Energy-Efficient Products and Competitiveness in the Manufacturing Sector

Giacomo Di Foggia

EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, 2021, vol. 7, issue 1

Abstract: Transition to a low-carbon, energy-efficient economy presents an opportunity to enhance the sustainability and competitiveness of manufacturing firms. The integration of energy-efficiency solutions into products resembles the concept of servitization that is now a lever for product com- petitiveness and, in turn, business performance. Based on empirical data from 293 manufacturers of electrical equipment or machinery and equipment, this paper analyzes the relation between energy-efficiency servitization capacity and performance using two structural equation models. To test the mediating role of servitization capacity, the first model uses strategic analysis of competitive structure to predict business performance, while the second model uses knowledge of the regulatory framework. Results suggest that both strategic analysis of competitive structure and knowledge of the regulatory framework positively influence performance via improving servitization capacity. With demand for new energy-efficient products expected to increase, products with a reduced en- ergy footprint and energy-management services are needed for industrial processes to contribute to decarbonizing the economy.

Keywords: Energy efficiency; manufacturing; energy saving; servitization; green economy; innovation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (13)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:zbw:espost:228843

DOI: 10.3390/joitmc7010033

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