Weaving sustainability: Asset modification and green path development in Norway’s outdoor textile industry

Abstract

The article contributes to the literature on industrial path development through its focus on asset modification for green path development in the Norwegian outdoor textile industry. The authors drew on the concepts of green path development and asset modification to develop a theoretical framework that describes green industrial restructuring as a process by which firms build on various firm-level and system-level assets that are altered through different asset modification modes, which in turn leads to different green path development outcomes. The framework was applied in a study of the greening of the Norwegian outdoor textile industry. A case study was based on data from interviews with firm leaders and industry experts. The findings show that all modes of asset modification are at play in the ongoing greening process. However, asset upgrading and asset creation play a central role. Furthermore, firm-level assets in combination with system-level assets at national and supranational scales are particularly important inputs to the greening of the industry. The authors conclude that in contrast to findings from previous research on industrial path development, regional-level assets play a minor role, which can be explained by the lack of geographical clustering and local embeddedness of the industry.