Title: Sustainable energy policies as a source of competitive advantage in the UK service industry

Authors: Mark Burrows, Maktoba Omar

Addresses: Halifax Bank of Scotland, Citymark Building, 150 Fountainbridge, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH3 9PE, UK. ' Napier University Business School, Craiglockhart Campus, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH10 1DJ, UK

Abstract: The UK service industry has the ability to reduce costs by introducing energy efficiency to its operations. Barriers exist which hinder the implementation of energy efficient practices, but the current actions including government initiatives and social pressure groups has created opportunity for companies to pursue sustainability in all its actions. Energy awareness represents a facet of business that allows a company to reduce its costs which used as one of many building blocks of competitive advantage. There appear to be four main drivers for future development of energy efficiency in the UK service industry; collaboration, deregulation, technology advancement and information.

Keywords: barriers; sustainable energy; energy efficiency; competitive advantage; knowledge management; UK service industry; United Kingdom; sustainability; sustainable development; collaboration; deregulation; technology advancement; information; services.

DOI: 10.1504/WREMSD.2007.014043

World Review of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development, 2007 Vol.3 No.3/4, pp.231 - 250

Published online: 13 Jun 2007 *

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