Abstract
Sustainability transitions in complex industrial network, e.g. shipbuilding supply network, require leadership approaches capable of navigating multi‑actor networks, long value chains, and systemic uncertainty. While transition research often draws on the Multi‑Level Perspective (MLP) to conceptualize multi-scalar change dynamics, leadership studies emphasize the relational and networked nature of influence in collaborative systems. At the same time, the Collective Impact (CI) model highlights structured, cross-sector collaboration as a driver of large-scale change.
However, little is known about what happens when network leadership attempts to integrate these three perspectives simultaneously. This article examines the tensions and opportunities that arise when MLP, network leadership, and CI principles are combined as lenses for understanding and guiding sustainability transitions in network-level contexts.