Strategies for Improving Energy Conservation on a Military Instal

Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study

During the first decade in the 21st century, there has been a movement toward the

more efficient use of energy on military installations, but these positive signs have barely

scratched the surface of the problem (Defense Science Board, 2016). Over 25 major

energy renovation projects have been completed to update facilities throughout an Air

National Guard unit campus in Maryland that consumed larger percentages of energy, but

the need for behavioral change in personnel facilitated by front-line military supervisors

is unavoidable in order to provide a long-term solution for sustainability. A change in

workplace behavior will not only benefit the Air National Guard unit, but it will also

assist in transforming our society. Men and women from the organization could take the

conservation practices they learn at work and apply them to all facets of their everyday

lives.

Currently, some front-line military supervisors in the Air National Guard lack

strategies for changing behavior to reduce energy consumption. I identified potential

effective energy conservation strategies by utilizing the conceptual foundation of this

study, which consists of the energy cultures framework, Hersey and Blanchard’s

situational leadership theory, Adam’s equity theory, Herzberg’s two-factor theory, and

Vroom’s expectancy theory. I administered a qualitative single case study to gain an

understanding of common strategies Air National Guard front-line military supervisors

have used to reduce energy consumption through behavioral change. The results of the

study may assist front-line military supervisors striving to reduce energy consumption

through behavior change while significantly reducing the energy usage in the United

States due to the significant amount of energy the military consumes. In Chapter 1, I

provide a brief overview of the background of the research, problem statement, purpose,

research question, assumptions, delimitations, and limitations.

Background of the Study

The primary reason for this study is the careless energy behavior of military

personnel in the Air National Guard, which parallels the mindset and actions of many

military organizations across the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) when it comes to

energy consumption and expenditure. Energy is a crucial asset in military operations, so

effective energy management is vital to ensure no wasted energy in organizations across

the military. Front-line military supervisors in these organizations should comprehend

various intervention techniques to manage energy consumption effectively.

The Army, Navy and Air Force are the three central military departments that fall

under the DoD, and the Air National Guard is a component of the Air Force. The senior

leaders in DoD acknowledge the potential benefits of changed behavior on diurnal energy

use; however, a significant barrier to improving tactics, techniques, and procedures is a

limited understanding of the DoD’s use of energy and the operational implications of that

energy use on the war-fighter (DoD, 2015). Developing effective energy efficient

behaviors in military personnel through the efforts of front-line military supervisors is

essential to operating more effectively and efficiently as an organization. The military

could make a tremendous impact on reducing energy demand in our society.

In the early 2000s, driven by the demands of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan as

well as looming budgetary stress, senior leaders in the DoD have increasingly focused on

the ways in which energy affects its operations and the opportunities to improve its

performance through the development and adoption of innovative energy technologies

and practices (Sarewitz, Thernstrom, Alic, & Doom, 2012). As a result, efficient energy

management has become more of a focus for all military organizations.

I studied an Air National Guard unit because of the organization’s energy

consumption data from fiscal year (FY) 2012-2014 increased by over 18% annually. The

Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 required federal agencies to reduce

energy consumption by 30% by 2015 based on FY 2003 energy consumption. In July

2015, the Federal Government established new requirements in Executive Order No.

13693, and all federal organizations were expected to reduce energy consumption by

25% by FY 2025 with a baseline starting in FY 2015. Over 25 major energy renovation

projects have been programmed and executed by the Air National Guard unit to upgrade

facilities that consume higher amounts of energy, but more is needed to achieve the

federal energy goal.

Energy behavior is a variable often overlooked by supervisors when considering

methods to reduce energy in military organizations. Vidmar (2012) suggested people are

both the strongest and weakest links in the energy reduction chain, and they can often

decide whether an organization does or doesn’t meet an energy reduction goal. Front-line

military supervisors could establish effective energy management in organizations by

using appropriate energy conservation strategies and avoiding potential barriers to

change. This could impact behavior change for their personnel that could reduce energy

consumption. Front-line military supervisors typically struggle because of the gap

between energy management theory and current implementation practices in military

organizations. This study was imperative to gain an understanding of common effective

strategies front-line military supervisors could use to facilitate long-term solutions for

energy savings.

Problem Statement

The general management problem is that behaviors in military organizations are

not directed towards saving energy in daily operations. Military members use energy in

every part of the military's mission, and failure to maintain energy efficiency within

military units could cause mission failures throughout the DoD (Browning & Powers,

2017). The DoD stands as the world’s single largest consumer of energy, and domestic

consumption alone amounts to nearly 1% of the United States’ total energy consumption

and nearly 80% of the energy consumed by the Federal Government (Tommey, 2015).

Regardless of the increase of attention to energy management, a gap continues to remain

between energy management theory and current implementation practices in military

organizations (Antunes, Carreira, & Silva, 2014). For the DoD, while technology is

critical to energy management in operations, user behavior and energy awareness also

significantly impact the amount of energy used (Baskin, 2014).

The specific management problem is some front-line military supervisors in the

Air National Guard lack strategies for changing behavior to reduce energy consumption

on military installations they are assigned to manage. Current standard operating

procedures make it far easier for the DoD to spend $10 million to buy a more efficient

generator than to spend $10 thousand in a campaign to reduce energy use (Andres &

Loudermilk, 2011). Not only does ineffective energy management represent a significant

expenditure for our nation’s defense budget, but it also highlights a possible opportunity

to alter energy management and conservation on a mass scale in the United States

(Tommey, 2015).

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to gain an understanding of

common strategies front-line military supervisors have used to reduce energy

consumption through behavioral change on a military installation. The target population

was front-line military supervisors in an Air National Guard unit located on a military

installation. Online asynchronous focus groups were used to identify effective strategies

front-line military supervisors can use to reduce energy consumption. The information

from the asynchronous online focus groups and the conceptual framework was used to

develop effective practical strategies to change behavior in the organization to reduce

energy consumption, which could potentially bring positive social change to the

organization.

Research Question

The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to gain an understanding of

common strategies front-line military supervisors could utilize to reduce energy

consumption throughout organizational facilities in an Air National Guard unit. The

central question for the study was:

RQ: What strategies do front-line military supervisors utilize to change behaviors

to reduce energy consumption on a military installation?

Conceptual Framework

The conceptual framework for this study was the energy cultures framework,

Hersey and Blanchard’s situational leadership theory, Adam’s equity theory, Herzberg’s

two-factor theory, and Vroom’s expectancy theory. The conceptual framework was

critical for this research study because it was the blueprint for how I managed the study,

which I outline in detail in Chapter 2. This conceptual framework could assist front-line

military supervisors to understand behaviors that affect energy consumption and could

also assist with identifying effective strategies to improve energy conservation.

The primary objective of the energy cultures framework is to focus on the

behavior of individuals within a system that most strongly influences behavior, and from

there to consider what interventions might be successful in achieving behavior change

(Ishak, Sipan, Sapri, Iman, & Martin, 2016). I employed the energy cultures framework

because it is a simple model for front-line military supervisors to use to develop strategies

to reduce energy consumption by looking at cognitive norms, material culture, and

energy practices in their respective shops.

Depending on the situation, leaders can select from four leadership styles, which

are directing, selling, participating, and delegating. I used the situational leadership

theory to assist front-line military supervisors to become more familiar with leadership

styles to provide effective guidance to subordinates to reduce energy consumption. I

employed Hersey and Blanchard's situational leadership theory in the online focus group

questions to assist front-line military supervisors to become more familiar with leadership

styles to provide effective guidance to subordinates to reduce energy consumption.

Motivated personnel are essential for supervisors to maintain productivity and

retention in organizations successfully. Motivating personnel may be challenging for

some supervisors, but several theories could be used as a starting point to develop

effective practices. I applied Adam’s equity theory, Herzberg’s two-factor theory of

motivation, and Vroom’s expectancy theory in the online focus group questions to assist

front-line military supervisors to become more familiar with how to effectively galvanize

their subordinates so they are more receptive to interventions.

I incorporated this conceptual framework into online focus group questions to

develop effective, realistic best management practices that could be used by front-line

military supervisors in the Air National Guard and other similar military organizations to

reduce energy consumption through behavioral change. I discuss the conceptual

framework in further detail in Chapter 2.

Nature of the Study

The study was a qualitative single case study. Case studies explore and investigate

contemporary real-life phenomena through detailed contextual analysis of a limited

number of events or conditions and their relationships (Zainal, 2007). This approach is

valuable for research to evaluate programs and develop interventions because of its

flexibility and rigor (Baxter & Jack, 2008). Single case studies can describe the existence

of phenomenon, and it is better to make a single case study than a multiple case study

when, for example, the researcher wants to study a person or a group of people

(Gustafsson, 2017). Yin (2003) also stated single case studies are the best choice when a

researcher wants to study a specific group such as front-line military supervisors in a

military organization.

In this study, I analyzed a group of front-line military supervisors in one military

organization, not multiple military organizations. In cases where there are no other cases

available for replication, the researcher can adopt the single-case design (Zainal, 2007). I

was able to locate only one publicized case study focused on understanding common

strategies front-line military supervisors use to reduce energy consumption through

behavioral change in a military organization.

