IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i11p6867-d831624.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Application of Mixed Methods in Transdisciplinary Research Projects on Sustainable Mobility

Author

Listed:
  • Ann Kathrin Stinder

    (Laboratory for Sustainability in Technology, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, Bochum University of Applied Sciences, 44801 Bochum, Germany)

  • Nora Schelte

    (Laboratory for Sustainability in Technology, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, Bochum University of Applied Sciences, 44801 Bochum, Germany)

  • Semih Severengiz

    (Laboratory for Sustainability in Technology, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, Bochum University of Applied Sciences, 44801 Bochum, Germany)

Abstract

Urban mobility systems are facing far-reaching structural transformations: There is the challenge of managing the growing volume of traffic and the associated environmental and social problems. On the one hand, novel micro-mobility services such as light electric vehicles (LEVs) show high potential for reducing emissions, e.g., through increased energy efficiency. On the other hand, they require change of urban mobility systems, e.g., through increasing shared concepts. The mixed methods approach is considered a good methodology for exploring the transformation of urban mobility systems since it can help to answer both technical and societal questions. Two transdisciplinary projects using the mixed method design were evaluated to improve the research for future mobility. To provide a critical reflection of the projects, a catalog of quality criteria was used to evaluate the research. This catalog was evaluated using structured interviews with project participants from research, practice and civil society. The results show that the combination of applied methods enables a comprehensive multi-perspective sustainability evaluation of urban micro-mobility concepts. The need for an early participatory research design was also evaluated. The result is an exemplary research design and a methodological guideline for the successful application of mixed methods for transformation research in the field of urban mobility systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Ann Kathrin Stinder & Nora Schelte & Semih Severengiz, 2022. "Application of Mixed Methods in Transdisciplinary Research Projects on Sustainable Mobility," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-25, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:11:p:6867-:d:831624
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/11/6867/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/11/6867/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Paola Jiron & Juan Antonio Carrasco, 2019. "Understanding Daily Mobility Strategies through Ethnographic, Time Use, and Social Network Lenses," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-16, December.
    2. Jürgen Furchtlehner & Daniela Lehner & Lilli Lička, 2022. "Sustainable Streetscapes: Design Approaches and Examples of Viennese Practice," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-21, January.
    3. Amelie Ewert & Mascha Brost & Christine Eisenmann & Sylvia Stieler, 2020. "Small and Light Electric Vehicles: An Analysis of Feasible Transport Impacts and Opportunities for Improved Urban Land Use," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-17, October.
    4. Anna Brdulak & Grażyna Chaberek & Jacek Jagodziński, 2020. "Determination of Electricity Demand by Personal Light Electric Vehicles (PLEVs): An Example of e-Motor Scooters in the Context of Large City Management in Poland," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-18, January.
    5. Karen Lucas & Ian Philips & Ersilia Verlinghieri, 2022. "A mixed methods approach to the social assessment of transport infrastructure projects," Transportation, Springer, vol. 49(1), pages 271-291, February.
    6. McKenzie, Grant, 2019. "Spatiotemporal comparative analysis of scooter-share and bike-share usage patterns in Washington, D.C," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 19-28.
    7. Rau, Henrike & Goggins, Gary & Fahy, Frances, 2018. "From invisibility to impact: Recognising the scientific and societal relevance of interdisciplinary sustainability research," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(1), pages 266-276.
    8. Draženko Glavić & Ana Trpković & Marina Milenković & Sreten Jevremović, 2021. "The E-Scooter Potential to Change Urban Mobility—Belgrade Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-29, May.
    9. Nora Schelte & Semih Severengiz & Jaron Schünemann & Sebastian Finke & Oskar Bauer & Matthias Metzen, 2021. "Life Cycle Assessment on Electric Moped Scooter Sharing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-20, July.
    10. Julia Schmale & Erika Von Schneidemesser & Axel Dörrie, 2015. "An Integrated Assessment Method for Sustainable Transport System Planning in a Middle Sized German City," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(2), pages 1-26, January.
    11. Arne Höltl & Cathy Macharis & Klaas De Brucker, 2017. "Pathways to Decarbonise the European Car Fleet: A Scenario Analysis Using the Backcasting Approach," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-20, December.
    12. repec:cdl:itsrrp:qt53z3h2gt is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Bernd Siebenhuner, 2004. "Social learning and sustainability science: which role can stakeholder participation play?," International Journal of Sustainable Development, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 7(2), pages 146-163.
    14. Clara Terrien & Rémi Maniak & Bo Chen & Susan Shaheen, 2016. "Good practices for advancing urban mobility innovation: A case study of one-way carsharing," Post-Print hal-02458822, HAL.
