Making sense of energy management practice: reflections on providing low carbon support to three SMEs in the UK

Sam Hampton

doi:10.1007/s12053-018-9750-5

Abstract

Energy consumption by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is collectively significant, and whilst opportunities for substantial, cost-effective efficiency savings exist, take up is low. Whereas research tackling this challenge typically focuses on barriers and drivers to action, this paper offers an alternative perspective, investigating energy management as a practice. Drawing on practice theory and the concept of organisational sensemaking, narrative accounts provide in-depth insights into energy management practice within three SMEs. Auto-ethnographic reflections from 5 years of providing energy and environmental advice are supplemented by findings from carbon footprint assessments and interviews. Findings show that despite energy management being perceived as a peripheral business activity, it is intertwined with organisational identity and knowledge production in each of the three SMEs. Business advisors are instrumental in steering SME energy management practices and have a responsibility to reflect on how they influence processes of knowledge production and meaning-making in organisations. Implications for policy-makers, advisors and the research community are discussed.

Highlights

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) consume more than 13% of global energy (IEA 2015), and significant opportunities for savings and associated emissions exist (DECC 2014)
It became clear that the rich, longitudinal findings revealed as much about this as it did about the practice of providing energy and environmental advice to SMEs
When developing policy to address the challenge of decarbonising SMEs, the provision of expert advice is a preferred approach by policy-makers (IEA 2015)

Summary

Introduction

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) consume more than 13% of global energy (IEA 2015), and significant opportunities for savings and associated emissions exist (DECC 2014). In-depth insights into energy management are presented for three SMEs: a business services provider, a charity and a manufacturer/online retailer These reveal how energy management practice is woven into organisational narratives and sensemaking processes and the materialities involved in how these play out. Analysing research findings revealed as much about the practice of providing low carbon advice and processes of organisational meaning-making, as SME energy management. The study pivoted to focus on each practice in equal measure Reflecting this meandering research journey, this paper uses narrative techniques to tell stories about the three SMEs as they received information and advice relating to their own energy practices, and as a way of reflecting on the role of low carbon advisors, who both influence, and are influenced by, the SMEs they support. The conclusion focuses on implications for policymakers, advisors and the research community

Literature review

Background and sampling

Conclusions

Findings

Compliance with ethical standards