The emerging research landscape on bioeconomy: What has been done so far and what is essential from a technology and innovation management perspective? Birte Golembiewski a, ⁎, Nathalie Sick b , Stefanie Bröring c a University of Münster, Institute of Business Administration at the Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, 48149 Münster, Germany b University of Münster, Institute of Business Administration at the Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, 48149 Münster, Germany c University of Bonn, Chair for Technology and Innovation Management in Agribusiness, 53115 Bonn, Germany abstract article info Article history: Received 8 October 2014 Received in revised form 19 December 2014 Accepted 5 March 2015 Available online 21 March 2015 Keywords: Bioeconomy Publication analysis Technology and innovation management As the global resource base is in need to move from fossil towards bio-based raw materials, different supply chains as well as existing technology platforms become increasingly interconnected. The therefore needed creation and exchange of new knowledge across scientific disciplines require R&D and target technology development and innovation, linking the knowledge-based bioeconomy to technology and innovation manage- ment research. In order to get an overview of the current research landscape dealing with the bioeconomy, a publication analysis is conducted. As the number of empirical studies, particularly in management research, is low, our study reveals that the evolution of the bioeconomy is still on a strategic level. Existing studies focus on knowledge networks, open innovation andtechnologies applicable across value chains to enable a holistic view on organizing future resource allocation and biomass flows. Scientific research in several dimensions is needed to elaborate the bioeconomy concept to make its implementation manageable. Industrial relevance: Value chains, particularly of the agri-food, industrial products and energy sector, will increasingly converge due to the shift to bio-based raw materials leading to a mutual dependence and triggering new material flows and food processing technologies. This paper suggests that essential innovation management related research frames might contribute to a sustainable evolution of the bioeconomy by addressing the major challenges. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Contents 1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309 2. Definition and challenges of the emerging bioeconomy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309 2.1. Definition and development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309 2.2. The role and challenges of technology and innovation management within the process of moving towards a bioeconomy . . . . . . . . . 310 2.2.1. The complex knowledge base — challenge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310 2.2.2. The converging technologies — challenge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310 2.2.3. The commercialization and market diffusion — challenge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310 3. Publication analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311 3.1. Data and method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311 3.2. Findings of the publication analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311 4. Discussion: Matching emerging challenges of the bioeconomy with research frames of TIM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311 4.1. Research frames concerning the complex knowledge base — challenge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312 4.1.1. Knowledge management within the changing environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312 4.1.2. Open innovation to fill competency gaps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312 4.2. Research frames concerning the converging technologies — challenge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314 4.2.1. Technology transfer for sustainable innovation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314 4.2.2. Technology convergence and converging value chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314 Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies 29 (2015) 308–317 ⁎ Corresponding author. Tel.: +49 2518331827; fax: +49 2518331818. E-mail addresses: Birte.Golembiewski@uni-muenster.de (B. Golembiewski), Nathalie.Sick@uni-muenster.de (N. Sick), S.Broering@ilr.uni-bonn.de (S. Bröring). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ifset.2015.03.006 1466-8564/© 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/ifset