Bernhard Truffer},
  journal = {Innovation The European Journal of Social Science Research},
  year    = {2003},
  doi     = {10.1080/13511610304517},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1080/13511610304517}
}

TY  - JOUR
TI  - User-led Innovation Processes: The Development of Professional Car Sharing by Environmentally Concerned Citizens
AU  - Bernhard Truffer
JO  - Innovation The European Journal of Social Science Research
PY  - 2003
DO  - 10.1080/13511610304517
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1080/13511610304517
ER  - 

Details

DOI

10.1080/13511610304517

Countries

Switzerland

Regions

Europe

Categories

innovation-theory, transportation, general-innovation

Added

2026-04-28