Companies Towards Energy Transition – A Sensemaking PerspectiveSophia Schuster

8. Oktober 2015

The energy transition challenges companies with rising electricity prices. This paper examines how companies make sense of the German energy transition and the respective measures allowing them to counteract the increased cost burden. For this purpose nine managers have been interviewed that make use of renewable energies and/or energy saving and efficiency measures. Based on the analysis of the interviews an ideal sensemaking process towards the energy transition has been developed. The results show that the concept of sensemaking is eligible to explain differences in the companies’ engagement and that there are certain aspects within an manager’s cognitive frame that are central for the outcome of this engagement. Among others it is shown that a clear and distinct perception of sustainability and corporate responsibility as well as high technical skills on behalf of the managers positively influences the implementation of energy measures.