Using entrepreneurship theory to inform owner-managed SME engagement with novel energy data and management tools: An action research study

Peer-reviewed paper 9-238-26

SMEs use more than 13% of global energy, making them an important target to help achieve Net Zero. However, SMEs manage energy poorly and little is understood about how to influence them to improve energy management. Responding to this challenge, the UK Government delivered the Non-Domestic Smart Energy Management Innovation Competition (NDSEMIC), funding the development of new smart energy management tools. This paper presents insights from an action research study exploring the question: How do owner-managed SMEs respond to the development and testing of new smart meter data-based energy management tools? The study involved working with a technology innovation business to design and test a prototype set of tools with three owner-managed SMEs. The findings showed that participants responded entrepreneurially to the tools and in-depth discussions, identifying new potential uses beyond those anticipated at the outset. The insights help to overcome SME engagement challenges by leveraging helpful entrepreneurial heuristics in intervention design.