• Energy Research

Customer centricity requires having customers at the core of the corporate organizational process. Yet, relationship marketing scholarships have not developed a clear understanding of how corporate culture, leadership, and identity may allow the establishment of customer centricity within the organization. To this aim, we have developed a computer-assisted concept analysis of the term customer centricity in two disciplines that are at the core of relationship marketing: business and psychology. Specifically, we have conducted our review of a sample of abstracts in the over 1200 peer-reviewed journals of Business Source Premier Database and 2500 publications at the Psychology Info database that use the term “customer centricity” together with the terms “organizational identity”, “organizational leadership”, “organizational culture”, and “employee engagement”. Our computer-assisted analysis allowed us to identify four main open debates scholars and practitioners are working on that contribute to advance literature on relationship marketing: employee training and balanced centricity; industries that are either best or worst practices; reinvention of marketing practices; social aspects of consumer centricity. These areas are presented considering how they might inspire future studies on customer centricity in the customer relationship marketing field.

Customer centricity requires having customers at the core of the corporate organizational process. Yet, relationship marketing scholarships have not developed a clear understanding of how corporate culture, leadership, and identity may allow the establishment of customer centricity within the organization. To this aim, we have developed a computer-assisted concept analysis of the term customer centricity in two disciplines that are at the core of relationship marketing: business and psychology. Specifically, we have conducted our review of a sample of abstracts in the over 1200 peer-reviewed journals of Business Source Premier Database and 2500 publications at the Psychology Info database that use the term “customer centricity” together with the terms “organizational identity”, “organizational leadership”, “organizational culture”, and “employee engagement”. Our computer-assisted analysis allowed us to identify four main open debates scholars and practitioners are working on that contribute to advance literature on relationship marketing: employee training and balanced centricity; industries that are either best or worst practices; reinvention of marketing practices; social aspects of consumer centricity. These areas are presented considering how they might inspire future studies on customer centricity in the customer relationship marketing field.

The Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) have a key role to play in understanding which factors and policies would motivate, encourage and enable different actors to adopt a wide range of sustainable energy behaviours and support the required system changes and policies. The SSH can provide critical insights into how consumers could be empowered to consistently engage in sustainable energy behaviour, support and adopt new technologies, and support policies and changes in energy systems. Furthermore, they can increase our understanding of how organisations such as private and public institutions, and groups and associations of people can play a key role in the sustainable energy transition. We identify key questions to be addressed that have been identified by the Platform for Energy Research in the Socio-economic Nexus (PERSON, see person.eu), including SSH scholars who have been studying energy issues for many years. We identify three main research themes. The first research theme involves understanding which factors encourage different actors to engage in sustainable energy behaviour. The second research theme focuses on understanding which interventions can be effective in encouraging sustainable energy behaviour of different actors, and which factors enhance their effects. The third research theme concerns understanding which factors affect public and policy support for energy policy and changes in energy systems, and how important public concerns can best be addressed as to reduce or prevent resistance.

The Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) have a key role to play in understanding which factors and policies would motivate, encourage and enable different actors to adopt a wide range of sustainable energy behaviours and support the required system changes and policies. The SSH can provide critical insights into how consumers could be empowered to consistently engage in sustainable energy behaviour, support and adopt new technologies, and support policies and changes in energy systems. Furthermore, they can increase our understanding of how organisations such as private and public institutions, and groups and associations of people can play a key role in the sustainable energy transition. We identify key questions to be addressed that have been identified by the Platform for Energy Research in the Socio-economic Nexus (PERSON, see person.eu), including SSH scholars who have been studying energy issues for many years. We identify three main research themes. The first research theme involves understanding which factors encourage different actors to engage in sustainable energy behaviour. The second research theme focuses on understanding which interventions can be effective in encouraging sustainable energy behaviour of different actors, and which factors enhance their effects. The third research theme concerns understanding which factors affect public and policy support for energy policy and changes in energy systems, and how important public concerns can best be addressed as to reduce or prevent resistance.

[Abstract] Large organizations are responsible for a significant amount of GHG emissions. This trend will even increase over the next 100 years. An issue for environmental research is the investigation of the factors promoting or hindering the transition to more sustainable energy behaviors in the workplace. This study is part of a larger project, funded under the EU-FP7 program, called “Low Carbon at Work” (LOCAW). We present the results of a qualitative study assessing the existing everyday behaviors in two large-scale organizations: an Italian-based multinational renewable energy producer, and a Spanish public university (The University of A Coruña). Data obtained by interviews with key-informers and focus groups were content analyzed, using ATLAS.ti. Results indicate many commonalities and some differences between the two case studies. Working in a green anergy company leads individuals to be more sensitized about environmental issues, although a core thematic category refers to the concept that energy-related behaviors “rely on individual feeling”. Data from the University of A Coruña suggest this organization has the right values and objectives, but it does not always adequately implement organizational policies to support sustainable energy use among students and employees. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

[Abstract] Large organizations are responsible for a significant amount of GHG emissions. This trend will even increase over the next 100 years. An issue for environmental research is the investigation of the factors promoting or hindering the transition to more sustainable energy behaviors in the workplace. This study is part of a larger project, funded under the EU-FP7 program, called “Low Carbon at Work” (LOCAW). We present the results of a qualitative study assessing the existing everyday behaviors in two large-scale organizations: an Italian-based multinational renewable energy producer, and a Spanish public university (The University of A Coruña). Data obtained by interviews with key-informers and focus groups were content analyzed, using ATLAS.ti. Results indicate many commonalities and some differences between the two case studies. Working in a green anergy company leads individuals to be more sensitized about environmental issues, although a core thematic category refers to the concept that energy-related behaviors “rely on individual feeling”. Data from the University of A Coruña suggest this organization has the right values and objectives, but it does not always adequately implement organizational policies to support sustainable energy use among students and employees. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.