I e-mailed study invitations to departments in the Air National Guard unit to

inquire about interest in participating in the research study after I received Institutional

Review Board (IRB) approval from Walden University and the U.S. Air Force HRPO.

Potential participants had to have a satisfactory rating on their most recent evaluation

performance report, be a military member of the Air National Guard unit, and be a front-

line military supervisor to participate in the online focus groups. Potential participants

who met the requirements were asked to e-mail me back with the demographic

questionnaire to ensure they met all the requirements to participate. I divided the selected

participants into three asynchronous online focus groups that were conducted

concurrently for a 7-day period. The identities of the online focus group participants

remained confidential throughout the study with the use of randomly generated

usernames created in FocusGroupIt.

I used online focus groups to gain an understanding of common strategies front-

line military supervisors have had with reducing energy consumption through behavioral

change. Unconstrained by place and time, online participants can contribute to the group

discussion at their convenience, and by it being asynchronous group discussions,

participants can choose their time in answering questions, allowing more time to reflect

(Tates et al., 2009).

Definitions

Energy: Any usable power, including but not limited to, electricity and power

produced from coal, petroleum products, steam, natural gas, propane, military operational

fuels and propellants, alternative fuels, and alternative and renewable energy sources

such as solar, wind, geothermal, and nuclear. (U.S. Air Force [USAF], 2017).

Energy behavior: All human actions that affect the way that fuels (electricity, gas,

petroleum, coal, etc.) are used to achieve desired services, including the acquisition or

disposal of energy-related technologies and materials, the ways in which these are used,

and the mental processes that relate to these actions (IEA Demand Side Management

Energy Efficiency Technology Collaboration Program [IEA], 2012).

Energy conservation: The implementation of technological or behavioral energy

conservation measures to reduce energy consumption (Van Doren, Giezen, Drieseen, &

Runhaar, 2016).

Energy culture: The combination of all aspects influencing the energy behavior of

the members of an organization (Bevernage, 2011).

Energy efficiency: The use of technology that requires less energy to perform the

same function (EIA, 2012).

Energy intensity use: The standard metric for measuring the energy efficiency of

buildings is energy consumed per square foot (Marqusee, Schultz, & Robyn, 2017).

Energy management: The process of developing, executing, and overseeing plans,

programs, and initiatives to achieve energy goals and objectives across all functional

areas (USAF, 2013).

Fiscal year: A 12-month period that an organization uses to report its finances

and starts at the beginning of a quarter, such as January 1, April 1, July 1 or October 1

(Amadeo, 2017).

Installation energy: The energy used to power all facilities located on military

installations and enduring locations, as well as fuel for the nontactical fleet vehicles used

at those locations and the energy consumed in manufacturing, maintenance, and other

processes (USAF, 2017).

Assumptions

Assumptions are thoughts, concepts, and ideas generally taken for granted as true

but not proved that are typically out of the control of the researcher (Gallop, 2011).

Researchers use assumptions to shape the research endeavor, from the methodology

employed to the type of questions asked (Hathaway, 1995). The assumptions for this

research study were made based on my experience as an Air National Guard energy

manager.

First, I assumed some front-line military supervisors in the Air National Guard

lack strategies for changing behavior to reduce energy consumption. Second, I assumed

some front-line military supervisors in the Air National Guard do use effective strategies

for changing behavior to reduce energy consumption. Third, I assumed the online focus

group volunteers would be honest and open when answering online focus group

questions. Finally, I assumed the information from the online focus groups would assist

front-line military supervisors with developing effective strategies that could be used to

potentially reduce energy consumption in daily operations.

Scope and Delimitations

I confined the scope of the study to front-line military supervisors in the Air

National Guard located on a military installation; however, I hoped to provide effective

energy reduction strategies that are relevant to any type of organization interested in

reducing energy consumption through behavior change. Delimitations in a study define

the boundaries for the scope of a study (Suri, 2011). In this study, I focused solely on

electrical energy use on an installation. The study did not include energy used for

domestic operation or training operations. Fuel for aircraft or military vehicles was not be

included either. Even though these other types of energy uses were not in the study,

energy efficient strategies can also be applied to these other areas by front-line military

supervisors.

I conducted the study virtually, so I could not observe the body language of the

participants. Participants used emoji characters in the discussion as a substitute. I

conducted three asynchronous online focus groups concurrently, with five participants in

each group. The online focus group took place during 7 consecutive days, giving the

participants the flexibility to provide valuable input. The total time for a participant

participating in the online focus group was less than 2 hours.

I am a military officer so that could have influenced the comments of online focus

group participants. Front-line military supervisors are typically enlisted members of the

organization. I did not use my rank when communicating with participants. I still

considered bias even though the participants were not part of my military organization. I

used a bracketing memo to keep track of potential bias in the study.

Limitations

Limitations of a study show probable weaknesses in a study and an understanding

of where the results of the study will not be relevant (Anosike, Ehrich, & Ahmed, 2012).

There is currently only a modest amount of literature available on reducing energy

consumption in military organizations. I utilized literature from civilian organizations

that focused on various strategies to reduce energy consumption through behavior

change. Single case study research is considered unreliable by some researchers because

of the inability to acquire generalized conclusions (Zainal, 2007). I administered

alternative methods such data triangulation and peer reviews to validate the data collected

in the research study.

Significance of the Study

In this section, I describe the contributions to business practice, contributions to

energy management, and the implications for social change. I also elucidate the

importance of reducing energy consumption beyond military organizations. In the text

below, I explain how the study could potentially promote the success of front-line

military supervisors in developing effective energy efficient strategies to reduce energy

consumption through behavioral change.

Significance to Practice

This single case study could be valuable to management because effective energy

management is becoming a major focus area in organizations around the world. Young et

al. (2015) stated that there is an increasing focus on decreasing energy usage through

improving behavior and habits of individuals in the workplace. This research could fill a

gap in understanding how to reduce energy consumption in military organizations by

understanding strategies front-line military supervisors use to reduce energy consumption

through behavioral change in an Air National Guard unit. This project is unique because

there is a lack of research for strategically improving energy conservation in military

organizations through behavioral change.

I directed this research study towards personnel in military organizations, but

leaders in other types of federal organizations interested in decreasing energy

consumption through behavioral change could apply the research findings. The

contributions to the professional application are realistic energy management strategies

for changing behaviors to reduce energy consumption. Wising, Chirez, and Adams

(2014) stated that in recent years there have been several studies showing behavioral

change can contribute to savings of 5%–15 % of the energy consumption for an industrial

site. This study could be used to prove the effectiveness of front-line supervisors using

behavioral change interventions to effectively reduce energy consumption in

organizations.

Significance to Theory

The focus of this qualitative single case study was on gaining a common

understanding of strategies for improving energy conservation through behavioral change

on a military installation. The findings and identified best management practices could

introduce policy changes for supervisors in other military organizations. Results from the

study may also motivate military policymakers to use the conceptual foundation to

effectively reduce energy consumption through behavioral change in the effort to achieve

federal energy reduction goals. Ehrhardt-Martinez, Laitner, and Keating (2009) suggested

a technique to encourage policymakers to pursue behavior change strategies is to develop

the space and conditions needed for a more flexible environment in which people can

respond to problems in more innovative ways. This study could illustrate the

effectiveness of incorporating the conceptual framework into organizational policies to

improve energy behavior.

Significance to Social Change

The implications for positive social change include the potential to reduce the

energy usage of the Federal Government due to the higher amounts of energy the military

utilizes compared to other organizations in the Federal Government. The DoD has been

an enormous engine of innovation in America and energy innovation is an area of activity

that can have tremendous benefits to the United States military and the country (Sarewitz

et al., 2012). Military personnel could also take newly established behaviors home and

influence family members to become more energy conservative.

Summary and Transition

Over 25 major energy renovation projects have been completed to update

facilities throughout an Air National Guard campus that consumes larger percentages of

energy, but the behavioral change in personnel facilitated by front-line military

supervisors is necessary to provide a long-term solution for sustainability. In Chapter 1, I

provided the problem and the nature and significance of the study surrounding the

importance of behavioral change to decrease energy consumption in military

organizations through front-line military supervisors. The RQ was aligned with the

problem statement and purpose to guide the research. I discussed the conceptual

foundation and how it could be used by front-line military supervisors to develop

effective interventions to reduce energy consumption. I also presented a brief overview of

the background of the research, problem statement, purpose, RQ, assumptions,

delimitations, and limitations.

Chapter 2 includes the literature review, which I focused on the conceptual

framework, energy management in the military, energy conservation strategies, energy

conservation barriers, and behavior change. I reviewed past literature and publications

relevant to reducing energy consumption in organizations to broaden the understanding

of the energy management practices currently used in various industries and

organizations around the world.

