Challenges and opportunities for improving energy efficiency in SMEs: learnings from seven European projects

This paper analyses challenges and opportunities for improving energy efficiency in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by reviewing research design and results out of seven European projects: SPEEDIER, SMEmPower Efficiency, E2Driver, Innoveas, Triple-A, DEESME and ICCEE. These projects aim to improve SMEs' awareness of energy efficiency and support an effective decision-making-oriented approach to it. Drivers and barriers to energy efficiency improvements in European SMEs of various industrial sectors have been investigated by means of surveys, focused group discussions and interviews. A meta-analysis of the results of the seven EU projects was carried out to discover trends related to energy efficiency in European SMEs; this was supported by the use of a unifying analytic framework that enabled merging and cross-validation of the findings of the seven projects. The analysis indicated, by means of new data collected by the seven projects, that staff training, facilitation of energy audits, development of corporate policy measures and collaboration between SMEs involved in the same supply chain are key mechanisms to improve the uptake of energy efficiency measures in SMEs which has significant potential to achieve higher energy savings and energy cost reductions

Challenges and opportunities for improving energy efficiency in SMEs: learnings from seven European projects

Abstract This paper analyses challenges and opportunities for improving energy efficiency in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by reviewing research design and results out of seven European projects: SPEEDIER, SMEmPower Efficiency, E2Driver, Innoveas, Triple-A, DEESME and ICCEE. These projects aim to improve SMEs’ awareness of energy efficiency and support an effective decision-making-oriented approach to it. Drivers and barriers to energy efficiency improvements in European SMEs of various industrial sectors have been investigated by means of surveys, focused group discussions and interviews. A meta-analysis of the results of the seven EU projects was carried out to discover trends related to energy efficiency in European SMEs; this was supported by the use of a unifying analytic framework that enabled merging and cross-validation of the findings of the seven projects. The analysis indicated, by means of new data collected by the seven projects, that staff training, facilitation of energy audits, development of corporate policy measures and collaboration between SMEs involved in the same supply chain are key mechanisms to improve the uptake of energy efficiency measures in SMEs which has significant potential to achieve higher energy savings and energy cost reductions.</jats:p

Towards a Digital Business Model

Im Zeitalter der Digitalisierung verändern sich traditionelle produktorientierte Geschäftsmodelle in signifikanter Weise. Der vorliegende Artikel bildet den Grundlagenbeitrag für die aktuelle Ausgabe der Praxis der Wirtschaftsinformatik. Er liefert Erläuterungen zu Geschäftsmodellen einerseits und Basistechnologien der digitalen Transformation andererseits. Ausgehend von der Vision des datengetriebenen Unternehmens und einem Referenzprozess der digitalen Transformation werden Auswirkungen auf das Geschäftsmodell beschrieben, die Bedeutung unternehmerischer Ökosysteme herausgearbeitet sowie die Rolle digitaler Plattformen in solchen Ökosystemen und deren disruptives Potenzial für die Wirtschaft erläutert. Abschließend werden Handlungsempfehlungen für die Praxis und die Wissenschaft dargestellt. Die Ausführungen basieren zum einen auf existierender wissenschaftlicher Literatur und zum anderen auf den in den vergangenen Jahren am Bamberger Kompetenzzentrum für Geschäftsmodelle in der digitalen Welt durchgeführten Forschungsarbeiten. Sie sollen als Rahmenwerk dienen und dabei helfen, die einzelnen Beiträge dieser Ausgabe in einen Gesamtkontext zu setzen. Digitalization implies significant and often intransparent changes to traditional, product-oriented business models. This article forms the basis for the current issue of Praxis der Wirtschaftsinformatik by outlining the concept of business models in general, and introducing basic technologies for digital transformation. Starting from the vision of a data driven company and based on a reference process of digital transformation, the effects of digital transformation on business models are presented. Subsequently, the concept of business ecosystems is introduced, highlighting the role of digital platforms in such ecosystems and explaining their disruptive potential for the economy. Finally, the implications of this study for practice and research are presented. The content of this article is based on extant scientific literature, as well as on findings from activities conducted within the “Research Center for Business Models in the Digital World” in Bamberg, Germany. The article serves as a framework for the following proceedings, embedding them in a broader context