Access to energy : impetuses shaping business decisions, and the strategic implications for cross-sector social partnerships

Abstract

This study aims to identify the underlying factors stimulating and shaping companies’ access to energy activities, and how inter-organizational collaborations can change the rules of the games. A review of relevant literature revealed that a gap in research approaches exists and the field lacks theory-based knowledge. In turn, this study followed a theoretical framework guided by institutional theory for organizations and three schools of thought in strategic management: the resource-based view, industry-based view and institutions-based view. It applied a single qualitative exploratory case study methodology and used semi-structured interviews, member checks, field notes, and triangulated information to collect data. Although the case studied a France-based multinational operating in Bangladesh, it illustrates the dynamics of the global field of access to energy. A compilation of five sub-conclusions from the study indicates that energy companies see access to energy is an attractive field where energy companies they can use their core competencies to benefit society, practice strategic corporate social responsibility and create shared value. While partnering with local organizations is becoming a rule of the game, the rules are still fragmented and under development, which gives collaborations the opportunity to innovate new practices, policies and technologies and attain a competitive advantage. Resulting innovations may diffuse beyond the collaboration and change the rules of the game if the collaboration actively interacts and shares knowledge with third parties. Overall, this study helps fill a gap in research approaches and adds theory-based insights to the existing knowledge base on the topic of access to energy, as well as the umbrella topic of the corporate social responsibilitydevelopment nexus.