Solar business model adoption by energy incumbents: the importance of strategic fit
Artikel i vetenskaplig tidskrift, 2021

This paper answers recent calls to give more attention to the business strategies of incumbent actors regarding innovation and socio-technical transitions. We map the solar business model adoption of 30 Swedish electric utility incumbents and examine to what extent it can be explained by the strategic fit with the utilities' established business models, corporate strategies, and external environment. We find that all three dimensions need to be considered in order to explain adoption. Alignment with the established business model is mainly important concerning activities, resources, and partnerships, and utilities also re-configure solar models to increase this alignment (e.g. through outsourcing). However, it is not the main driver for adoption. Instead, incentives and pressures related to corporate strategies and external environment induce or block retailers from adopting solar models. By demonstrating the importance of strategic fit, these findings provide a more nuanced understanding of industry incumbent's strategies in relation to emerging technologies.

Business strategy

Institutional environment

Horizontal alignment

Vertical alignment

Task environment

Solar PV

Författare

Maria Altunay

Chalmers, Teknikens ekonomi och organisation, Environmental Systems Analysis

Anna Bergek

Chalmers, Teknikens ekonomi och organisation

Alvar Palm

Chalmers, Teknikens ekonomi och organisation, Innovation and R&D Management

Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions

22104224 (eISSN)

Vol. 40 501-520

Elhandelsbolagen och solelens spridning: strategier och kritiska avvägningar

Energimyndigheten (2018-003170), 2019-01-01 -- 2020-12-31.

Drivkrafter

Hållbar utveckling

Innovation och entreprenörskap

Ämneskategorier

Tvärvetenskapliga studier

Miljöledning

Ekonomi och näringsliv

Miljövetenskap

Styrkeområden

Energi

DOI

10.1016/j.eist.2021.10.013

Mer information

Senast uppdaterat

2021-11-17