Chapter 2: Literature Review

Personnel of military organizations do not direct their behaviors towards saving

energy in daily operations. Some of the front-line military supervisors in the Air National

Guard lack strategies for changing behavior to reduce energy consumption on a military

installation. The purpose of the qualitative single case study was to gain an understanding

of common strategies front-line military supervisors have used to reducing energy

consumption through behavioral change.

Over 25 major energy renovation projects have been completed to update

facilities throughout the Air National Guard campus that consumes large percentages of

energy, but behavioral change with personnel facilitated by front-line military supervisors

is necessary to provide a long-term solution for sustainability. The sizeable variation in

building energy use can be attributed to an occupant's interaction with building systems,

so it becomes vital that solutions in both energy efficient behavior and technology

robustness collectively contribute toward achieving low energy buildings (Hong, Taylor-

Lange, D’Oca, Yan, & Corgnati, 2016).

In this chapter I review the currently available literature on topics about and

related to this qualitative single case study. I was able to locate and review over 200

research articles on reducing energy consumption through behavioral change available on

organizations such as universities, nonprofits, private sector companies, and residential

communities. With more information, military personnel can make more informed

choices for reducing energy in military organizations because of the impact the U.S.

military has on U.S. society. In this chapter, I describe the conceptual framework and

current literature relevant to the research problem. The conceptual framework is

composed of the energy cultures framework, Hersey and Blanchard’s situational

leadership theory, Adam’s equity theory, Herzberg’s two-factor theory, and Vroom’s

expectancy theory. In the literature review, I focus on energy management in the military,

energy conservation strategies in practice, barriers preventing energy conservation, and

behavior change in organizations.

Literature Search Strategy

I conducted a systematic search of a variety of databases using different search

engines for articles published in the English language primarily from 2013 to 2017. These

databases included: Academic Search Complete, ProQuest Central, Sage Journals,

Science Direct, and Google Scholar. Under peer-reviewed journals, my research included

the following journals: Energy Policy, Applied Energy, Energy, Energy Research &

Social Science, Sustainable Cities and Society, Services Engineering Research and

Technology, Management, Business Strategy and the Environment, Building Services

Engineering Research & Technology, Technological Forecasting & Social Change,

Procedia Engineering, and Energy Conversion and Management. The primary focus of

my research was in the currently available peer-reviewed literature, military policies, and

Ph.D. dissertations where researchers focused on energy reduction through behavioral

change.

The keywords used (alone or in combination) included: military, energy

reduction, sustainable energy, energy barriers, energy, sustainable energy management,

energy management, energy efficiency, energy conservation, conservation strategies,

energy consumption, behavior change, workplace behavior, installation energy, energy

culture framework, Hersey and Blanchard’s situational leadership theory, Adam’s equity

theory, Herzberg’s two-factor theory, and Vroom’s expectancy theory.

Conceptual Framework

The conceptual framework consisted of various interconnected principles and

ideas employed to guide the research study. These principles and ideas were applied to

procure a potential solution for the RQ and were used to develop questions asked in the

online asynchronous focus groups. The conceptual foundation for this study encompasses

the energy cultures framework, Hersey and Blanchard’s situational leadership theory,

Adam’s equity theory, Herzberg’s two-factor theory, and Vroom’s expectancy theory.

Energy Cultures Framework

The energy cultures framework could promote front-line military supervisors to

change the energy behavior of their personnel successfully. New Zealand researchers

crafted the energy cultures framework to integrate various disciplines to understand

energy drivers and improve energy behaviors (Stephenson et al., 2015). The framework

illustrated that energy culture of a given issue could be studied by investigating the

interrelationships between norms, practices, and material culture, and how these,

sequentially, are shaped by external influences (Stephenson et al., 2015). I applied the

energy cultures framework in the online focus group questions because it is a simple

model for front-line military supervisors to use to develop strategies to reduce energy

consumption. The energy cultures framework can be administered as a guide for front-

line military supervisors to gain a better understanding of the numerous factors that

impact energy behaviors of personnel to potentially develop effective energy

conservation strategies.

Cognitive norms, material culture, and energy practices are the primary constructs

of the energy cultures framework. Cognitive norms are individual and group expectations

on what is considered normal behavior for material culture and energy practices

(Stephenson et al., 2015). Some examples of cognitive norms are motivation to save

energy, energy knowledge, and drivers of energy use (Ford, Karlin, & Frantz, 2016).

Material culture encompasses the technologies, structures, and other resources that play a

factor in how energy is used (Stephenson et al., 2015). Energy practices include both

regular and irregular actions, and in the military would include maintenance of

technologies and monitoring energy consumption with smart meters (Stephenson,

Hopkins, & Doering, 2014).

The primary objective of the energy cultures framework is to focus on the

behavior of individuals within a system that most strongly influences behavior, and from

there to consider what interventions might be successful in achieving behavior change

(Ishak et al., 2016). Ishak et al. (2016) applied the energy cultures framework in a

research study and utilized a centrographic method to determine the effectiveness of the

framework in many higher education institutes. Even though the researchers successfully

applied it in educational organizations, there is potential the method could also be

effective in military organizations.

Front-line military supervisors should be mindful of energy consumption patterns

occurring in their shop. Ishak et al. (2016) utilized a two-phase mythology that consisted

of collecting data from a survey and then determining energy consumption patterns. A

total of 1,348 volunteers from four universities in Malaysia participated in the self-

administered survey. The researchers were able to identify four types of energy uses,

high, medium, low, and conserve. After comparing the information obtained from the

survey, the researchers concluded there was immense potential for energy savings with

over 55-kilowatt hours per day between all the students who participated (Ishak et al.,

2016). Front-line military supervisors could relay the mythology to properly manage

energy consumption behaviors and determine effective energy intervention strategies.

The energy cultures framework could be disseminated for more than just

analyzing an organization’s energy culture. Ford et al. (2016) employed the energy

cultures framework to develop measurement instruments to gauge the changes in energy

culture with various interventions. They surveyed 348 participants recruited from

Amazon’s Mechanical Turk to analyze four fundamental constructs consisting of context,

material culture, practices, and norms in various households. Amazon’s Mechanical Turk

is a website that contains the major elements required to conduct research: an integrated

participant compensation system; a large participant pool; and a streamlined process of

study design, participant recruitment, and data collection (Buhrmester, Kwang, &

Gosling, 2011). Ford et al. (2016) tested the instruments to evaluate household energy

culture before and after interventions were implemented and determined if the tools were

reliable. The researchers conclusively proved that by incorporating the energy cultures

framework there was an opportunity for reliable and effective intervention strategies that

organizational leaders could apply to lower energy consumption. Front-line military

supervisors could develop innovative intervention tools to engage and empower their

personnel to become more energy conservative.

Hersey and Blanchard’s Situational Leadership Theory

Military leaders should comprehend Hersey and Blanchard's situational leadership

theory to recognize when to use leadership styles to lead their organizations successfully.

Military services have administered Hersey and Blanchard's situational leadership theory

for years in leader training and development (Yeakey, 2002). Hersey and Blanchard

(1969) challenged other researchers by asserting successful leadership by choosing a

style based on follower readiness. Depending on the situation, leaders can select from

four leadership styles, which are directing, selling, participating, and delegating. I applied

Hersey and Blanchard's situational leadership theory in the online focus group questions

to promote front-line military supervisors to become more familiar with leadership styles

to provide practical guidance to subordinates to reduce energy consumption.

The directing style includes the leader giving direction on tasks and keeping track

of progress. The selling style involves suggestions from follower and leader coaching the

follower to complete tasks. The participating style encompasses the leader and follower

deciding together to complete tasks. The delegating style is when the leader enables the

follower to make independent decisions to complete tasks. The four styles are used to

match the followers’ development level, in which leaders are then able to put more or less

focus on the task being assigned to complete. When leaders utilize the situational

leadership theory, they could empower personnel in an organization to develop the

necessary confidence and commitment to efficiently complete various assigned tasks.

This theory not only applies to front-line military supervisors on land bound

installations but also on vessels at sea. Earnhardt (2007) conducted a systematic literature

review to determine the practical application of five leadership theories on a U.S. naval

vessel. On a naval vessel, the situational approach is applicable in several situations,

including the role of work center supervisors because of the candid nature of situational

leadership (Earnhardt, 2007). Work center supervisors are front-line military supervisors

who work with diverse crews on vessels, so it is essential for the work center supervisors

to identify the leadership style necessary to lead each subordinate and to apply several

styles and methods to a variety of situations (Earnhardt, 2007). There are many

leadership theories used on a naval vessel, but the situational leadership theory is a large

part of front-line military supervisor success based on the information Earnhardt

collected through the literature review.

Military leaders should have insight on how prepared followers are to be led with

one of the styles to use it effectively. Cairns, Hollenback, Preziosi, and Snow (1998)

conducted a study that tested the effectiveness of Hersey and Blanchard’s situational

leadership theory utilizing 151 senior executives in a Fortune 100 company. Based on the

situational leadership theory, the researchers suggested the suitable level of task and

relationship behavior is the one that matches the level of follower readiness (Cairns et al.,

1998). Various statistical methods were used to test the theory in the organization, and

the study resulted in 18 matches and 126 mismatches. Matches and mismatches were

based on appropriate level of task and relationship behavior matching with the followers’

readiness level (Cairns et al., 1998). Although there were a lower number of matches, the

researchers concluded the situational leadership theory remains an appealing method to

lead personnel in an organization.

