Sociotechnical stability and equilibrium

Research on sociotechnical transitions depends on the identification of stable sociotechnical systems (STS) and evaluating when, why, and how they change. However, much research on STS includes only implicit reference to system stability. In contrast, research on social-ecological systems (SES) has a long history of investigating stability and equilibrium. In this text, we identify how stability is incorporated in SES research, and we identify three roles that equilibrium often takes in this process. We use these insights to inform our review of sociotechnical transitions literature and identify three pillars of sociotechnical stability. Reviewing literature on sociotechnical transitions through a focus on stability and equilibrium highlights important areas for future research on STS and how they change. Explicit and descriptive research on sociotechnical stability can help differentiate stochastic change from sociotechnical transition and improve understanding of sociotechnical resilience.