Collaborating for energy efficiency in Swedish shipping industry: interrelating practice and challenges
Journal article, 2020

As achieving environmental sustainability is a complex problem, it is often recognized that no organization can accomplish this systemic change by itself; thus, multi-actor collaboration is needed. Regarding the specific issue of increased energy efficiency, previous research has highlighted the need for collaboration and knowledge exchange among actors. However, insights from literature suggest that despite all the good intentions, establishing multi-actor collaboration can be both complicated and difficult to achieve in practice. In this paper, an in-depth qualitative, ethnographic-inspired study of an emerging collaboration aiming for increased energy efficiency within the shipping industry is used as a foundation to better understand the practices and challenges involved in the organizing of multi-actor collaboration. The findings reveal how the interrelating of collaboration practices and experienced challenges influenced the development of the collaboration. The paper contributes to the current discussion on how to organize for sustainable development. Also, practitioners managing and participating in multi-actor collaborations addressing complex societal issues can benefit from the findings.

Practice

Shipping industry

Multi-actor collaboration

Challenges

Energy efficiency

Qualitative research

Author

Josefin Borg

Chalmers, Mechanics and Maritime Sciences (M2), Maritime Studies

Anna Yström

Chalmers, Technology Management and Economics, Entrepreneurship and Strategy

Environment, Development and Sustainability

1387-585X (ISSN) 1573-2975 (eISSN)

Vol. 22 5 4289-4310

Subject Categories

Social Sciences Interdisciplinary

Public Administration Studies

Information Systemes, Social aspects

DOI

10.1007/s10668-019-00384-7

More information

Latest update

11/24/2021