Not all research has proven the situational leadership theory to be an appropriate

theory to apply to lead personnel in a military organization. In a replicated study,

Vecchio, Bullis, and Brazil (2006) conducted follow-up research of previous

comprehensive tests of the situational leader theory. A total of 860 cadets from the U.S.

Military Academy participated in the investigation. Cadets provided data on leader

consideration, leader structuring, follower readiness/maturity, follower satisfaction,

follower performance, and leader-member exchange (Vecchio et al., 2006). Based on the

results from the study, the researchers determined the situational leadership theory had

insignificant value in organizations.

Military personnel may have more confidence in following one of the leadership

styles, especially if they know it is a valid option. Yeakey (2002) advocated that Hersey

and Blanchard's 1969 theory is practical and easy to understand, but its widespread use

calls for in-depth empirical testing to determine its validity as a tool for leaders to impact

an organization and people in the organization. Hambleton and Gumpert (1982)

examined the validity of Hersey and Blanchard’s situational leadership theory. Based on

the surveys of 65 managers, 189 subordinates, and 56 supervisors, the results supported

the validity of the situational leadership theory when used correctly by leaders

(Hambleton & Gumpert, 1982). Front-line military supervisors should prime personnel

on the reasoning for a leadership style and the potential success that can result from it.

Adam’s Equity Theory

The acuity of being treated fairly or unfairly by their front-line military

supervisors can influence the motivation of personnel. Adams’s equity theory is the

perception of equitability and in-equitability that motivates people to work (Al-Zawahreh

& Al-Madi, 2012). In the equity theory, motivation is affected by the individual

perception of being treated fairly in comparison to others (Al-Zawahreh & Al-Madi,

2012). An evaluation of “unfair” leads to conflict that creates an internal psychological

struggle and motivates the individual to resolve the inequity, which may occur as

increased input, reduced expected output, withdraws, and so forth (O’Mara, Heacox,

Gwynne, & Smillie, 2000). Equity occurs when subordinates have a balance between

inputs and outputs. Some inputs to be examined are effort, commitment, and adaptability,

while typical outputs consist of praise and thanks, sense of achievement, and

responsibility. I applied Adam’s equity theory in the online focus group questions to

assist front-line military supervisors in recognizing how to effectively motivate their

subordinates to reduce energy consumption.

The motivation of personnel impacts the willingness of and quality of work they

produced. Lawler and O’Gara (1967) conducted a study to test Adam’s equity theory by

dividing 40 undergraduate students from Yale University that into two equal groups. One

group was paid an equitable amount to conduct interviews, and the other group a lower

amount. The underpaid group produced more, but lower quality interviews then the

equitably paid group. When confronted with the perception that people are inequitably

treated, based on prior research, researchers suggested that people restore equity but

altering inputs and outputs or changing their view of the situation to make the situation

equitable (Bolino & Turnley, 2008). The results of the study effectively support Adam’s

equity theory and demonstrate how fairness impacts motivation to complete tasks

comparable to positively changing energy consumption behaviors. Front-line military

supervisors should recognize the balance between the inputs and outputs of personnel to

maintain motivation towards changing energy behaviors.

Equity could motivate military personnel by comparing treatment with peers or

with other people around the world. Austin and Walster (1975) observed a relationship

between person-specific equity and equity with the world. They conducted a study with

two scenarios that utilized 135 undergraduate women from the University of Wisconsin.

In scenario 1, participants were over-rewarded, equitably rewarded, and under-rewarded

comparatively to a partner (Austin et al., 1975). Scenario 2 allowed for the participants to

have more freedom and they were able to distribute their awards throughout the group.

Based on the results from both scenarios the women were more likely to put their equity

aside for the equity of the group. Allen and White (2002) conducted a similar study

utilizing 203 undergraduate students with two scenarios and produced equivalent results,

demonstrating the effectiveness of the theory in application. Front-line military

supervisors should strive to comprehend how personnel view equity, so they can

effectively motivate them to change energy behaviors.

Military personnel could improve their energy behavior with a high-quality

workplace environment. To test Adam’s equity theory, Greenberg (1988) conducted a

field study using an underwriting department in a large insurance company. There were

198 participants randomly assigned to offices of higher, lower, and equal status.

Individuals assigned to higher status offices raised their performance while people in

lower status offices lowered their performances. Personnel in equal status offices

continued to produce an average performance. Greenberg (1998) was effective at

exemplifying the success of the theory to increase motivation based on the equity of

office sizes. Front-line military supervisors should foster a positive work environment for

personnel to be empowered and motivated to develop innovative methods to reduce

energy consumption.

Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory

Herzberg’s two-factor theory consists of motivational factors that motivate

personnel and hygiene factors that cause demotivation if not met (Civre, Lovec, &

Fabjan, 2013). Motivational factors include pay, unit policies, benefits, working

environments, interpersonal relations, and job security. Hygiene factors consist of

recognition, sense of achievement, growth opportunity, responsibility, and

meaningfulness of the work. Motivators are associated with long-term positive effects on

job performance while the hygiene factors consistently produce short-term changes in job

attitudes and performance (Gawel, 1997). I applied Herzberg’s two-factor theory in the

online focus group questions to assist front-line military supervisors in developing

effective award systems to motivate their personnel to reduce energy consumption.

Innumerable factors motivate personnel in the workplace and supervisors should

recognize them. Aydin (2012) conducted a survey to test Herzberg’s two-factor theory on

staff members at a foundational Turkish university. There were 150 staff members from

the university in Istanbul that completed a questionnaire with 19 questions to determine

the effectiveness of motivational factors. The researcher confirmed the motivational and

hygiene factors, identified by Herzberg, successfully motivated university personnel to

perform at higher levels. Aydin (2012) was effective at demonstrating the influence

motivational and hygiene factors have on the motivation of personnel. Front-line military

supervisors should comprehend which motivational and hygiene factors effectively

motivate personnel to ensure organizational success.

Military personnel are influenced by the same factors that affect people in other

industries. McConville, Swanson, and Zobisch (2017) conducted a research study to

identify factors that contribute to active duty military personnel job satisfaction and

dissatisfaction. The researchers administered U.S. active duty military personnel

attending Hawaii Pacific University as participates in a week-long online survey.

McConville, Swanson, and Zobisch (2017) concluded the results of the survey supported

Herzberg’s two-factor theory. The motivational and hygiene factors identified in the

study were common factors that impacted employee motivation in organizations outside

of the military. Macovei and Argintaru (2016) conducted a similar study using active

duty officers in the Romanian Army and concluded with similar results. Front-line

military supervisors should recognize which factors generate satisfaction and prevent

dissatisfaction to maintain a motivated workforce.

Vroom’s Expectancy Theory

Vroom's expectancy theory is from the concept that subordinate performance

depends on the relationship between valence, instrumentality, and expectancy. Valence is

the value personnel place on a specific reward or outcome (Dininni, 2017).

Instrumentality is the degree to which personnel believe that performing at a certain level

will lead to an outcome (Tanner, 2018). Expectancy represents each military members’

confidence in their capability when it comes to possessing the work skills needed to

perform well enough to achieve the reward (Gaffney, 2018). I applied Vroom’s

expectancy theory to the online focus group questions to assist front-line military

supervisors to recognize what they need to offer subordinates to motivate them to reduce

energy consumption effectively.

Military supervisors should comprehend Vroom’s expectancy theory, so they are

more prepared to meet the needs of their personnel. Simone (2015) conducted an

empirical study in three Italian hospitals. Approximately 492 health care professionals

participated in the study by filling out an anonymous survey which focused on valence,

expectancy, and instrumentality. Based on the results, the researcher confirmed the

effectiveness of Vroom’s expectancy theory. When management understands the

expectancy theory principles, they can employ the concepts to assemble more effective

work teams to accomplish their business goals (Gaffney, 2018). Front-line military

supervisors should recognize the workplace needs of their personnel and understand that

their goals and ambitions may differ.

Supervisors should perceive intrinsic or extrinsic motivators that influence

personnel. Chiang and Jang (2008) conducted a research study to validate Vroom’s

expectancy theory in a hotel setting. The researchers employed 289 hotel employees from

56 hotels in Midwestern states. They distributed 1,450 surveys, but only 289 returned

completed. The results of the study supported the expectancy theory, but the researcher

identified intrinsic motivation factors as being more influential in motivating hotel

employees. Rawoot, Van Heerden, and Parker (2017) conducted a research study on

career success for South African military members and identified participants that were

all already successful members used intrinsic factors as motivation for career success.

Front-line military supervisors should strive to implement factors that promote intrinsic

motivation to improve conservational energy behaviors.

