Analysis of Railway Innovation from the Perspective of Institutional Logic:

A study on the evolution from Automatic Train Protection to Automatic Train Operation

Abstract

This study analyzes the development of Automatic Train Operation （ATO） based on the Automatic Train Protection （ATP） system in the railway industry from the perspective of institutional logic multiplicity. Specifically, it examines how Kyushu Railway Company （JR Kyushu） became the first in the world to introduce GOA2.5 automatic operation, using the framework of new institutional organization theory. The railway industry operates at the intersection of multiple institutional logics, including business logic that prioritizes economic efficiency, safety logic that emphasizes accident prevention, and regulatory logic that ensures legal compliance. This study highlights how JR Kyushu leveraged ATP-based systems to balance safety and cost-effectiveness while promoting regulatory changes to facilitate automatic operation. The analysis reveals that shifts in institutional logic can drive technological innovation, ultimately influencing macro-level institutional environments. This study contributes to understanding innovation processes in the railway industry through the lens of institutional logic and offers implications for other regulated industries.