    15. Samira Dibaj & Aryan Hosseinzadeh & Miloš N. Mladenović & Robert Kluger, 2021. "Where Have Shared E-Scooters Taken Us So Far? A Review of Mobility Patterns, Usage Frequency, and Personas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-27, October.
    16. Chien-Wei Ho & Chi-Chuan Wu, 2021. "Exploring Intention toward Using an Electric Scooter: Integrating the Technology Readiness and Acceptance into Norm Activation Model (TRA-NAM)," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-11, October.
    17. Laura Gebhardt & Mascha Brost & Alexandra König, 2019. "An Inter- and Transdisciplinary Approach to Developing and Testing a New Sustainable Mobility System," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-22, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Joost, Jan-Marc & Lanzendorf, Martin & Weicker, Tonio, 2025. "Mobility transition through labs in real-world contexts. The contribution of transdisciplinary approaches in creating sustainable transportation systems," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nora Schelte & Semih Severengiz & Jaron Schünemann & Sebastian Finke & Oskar Bauer & Matthias Metzen, 2021. "Life Cycle Assessment on Electric Moped Scooter Sharing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-20, July.
    2. Santiago Eduardo & Erik Alexander Recklies & Malina Nikolic & Semih Severengiz, 2025. "A Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of End-of-Life Scenarios for Light Electric Vehicles: A Case Study of an Electric Moped," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-23, July.
    3. Zoi Christoforou & Christos Gioldasis & Yeltsin Valero & Grigoris Vasileiou-Voudouris, 2022. "Smart Traffic Data for the Analysis of Sustainable Travel Modes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-21, September.
    4. Roig-Costa, Oriol & Miralles-Guasch, Carme & Marquet, Oriol, 2024. "Shared bikes vs. private e-scooters. Understanding patterns of use and demand in a policy-constrained micromobility environment," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 116-125.
    5. Michel Noussan & Edoardo Campisi & Matteo Jarre, 2022. "Carbon Intensity of Passenger Transport Modes: A Review of Emission Factors, Their Variability and the Main Drivers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-16, August.
    6. Chien, Yu-Shyun & Lu, Chung-Cheng, 2025. "Investigating users’ intention to re-use shared electric scooters through a combined behavioral model," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 533-544.
    7. Cao, Zhejing & Zhang, Xiaohu & Chua, Kelman & Yu, Honghai & Zhao, Jinhua, 2021. "E-scooter sharing to serve short-distance transit trips: A Singapore case," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 177-196.
    8. Shiraki, Hiroto & Matsumoto, Ken'ichi & Shigetomi, Yosuke & Ehara, Tomoki & Ochi, Yuki & Ogawa, Yuki, 2020. "Factors affecting CO2 emissions from private automobiles in Japan: The impact of vehicle occupancy," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 259(C).
    9. Michał Kaczmarczyk & Anna Sowiżdżał, 2025. "Environmental and Social Dimensions of Energy Transformation Using Geothermal Energy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-23, July.
    10. Alexandra König & Laura Gebhardt & Kerstin Stark & Julia Schuppan, 2022. "A Multi-Perspective Assessment of the Introduction of E-Scooter Sharing in Germany," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-16, February.
    11. Chan, Ho-Yin & Xu, Yingying & Wang, Zhuowei & Chen, Anthony, 2024. "The deeper and wider social impacts of transportation infrastructure: From travel experience to sense of place and academic performance," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 158(C), pages 51-63.
    12. Tiziana Campisi & Anastasios Skoufas & Alexandros Kaltsidis & Socrates Basbas, 2021. "Gender Equality and E-Scooters: Mind the Gap! A Statistical Analysis of the Sicily Region, Italy," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-24, October.
    13. Kyuhyeon Joo & Heather Markham Kim & Jinsoo Hwang, 2024. "Do Consumers’ Perceived Attributes and Normative Factors Affect Acceptance Behavior Towards Eco-Friendly Self-Driving Food Delivery Services? The Moderating Role of Country Development Status," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-17, November.
    14. Steffen Lehmann, 2015. "A New Urban Agenda: Introduction to the Special Issue on “Sustainable Urban Development”," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(8), pages 1-7, July.
    15. Arias-Molinares, Daniela & Romanillos, Gustavo & García-Palomares, Juan Carlos & Gutiérrez, Javier, 2021. "Exploring the spatio-temporal dynamics of moped-style scooter sharing services in urban areas," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    16. Diana Angarita-Lozano & Darío Hidalgo-Guerrero & Sonia Díaz-Márquez & María Morales-Puentes & Miguel Angel Mendoza-Moreno, 2025. "Multidimensional Evaluation Model for Sustainable and Smart Urban Mobility in Global South Cities: A Citizen-Centred Comprehensive Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-26, May.
    17. Abouelela, Mohamed & Durán-Rodas, David & Antoniou, Constantinos, 2024. "Do we all need shared E-scooters? An accessibility-centered spatial equity evaluation approach," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).
    18. Shlomit Flint Ashery & Carl Steinitz, 2022. "Issue-Based Complexity: Digitally Supported Negotiation in Geodesign Linking Planning and Implementation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-19, July.
    19. Jin-Li Hu, 2022. "Green Energy Economies Are Continually On-Going," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-3, June.
    20. De Silva, Muthu & Gokhberg, Leonid & Meissner, Dirk & Russo, Margherita, 2021. "Addressing societal challenges through the simultaneous generation of social and business values: A conceptual framework for science-based co-creation," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:11:p:6867-:d:831624. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.