Alignment is significant to ensure a research study is complete and

understandable. I ensured there was alignment with the RQ, management problem,

conceptual framework, focus group questions and literature review sections by

developing a detailed table (see Appendix A). The energy cultures framework, Hersey

and Blanchard’s situational leadership theory, Adam’s equity theory, Herzberg’s two-

factor theory, and Vroom’s expectancy theory were used to guide this dissertation study.

These principles and ideas were used to find a potential solution for the RQ and identify

effective, realistic best management practices front-line military supervisors could use to

reduce energy consumption through behavior change on a military installation. The

online focus group questions were developed based on the conceptual framework and

directed towards answering the RQ. I used the conceptual foundation to answer the RQ

while solving the problem and purpose of this study.

Literature Review

The review of related literature encompasses the systematic identification,

location, and examination of documents containing information related to the research

problem to determine what has already examined by researchers relating to the particular

topic (Shi, 2006). This literature review focuses on the following four areas:

1. energy management in the military,

2. energy conservation strategies in practice,

3. barriers preventing energy conservation, and

4. behavior change in organizations.

Energy Management in the Military

Throughout the DoD, there are now increased opportunities for training, improved

guidance, and amplified support to achieve energy management goals. Although less than

several of its federal agency counterparts, in the last decade the DoD has made progress

in reducing the organization’s energy consumption (George, 2015). While these

improvements have led to an overall reduction in the DoD’s wasted energy expenditure,

there are still military units that falter slowing the progress of the organization as a whole.

Front-line military supervisors in these units seem not to be taking full advantage of the

opportunities and tools available to them to impact subordinates’ behavior regarding

energy consumption positively.

Installation Energy Usage

Energy use on installation has become a priority for military units across the

globe. From 2005 to 2015, the DoD reduced its energy intensity use by less than one

percent on average per year, which was the worst record of the ten federal agencies that

consume the largest amounts of facility energy (Marqusee et al., 2017). Although

sometimes overlooked, the military is a large consumer of installation energy due to the

power the DoD uses to heat and cool its facilities and to power critical operations

(Holland, Cunningham, Huppmann, & Joyce, 2013).

The DoD occupies 284,000 buildings and 2 billion square feet of space, consumed

1 percent of the total electric energy consumed in the United States, at the cost of almost

$4 billion. (Marqusee et al., 2017). Of that large number of buildings and structures,

many are past their life expectancy and need to be upgraded to improve energy

efficiency. Architects did not design military bases with energy efficiency in mind, so

even if they were operating at optimal specifications, they would be wasteful by today’s

standards (Weinschenk, 2016). Energy behavior becomes even more significant since

there was lack of consideration to energy efficiency in the construction of older military

installations.

The energy behavior of personnel on military installations needs to be adjusted to

create meaningful and long-lasting improvement in energy consumption. Baack (2014)

extrapolated that despite the millions of dollars of energy-saving enhancements rolled

into Military Construction Program work completed in the last five to six years, old

habits have undermined these technological leaps. Typically, personnel established habits

when behaviors are repeated continuously over time. Many times, personnel pursue an

easy method to complete a task to save on time instead of employing the most efficient

method. Human behavior is an essential and frequently unnoticed element in achieving

aggressive Federal building performance goals, especially for reducing consumption of

energy, water, and materials (Wolfe, Malone, Heerwagen, & Dion, 2014). Front-line

military supervisors should recognize of the energy consumption behavior the personnel

in their shop to reduce energy waste.

The energy behavior of personnel is crucial in each facility for setting the rate of

energy consumption on an installation. Schakib-Ekbatan, Çakıcı, Schweiker, and Wagner

(2014) analyzed several studies and extracted that occupant behaviors significantly affect

the energy demand of buildings (ranging from 1.2 to 2.84 times when comparing

identical buildings). Personnel in each facility are essential in lowering energy

consumption because they directly influence the energy consumption for quotidian

operations. Front-line military supervisors should confirm personnel recognize the

amounts of energy consumed, so they develop shop level goals to lower usage.

Front-line military supervisors should craft processes to keep personnel on course

with changing energy behavior. Judd, Sanquist, Zalesny, and Fernandez (2013)

conducted an 18-month energy study on a military installation located at Fort Carson,

Colorado. They focused their efforts on changing the behavior of personnel within five

buildings. The researchers implemented a five-step process developed by the Department

of Energy-Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP). These steps consisted of

determining a goal, identifying context – rules, roles, and tolls, developing action plans,

implementing the plan, and measuring and evaluating progress. Upon completing the

study, the researchers discovered many of the intervention measures were effective. The

researchers determined one of the more highly effective interventions from the study was

instruction from supervisors on energy conservation behaviors. It is essential that front-

line military supervisors communicate the importance of effective energy usage for

personnel to cogitate on its importance.

With the advancement in military technology on installations, energy

consumption has become an imperative aspect of military operations. Saritas &

Burmaoglu (2016) conducted a thorough study analyzing the increase of energy within

military operations. They evaluated the various trends in military energy usage to develop

future scenarios of energy in military operations. Saritas and Burmaoglu (2016)

developed a three-stage process for energy transformation, which takes place at the

installation and individual levels. Future research is required to determine if this process

is feasible in lowering energy consumption in the military using these platforms. Saritas

and Burmaoglu (2016) argued the importance of energy independence by focusing more

on using renewable energy but failed to mention that a different source of energy will still

be wasted with inefficient energy consumption habits by military personnel.

Improvements in energy behaviors in the DoD can increase warfighter efficiency and cut

installation and operational energy costs (Homeland Defense and Security Information

Analysis Center, 2015).

Front-line military supervisors should be able to recognize various patterns in

energy consumption for their respective shop to develop effective strategies and

positively transform energy behaviors. The identification of energy consumption patterns

on military installations could contribute to the development of energy efficiency

interventions (Pombeiro, Pina, & Silva, 2012). Gul and Patidar (2015) conducted a pilot

study to analyze the relationship between electrical consumption and occupant behavior

for an academic building at Heriot-Watt University located in Scotland. Participants

within the facility participated in semi-structured interviews and an online survey so that

the researchers could obtain information on electricity used for diurnal operations of the

facility. The researchers assessed the occupancy patterns could promote the management

team in reconfiguring energy controls in the facility to improve energy performance.

Their goal would be to implement these new methods in other facilities throughout the

campus to improve overall energy efficiency for the entire university. Front-line military

supervisors could employ a similar approach on a military installation.

The ability of the DoD to efficiently manage energy on an installation is an

essential element of mission assurance, and comprehensive measurement of facility

energy could help the department maintain an aggressive pace toward its larger energy

objective (U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2016). Front-line military supervisors

should emphasis this to personnel routinely, so there is a constant transformation in

energy behaviors. For front-line military supervisors to meet energy objectives, they need

to use fathomable guidance for their personnel.

Department of Defense Energy Guidance

Several Acts and Executive Orders have been implemented in recent years to

guarantee government agencies participate in lowering energy consumption. The Energy

Independence and Security Act of 2007 required federal agencies to reduce energy

consumption by 30% based on FY 2003 energy consumption by 2015. In July 2015, the

Federal Government established Executive Order No. 13693 and all federal organizations

were required to reduce energy consumption by 25% by FY 2025 with a baseline starting

in FY 2015.

The military is currently one of the most salient domestic entities in the

development of new and existing technologies to reduce energy use. It is essential

organizations have effective guidance regarding energy consumption because it creates

an opportunity for policymakers to see the potentially substantial benefits for the

environment (Light, 2014). Front-line military supervisors should enforce organizational

energy guidance but also craft shop level guidance that is more relatable to shop

personnel.

There could be organizational energy guidance, but that should not stop personnel

from developing new and innovative shop practices. Strakos, Quintanilla, and Huscroft

(2016) discussed the background of energy management in the DoD from 1973-2014.

There have been many governmental policies and executive orders to promote decreasing

energy usage in the U.S. government. Strakos et al. (2016) conducted a historical review

of various policies, legislation, and energy research from military schools in which they

identified gaps between strategy and research in the DoD. Strakos et al. (2016) argued

that there is a need for a framework that adequately unifies research efforts to support the

DoD’s energy strategy to decrease energy consumption. Front-line military supervisors

should recognize the opportunities for better practices then stated in organizational

energy guidance. They should motivate shop personnel to develop new methods to

complete quotidian tasks more efficiently.

Guidance is crucial for personnel in an organization to comprehend the various

standards established by leadership. Karatas, Menassa, and Stoiko (2015) conducted a

literature review and developed a framework in two-steps based on what they learned

from their analysis that could promote leaders to design effective policies. They created a

four-level intervention strategy (education, persuasion, penalties, & technology) and

justified the approach with supporting data and information for each level. Karatas et al.

(2015) determined the various intervention levels could be utilized effectively with

occupants with varying energy consumption habits. Front-line military supervisors could

also participate in developing unit level guidance by suggesting innovative methods to

reduce energy consumption to senior leadership.

