We need a new economy: a playing field for business in which everyone can participate, that is rooted in nature, society and culture and cares for people and the earth. This innovation will come about by experimenting, learning, developing and conceptualising together. By questioning existing assumptions, taking radical alternatives seriously and by exploring new rules and assumptions.
The Economy in Common research group is a collaborative practice in which a range of innovative ideas come together relating to, for example, business and organisational models, economic ecosystems and groundbreaking practices in start-ups, scale-ups and free spaces within established companies. A place where innovative entrepreneurs, radical thinkers, creative spirits and doers, students and researchers cooperate to put together the pieces of a puzzle brought to the table by all the different players in order to create a picture of a new economy in the making. In the research group, art, science and practice work together.
We live in an age in which everything seems possible, every dream can come true. But we are reaching the limits of what our planet can sustain. We still haven’t succeeded in ending poverty, inequality and exclusion. What forms of economics, business and organisation contribute to achieving the goal of wellbeing for all, living together in harmony with each other and the planet? An economy that was conceived by humans can also be questioned by humans. We can modify and redesign it.
This research group has the following research programmes:
- Collaborative and collective economies: how can we organise access to and influence the operation and purpose of the market?
- Nature-inclusive economies: what do economies in which people, different species and nature work together on the basis of equality look like?
- Future development: what values and skills do we need in order to develop the future together?
- Change research: how do we conduct research together that brings about change?
Associate research group
The associate research group ‘Collaborate to Regenerate’ headed by associate professor Karen Janssen is part of the research group. This research programme focuses specifically on working together in collaborative value models for a regenerative circular economy. The most important subjects are:
- (re)designing partnerships in order to achieve a fair and equitable value network,
- focused on creating multiple value and positive impact,
- based on the development of a holistic, shared approach to the system,
- in which technical and biological materials flow continuously (in a circular fashion).
We approach this through learning based on (radical) designs and active co-creation.