Digitally driven energy management practices in SMEs – exploring potentials and barriers

Lukas Hilger, Felix Große-Kreul, Christoph Feldhaus and Thorsten Schneiders

Die Unternehmung - Swiss Journal of Business Research and Practice, 2022, vol. 76, issue 3, 360-380

Abstract: Innovative digital technologies open up new opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to improve energy efficiency and energy management behavior. The question is: How far will SMEs be capable of profiting from the benefits of these new technologies? Using technology screening, this study identifies smart metering and mobile energy monitoring as digital technologies best addressing SMEs’ specific demands. In addition, potentials and limitations of the technologies are investigated in two qualitative in-depth field trials. Barriers to adopting digitally enabled energy management practices are examined. The results indicate that visualising energy data enables SMEs to pursue new energy management practices for reducing energy consumption and costs (such as peak load analysis). SMEs need extensive guidance to identify and pursue these strategies. In conclusion, an exploratory adoption model for digitally enabled energy management practices is developed. Hypotheses for future experimental studies and policy implications are derived.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.5771/0042-059X-2022-3-360

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Die Unternehmung - Swiss Journal of Business Research and Practice is currently edited by Prof. Dr. Artur Baldauf, Universität Bern, Prof. Dr. Manfred Bruhn, Universität Basel, Prof. Dr. Pascal Gantenbein, Universität Basel (geschäftsführend), Prof. Dr. Markus Gmür, Universität Fribourg, Prof. Dr. Klaus Möller, Universität St. Gallen, Prof. Dr. Günter Müller-Stewens, Universität St. Gallen, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Margit Osterloh, Universität Zürich, Prof. Dr. Dieter Pfaff, Universität Zürich and Prof. Dr. Martin Wallmeier, Universität Fribourg

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