Front-line military supervisors should embrace being critical thinkers and develop

new energy conservation frameworks to create more efficient methods for reducing

energy consumption. Zierler, Wehrmeyer, and Murphy (2017) investigated a large

infrastructure operator to determine how to improve the behavior of individuals to save

energy. They administered a survey, analyzed the survey results, clustered the data and

proposed a new framework for new energy-saving behavior. The theories of planned

behavior and interpersonal behavior were both referenced, and the final integrated

framework had features from both. Zierler et al. (2017) developed a new framework from

three inter-related frameworks in which future researchers could develop further studies

on energy consumption attitudes and behaviors in large organizations based on the results

of the study. New frameworks give organizational leaders the opportunity to integrate

innovative interventions focused on reducing energy consumption.

Energy Conservation Strategies in Practice

Energy conservation methods are essential to energy consumption reduction

strategies. Strategies for providing information about the environmental impact of

activities are increasingly seen as effective to encourage conservation behavior (Delmas,

Fischlein & Asensio, 2013). While many strategies have been used to introduce new

occupant use behaviors that promote sustainability and reduced resource consumption,

few have been verified in the scientific literature or have properly documented case study

results (Wolfe et al., 2014). Some of the interventions have not yet been verified, but they

could still potentially support front-line military supervisors to develop effective energy

conservation strategies to put into practice in their shops.

Rewards

Rewards and incentives have frequently been used to motivate and sustain

behavioral change. Rewards can range from tokens for bus ridership to coupons for

purchasing green products, and there have several recent projects illustrating the

significance of incentives (Wolfe et al., 2014). It is essential front-line military

supervisors be conversant with awards that are most suitable for their subordinates to

motivate them to modify their behavior effectively.

Social rewards in private or public settings are effective techniques that could be

employed by front-line military supervisors to promote behavioral change. Lossin,

Kozlovskiy, Sodenkamp, and Staake (2016) managed an energy conservation research

study on the impact of using monetary and non-monetary incentives to reduce energy

consumption with Swedish utility customers. A total of 2,355 energy customers

participated in the study to test the effectiveness of various size incentives to motivate

efficient energy usage. Lossin et al. (2016) determined that using incentives resulted in a

reduction in energy usage, but there was a difference between the effectiveness of using

monetary incentives compared to non-monetary incentives. Wolfe et al. (2014) suggested

offering people money places the relationship on a business level, in which case,

compensation can seem inadequate and demotivating. Monetary awards may not be the

best fit for military organizations but could be used annually through gift cards to

provoke personnel to reduce energy consumption.

Front-line military supervisors could effectively reduce energy consumption by

combining the use of incentives with other types of energy conservation interventions.

Yu and Bhatti (2014) conducted a 2-year research study to determine the effectiveness of

incentives to persuade 83 students from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland to

become more energy efficient. The integrated feedback, competitions, and rewards in

four stages to the participants to reduce energy use. Group use decreased by 16%, and

individual energy use declined by 56%. Yu and Bhatti (2014) changed student behavior

to be more energy efficient by incorporating appropriate incentives such as rewards to

reduce energy consumption through behavior change. Front-line military supervisors

could record effective intervention combinations and share those with their peers to

support with the effort to create long-term change in energy consumption throughout the

organization.

Front-line military supervisors could successfully incorporate incentives with into

a well-structured energy policy to reduce energy consumption. Elinder, Escobar, and

Petré (2017) evidenced that implementing simple monetary incentives could effectively

reduce electric energy consumption. They applied a policy experiment in an apartment

complex, where 800 tenants were the treatment group and 1,000 tenants were the control

group. The treatment group was charged based on their actual usage, but the control

group was charged based on the apartment rate and did not have to worry about the

excessive energy used. The treatment groups reduced energy usage immediately after

being informed of the policy change. Elinder et al. (2017) proved that implementing the

incentive policy effectively decreased energy consumption by 25% per year in the

apartment complex. Personnel should comprehend energy policies and be informed when

policies are updated to maintain an effective energy culture within the organization.

Various incentives could be applied in shops by front-line military supervisors to

encourage personnel to adhere to energy policies.

Front-line military supervisors should distinguish when to use certain types of

rewards to reduce energy consumption. Handgraaf (2013) suggested that social rewards

are more effective than financial incentives because they fall in line with social norms.

He conducted a 13-week study on employees at a Dutch firm. Employees received

rewards for saving energy with either monetary or social rewards. The rewards were

given publicly and in private. Public social rewards were the most effective in ensuring

employees continued to reduce energy consumption. Handgraaf (2013) surmised that

policymakers and critical leaders should consider using public social rewards more than

financial incentives in interventions to effectively reduce energy consumption in

organizations. Public social rewards could be a sufficient incentive for military

organizations because it is a simple method to integrate and there is no additional cost to

integrate this type of incentive.

Feedback

Feedback is analyzed by front-line military supervisors to view links between

specific behaviors and progress toward achieving goals in real time, highlighting the

integration of new technologies with social systems to provide highly accessible and

immediate feedback, e.g., on a dashboard display in front of the viewer (Wolfe et al.,

2014). Front-line military supervisors should determine effective methods for

incorporating feedback to be more than just displayed information and use it to motivate

personnel to want to reform their energy behavior.

Feedback could be an effective instrument for front-line military supervisors to

lower energy consumption in their shop by displaying energy usage in a manner that

motivates personnel to prefer energy efficient behaviors. Shen, Young, and Cui (2016)

conducted a study on Joint Base Andrews, Maryland to evaluate the impact of normative

feedback in a military community. The researchers had two hypotheses that were well

framed and significant in ensuring a reduction in energy consumption. The four-month

study was composed of 601 homes. The researchers divided the households into a control

group and three treatment groups. The experiment was conducted to test the variation of

normative feedback in households to achieve the best savings through utilizing feedback

to impact human behaviors. Based on the results of the study, the researchers were able to

confirm the energy savings from normative feedback and proximity level. Normative

feedback could be used by front-line military supervisors to keep personnel cognizant of

energy usage compared to others and motivate them to change their behavior to reduce

energy consumption.

Front-line military supervisors should determine the method of communication

for feedback when developing interventions to reduce energy consumption. Barron and

Sinnott (2013) focused their research efforts on energy behavior by analyzing energy

consumption patterns. They conducted an ethnographic study to investigate the

behavioral energy patterns of six residences in Ireland. Barron and Sinnott (2013)

revealed that older households with older occupants managed to use less energy than

households with younger occupants and more energy efficient technology. The

researchers advocated the younger more energy efficient occupants were more receptive

towards feedback presented as monetary units saved rather than energy units saved.

Barron and Sinnott (2013) proposed a new framework from the lessons learned, which

could be utilized to conduct more research similar to this ethnographic study. Front-line

military supervisors should recognize feedback may have to be displayed differently for

some personnel for them to comprehend energy usage.

Online feedback tools are becoming more accessible for front-line military

supervisors to use in their shops to change energy consumption behavior due to increases

in technology. Attari and Rajagopal (2015) explored various online energy conservation

tools, which could support users with changing their behavior to become more

conservative with energy usage. They analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of EPA’s

Energy Star Program, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s (LBNL) Home

Energy Saver tool, and DOE’s EERE calculator. Occupants used the tools to gauge the

amount of energy used in each monitored building. Attari and Rajagopal (2015)

conducted a thorough investigation of the three tools and found enhancements were

necessary for the online tools to be effective for occupants. Front-line military

supervisors could use these tools as templates for developing feedback products they

could use within their shops to keep personnel attentive of energy consumption.

Social media use is increasing in several organizations, so it could be an

alternative online tool administered to inform personnel in military organizations about

energy patterns and usage. Lehrer, Vasudev, and Kaam (2014) highlighted the

importance of using social media to engage commercial building occupants in energy

conservation, and to improve communications between occupants and building

management around issues related to building operations. In our rising technological

society, front-line military supervisors could utilize online energy conservation tools

potentially as an aid to develop effective strategies to lower energy consumption.

Energy reduction through feedback can hypothetically be more successful when

used in combination with other techniques. Piccolo, Baranauskas, Fernez, Alani, and De

Liddo (2014) focused their efforts on utilizing a combination of feedback from smart

monitors, debate tools and tangible motivational devices to advance energy awareness in

the workplace. These energy saving tools were analyzed utilizing interviews, assessments

and online discussions. They identified advantages and disadvantages for each tool and

possible applications in an organization. Piccolo et al. (2014) conveyed the intervention

combination was effective, but a dialogue between leaders and subordinates needed to

occur within an organization to ensure energy consumption could be reduced through

behavioral change using this combination. Front-line military supervisors should use a

combination of interventions, so personnel remain engaged in the effort to reduce energy

consumption.

Occasionally, combinations of interventions are ineffective in reducing energy

consumption in an organization. Lokhorst, Staats, and Van Iterson (2015) surveyed to test

out feedback and commitment-making interventions within an office setting. In the study,

146 employees from an organization participated. The researchers surveyed the

effectiveness for behavioral change by breaking the participants into four categories

(Commitment and Feedback (CF), Commitment Only (CO), Feedback Only (FO), and

Control (Ctrl). Lokhorst et al. (2015) attributed some success in behavioral change with

the experiment, but overall the combined interventions did not successfully reduce energy

consumption. Front-line military supervisors should adopt the best approach for the shop

to effectively reduce energy consumption.

