Torsti Loikkanen

Governance of Energy System Transition: Theoretical Framework and Empirical Analysis in Europe

Transformation towards sustainable energy system requires substantial changes in current energy production and consumption patterns. This paper addresses system transition as a valuable approach in contributing to these changes. The main purpose of the paper is to develop and apply a framework for analysing and supporting energy system research and governance. This paper is based on literature review, expert consultations and empirically based-theory building. The developed framework is applied in the analysis of a selected case study of the European hydrogen energy system governance. The main result of the paper is that different governance and funding models with their practices and experiences can play an important role in the transition, but even more important may be the combined use of different modes that contribute to the development of the energy system transition. Moreover, the use of such an overarching transition framework supports the coordination efforts between many sometimes even controversial efforts in the development of energy systems.

Corporate Social Responsibility and Competitiveness – Empirical Results and Future Challenges

Globalisation has boosted the demand for a more transparent accounting of corporate responsibilities encompassing social, economic and environmental dimensions. Proactive companies search for competitive advantage in markets by differentiating themselves from competitors. One way to do this is to engage in corporate social responsibility. This trend raises the issues of whether any connection between corporate social responsibility and competitiveness exists or even whether engagement in corporate social responsibility contributes to competitiveness. On the basis of an empirical study this article discusses the connections between corporate social responsibility and competitiveness of Finnish firms. The study by VTT and TKK Dipoli explored this connection from the following angles: first, how companies take into account corporate social responsibility requirements of stakeholders, second, how corporate social responsibility requirements guide business activities and decision making of companies and, third, whether and how socially responsible actions enhance firms’ competitiveness. The empirical study consists of case studies in companies identified to be leaders in corporate social responsibility and of a company survey with 150 respondents. As with several other studies, this study also provides support to the existence of a positive connection between corporate social responsibility and competitiveness. The chapter discusses the results of the study and identifies implications, recommendations and proposals for further research on corporate social responsibility and environmental management accounting.