Organizational traits can influence the type of feedback that could successfully

lower energy for an organization. Karlin et al. (2014) explored how particular dimensions

of psychology and feedback could improve energy consumption by modifying energy

consumption behaviors. The researchers completed a thorough literature review of 28

research articles and identified that curtailment and efficiency were two highly

reoccurring dimensions. The researchers concluded their research reinforced

organizational leaders could effectively promote energy efficiency in organizations

through feedback and energy conservative policies geared toward these two dimensions.

Front-line military supervisors should discuss the effectiveness of the combination of

interventions with personnel to determine the most efficient combination for the shop.

Front-line military supervisors could communicate feedback in a group

consumption format, so each member can work towards the success of the team to reduce

energy consumption. Gulbinas and Taylor (2014) conducted a nine-week study to explore

how real-time feedback and network dynamics in an organization affects occupant energy

behavior in a 40,000 square foot commercial facility located in Denver, Colorado. There

were 98 participants divided into three groups: the individual feedback group,

organizational feedback group, and control group. The researchers revealed that

individual feedback was not as effective as organizational feedback in reducing energy

consumption.

Dixon, Deline, McComas, Chambliss, and Hoffmann (2014) promoted

comparative feedback-based campaigns as effective pro-environmental interventions

within organizations and provided direction for future research and practice. Siero,

Bakker, Dekker, and Van Den Burg (1996) conducted a study that illustrated employees

in a comparative feedback condition saved more energy than employees who only

obtained information about their performance, even half a year after the intervention.

Front-line military supervisors could use comparative group feedback to motivate

personnel to reduce energy consumption by competitively comparing them to other shops

within the organization.

Prompts

Front-line military supervisors can contribute to personnel from overlooking

energy conservation behaviors and establishing new routines through use of prompts.

Prompts are memory aids presented close to the repetitive behavior (McKenzie-Mohr &

Schultz, 2014). A prompt can be available in different forms such as a verbal prompt or a

visual prompt (Chui, Wai & Ahmad, 2015). Front-line military supervisors could

integrate shop related prompts throughout workplace environments to maintain energy

conservation alertness within their shops.

Prompts tailored to an organization can be an effective method to support

personnel to change energy consumption behaviors. Tetlow, Beaman, Elmualim, and

Couling (2014) investigated using prompts to reduce energy consumption through

lighting systems in two office buildings. Simple prompts and reminders can increase a

range of pro-environmental behaviors (Fredericks et al., 2015). The researchers

conducted an experiment in each building, where they used two types of single prompts.

One prompt was generic, and the other was related towards the organization. Tetlow et al.

(2014) specified both types of prompts were effective, but the prompt that associated with

the organization was more effective at motivating personnel to turn off the lights. Front-

line military supervisors should incorporate shop personnel in creating shop specific

prompts to empower and motivate personnel to participate in saving energy.

Similarly, Bator, Tabanico, Walton, and Schultz (2014) conducted two

experimental studies to test the impact of messages on social norms in computer

laboratories in two upstate New York universities. Messages tend to work best for

behaviors that are simple, easy, effortless and repetitive, and for people who are already

motivated to engage in the desired action (Fredericks et al., 2015). The first study was a

4-day study involving 308 participants with 28 desktop computers at a computer

laboratory in public university. The second study built upon study 1 and was a 5-day

study in five computer laboratories at a private college in New York. The research design

involved computers be left all on or off, and business card size messages with the school

logo being present or not present on the computer monitor. The researchers concluded

that both studies demonstrated that socially align signs are effective to reduce energy

consumption in an organization. Front-line military supervisors could use shop specific

prompts to motivate personnel to change their behavior to reduce energy consumption.

E-mails can be a useful platform for reducing energy consumption using prompts

to change behavior. Pandey, Diller, and Miller (2016) conducted a research study at a

green university to comprehend the influence of e-mailed prompts to reduce energy

consumption at a green university. The research was completed in 12 weeks and involved

500 occupants from five campus facilities. The researcher sent weekly e-mails through a

university e-mail address with examples on how to reduce energy to occupants in each

facility. The researchers were not able to prove e-mail prompts reduce energy

consumption but were able to develop best management practices for organizational

leaders to use to craft an energy conscious workforce.

Prompts should be tested before integrating them into an organization to gauge

the effectiveness of the prompt on a sample size of the organization to reduce energy

consumption. Delmas and Aragon-Correa (2016) conducted three experimental studies,

where they examined the effectiveness of interventions for energy conservation. The first

experiment compared private and public feedback of energy conservation and the second

and third tested the effectiveness of monetary messaging and environmental and health

messaging on conservation behavior. The researchers concluded the field experiments are

essential for determining the effectiveness of various interventions prior to

implementation. All the experiments effectively reduced energy consumption and saved

on average of 10-20% of energy. Front-line military supervisors should test prompts to

avoid wasted time and effort before implementing the intervention into their shop and

eventually the organization.

Social Norms

Social norms guide behavior in organizations and have been increasingly used in

the environmental field in interventions designed to reduce energy consumption (Wolfe

et al., 2014). In the last decade, there has been an increasing number of interventions that

rely on social norms to leverage support for changes in behavior (Liu, Veríssimo, &

Farhidi, 2016). Military members have embedded energy consumption habits in military

cultural norms, so front-line military supervisors should acknowledge them when

developing methods to change behaviors in their shops to reduce energy consumption.

Front-line military supervisors should recognize social norms that impact energy

conservation in their shop. Dwyer, Maki, and Rothman (2015) conducted two separate

studies in university public bathrooms to focus on decreasing energy consumption by

influencing descriptive norms and personal responsibility. The researchers had different

scenarios to obtain the most accurate information as possible in each study. They

demonstrated the linkage between social norms and personal responsibility. The two

studies resulted in evidence supporting the hypothesis that the light status when a person

enters a bathroom will affect the decision to turn off or leave on when exiting. The

studies are simple examples of a strategy that could be applied by front-line military

supervisors to reduce energy consumption through behavior change.

Social norms in an organization can lead to the success or failure of certain

interventions employed. Delmas, Fischlein, and Asensio (2013) reviewed published field

trials from 1975 to 2012 to review various strategies to reduce energy consumption. The

participants from the studies reduced energy consumption by approximately 7.5% each.

The researchers noticed that individual audits are more effective than using historical data

or peer feedback. Incentives and financial feedback usually led to an increase in energy

usage rather than reducing consumption. The researchers summarized that additional

research is necessary to refine the effectiveness of the multiple strategies that can be used

to reduce energy consumption. Front-line military supervisors should recognize all

interventions will not be effective in reducing energy consumption in their shop, so

multiple attempts of various interventions may be necessary to change the behavior of

personnel successfully.

Working as a group to reduce energy consumption is more effective than reducing

energy individually in an organization. Fisher and Irvine (2016) analyzed four group

intervention techniques to determine the effectiveness of each for long-term energy

reduction. The researchers tested the interventions by creating four groups of volunteers

from a workplace, faith group, and a neighborhood. The groups used different techniques,

like monthly meetings and informative sessions, to communicate with each member. All

the groups managed to reduce energy consumption by at least 20% annually noticeably.

The researchers advocated based on the results of the test that small groups provide a

positive environment to reduce energy consumption successfully. Shops in the Air

National Guard unit are small groups, so front-line military supervisors should ensure

that all members motivate each other to change their energy behavior.

Group interventions are typically effective techniques to reduce energy, but front-

line military supervisors may experience challenges with behaviors. Hatzl, Brudermann,

Reinsberger, and Posch (2014) analyzed the impact of regional and municipal energy

conservation techniques to encourage citizens to have positive energy conservation

attitudes and behaviors. The researchers compared two towns, where Town A

implemented energy conservation program and the Town B did not apply any energy

conservation plan. A survey was administered to obtain information about awareness and

behavior from 98 participants from Town A and 61 participants from Town B. The

researchers found that the energy program implemented in Town A had minimal impact

on the citizens’ attitudes and behaviors. The researcher illustrated the challenges in

changing attitudes and behaviors among people. Front-line military supervisors should

remain committed to convincing shop personnel to shift energy behavior to save energy.

Convincing building occupants to commit to energy reduction is an effective

method to encourage conservative energy behaviors. Lockhorst, Staats, van Dijk, and

Gale (2013) conducted a study to evaluate the effectiveness of commitment as a strategy

to reduce energy consumption. The researchers analyzed 19 studies published between

1976 and 2010. The researchers concluded that commitment leads to behavior change for

short and long durations. Occupants feel committed to saving energy once they see

everyone around striving for energy reduction in their organization. The researchers

viewed commitment as an advantageous method for lowering energy consumption, but

additional research could improve the effectiveness of this method to reduce energy

usage.

Long-term interventions should be the focus of organizational leaders to reduce

energy consumption. Kemp-Hesterman, Glick, and Cross (2014) conducted a mixed

method design to analyze the influence of improving energy behavior at two high schools

located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The researchers administered interviews and reviewed

historical electrical data to determine the effectiveness of the two interventions

implemented at the schools. They employed an awareness campaign and a charrette. The

researchers were able to reduce energy consumption in both schools, but over time

energy consumption regressed to its original level. They advocated to have long-term

savings individuals in the high schools needed to focus their efforts on communication,

motivation, and leadership. Front-line military supervisors could use either of two

interventions initially but should also develop long-term interventions to ensure complete

behavior change.

Not all social norm interventions will work for organizations to effectively reduce

energy consumption, so supervisors will need to incorporate trial periods to determine the

best methods. Sorrell (2015) conducted a review of issues about reducing energy demand.

He performed multiple comparisons of energy demand to system scale, economic growth,

energy efficiency, energy markets, energy policy, and sociotechnical systems. The

researcher concluded that reducing energy demand will be harder than many researchers

claim in their research and current approaches are not effective enough to provide the

transformation needed to reduce energy demand. Front-line military supervisors should

understand that not all social norm interventions will reduce energy in their shop and

might need to modify their method to work effectively with their personnel continuously.

Barriers Preventing Energy Conservation

Military organizations have given continuous effort to reduce energy

consumption, but energy conservation interventions can be ineffective due to various

barriers. Barriers that impede implementing energy conservative behaviors fall into the

categories of economic, financial, regulatory, or informational (U.S. Department of

Energy [USDOE], 2015). Front-line military supervisors should be able to identify

potential barriers, so they can incorporate preventative measures in energy conservation

interventions to ensure an effective reduction in energy consumption.

Front-line military supervisors should recognize potential barriers that could

affect their shop. Backman (2017) conducted an exploratory case study on 60 micro- and

small-sized Swedish companies to understand how the Swedish government could

increase energy efficiency within smaller companies. All the companies that participated

were also involved in a local energy program. He administered semi-structured

interviews and a questionnaire to collect information about the energy conservation

barriers these companies encountered. Some of the primary barriers identified were lack

of time, split incentives, and deficient information. Beckman (2017) conveyed more

research is necessary for incorporating effective energy policies and improving

knowledge transfer to prevail over energy barriers. Front-line military supervisors should

adjust strategies to improve energy management processes when barriers are identified.

Organizational leaders should periodically coordinate energy self-assessments to

identify potential barriers preventing them from saving energy. Johnson, Johansson, and

Andersson (2014) conducted an action research case study on a short sea shipping

company to gain a better understanding of efficient energy management practices within

the shipping industry. The researchers divided the case study into three phases, which

consisted of a pre-study, Energy Management System (EnMS) implementation and

external audit. Johnson et al. (2014) explored various barriers identified in the shipping

industry and were able to categorize five: project management capabilities, ship-shore

communication, a division of responsibilities, access to performance measurements, and

competence in energy efficiency. Johnson et al. (2014) revealed that more action research

was necessary to surmount traditional barriers like the one identified in the study. To

recognize their obstacles, front-line military supervisors should conduct internal

assessments to decrease potential barriers in their shops.

Front-line military supervisors should recognize energy conservative barriers at

all levels in the organization to facilitate long-term behavior change in their organization.

Van Doren et al. (2016) believed that current energy reduction initiatives need to be

scaled up to reach a broader audience to ensure energy reduction occurs worldwide. The

researchers also stressed the importance of understanding local strategies and barriers to

overcoming energy waste. Van Doren et al. (2016) concluded with three general findings,

which were the examination of barriers to scaling up energy conservation initiatives,

strategies to overcome barriers, and identifying the local environment as being promising

to address energy conservation barriers within an organization struggling to reduce

energy consumption. Identifying shop barriers not only advantageous for the shop but

more importantly the entire organization to change energy behavior.

Organizations could encounter social barriers preventing energy behavior change.

Moezzi and Janda (2014) discussed the potential of energy savings by motivating people

to save energy for the global good. The researchers suggested that social potential should

be considered because social science could contribute to improving building energy use

with effective policies. Through past research, the researchers identified three key

problems keeping an organization from effectively saving energy: “if only they knew”,

“if only they could be made to care”, and “if only they stayed home”. The researchers

recommended organizational leaders should consider the social potential in conjunction

with technical and behavioral methods to further reduce energy consumption. Front-line

military supervisors should comprehend prevailing energy conservation barriers is not

just to improve their organization, but rather to bring social change in energy

consumption to all military organizations in the DoD.

Behavior Change in Organizations

Front-line military supervisors could effectively achieve behavioral change by

establishing energy efficient changes throughout the organization. Institutions or agencies

working to promote energy efficiency benefits should incorporate a behavioral

perspective to improve the reach and impact of their programs (American Council for an

Energy-Efficient Economy [AEEE], 2016). Making a change throughout the entire

organization is more effective than attempting to focus solely on individual energy

behaviors. Many research articles illustrate the effectiveness of the behavioral change in

organizations to decrease energy usage. Four areas promote behavior change in

personnel, and they are leadership, infrastructure, training, and processes.

Leadership

For an organization to successfully reduce energy consumption through

behavioral change, leaders should have confidence in organizational objectives that guide

the organization in the direction of positive change. Abrell-Vogel and Rowold (2014)

conducted a study to examine transformation leadership behaviors influence the

commitment of subordinates. The researchers analyzed 177 participants from 38 teams

from different organizations. Individual support and providing an appropriate model were

two behaviors that showed a significant effect on subordinate commitment. Front-line

military supervisors should be able to provide individual leadership to ensure long-term

behavioral change while maintaining a positive model for subordinates to emulate.

Behavior change campaigns will undoubtedly be unproductive if there is no

support from leadership at all levels in an organization. Andre and Loudermilk (2011)

stated that military leaders should lead by example and offer a visible commitment that

reinforces their verbal statements. Higher level commitment can take a variety of

symbolic forms, such as driving hybrid vehicles, signing pledge cards committing to

energy reduction goals, and other personal activities. Zhenxing, Yong, Baizhan, and

Yafeng (2009) purported the lack of effective management measures is a major reason

for the need for energy efficiency supervision within facilities. Front-line military

supervisors should lead by example in their effort to change energy behavior.

Infrastructure

Installation infrastructures can support military personnel to improve energy

behaviors. Creutzig et al. (2016) discussed how both hard infrastructures, such as the

built environment, and soft infrastructures, such as habits and norms, shape behavior and

consequently offer significant potential for reducing overall energy demand. The Federal

Government has spent billions of dollars on a sensing infrastructure that can provide

relevant data, but less attention has gone toward making energy information attractive

and relevant (Reeves, Cummings, Scarborough, & Yeykelis, 2015). Front-line military

supervisors should recognize weaknesses in installation infrastructures to develop

measures to encourage positive energy behaviors in their shop.

A military member's interaction with building infrastructures and the available

systems plays a vital role in determining the total amount of energy used within facilities

on a military installation. Behaviors conducted by personnel effects a building’s overall

performance and the ability of its hardware and mechanical infrastructure to achieve

resource and environmental objectives through the decisions people make and how they

select, use, and maintain the building and its infrastructure (Wolfe et al., 2014). Front-line

military supervisors should recognize simple energy-related occupant behavior

interventions, which include adjusting thermostat settings, opening/closing windows,

dimming/switching lights, pulling up/down blinds, turning on/off HVAC systems, and

movement between spaces (Hong et al., 2016).

Training

Effective energy management training could promote military personnel to

properly use and maintain equipment. Many participants of a military energy reduction

workshop declared that it is essential personnel at all levels of management and

responsibility know the value of taking care of energy security/surety and costs, and that,

at times, improving efficiency and reliability can result in the enhancement to the mission

(Eyring, 2013). Personnel in the Air National Guard should receive training annually to

ensure they are cognizant of the most up to date information for improving energy

conservation in the organization.

Training is essential in the military to ensure personnel are ready for various

missions, so energy management should be incorporated to ensure personnel are attentive

to the importance of saving energy. Khan and Halder (2016) conducted a study analyzing

the current conditions of electricity consumption in Bangladesh. In the case study, the

researchers executed the study on a student hostel in which they could successfully prove

the effectiveness of behavioral change. The researchers noted various intervention

techniques being used but focused their efforts on public awareness and motivation. The

case study illustrates the possibility of saving 3%-20% though behavior change in a

building or organization. Front-line military supervisors should generate annual energy

training or workshops, to ensure military members are conscious of the importance of

energy conservation in the organization.

Processes

Due to the overall mission of military personnel, many high-energy processes

occur in quotidian operations. In Air National Guard units, there are some facilities with

energy-intensive processes such as engine testing, painting, nondestructive inspections,

and metalworking. Eyring (2013) promulgated that although industrial process energy

(IPE) is not a significant fraction of overall Air Force energy use (approximately 1

percent) and has received relatively little attention, investments in IPE efficiency are

expected to yield high rates of return. Front-line military supervisors should ensure

personnel are using more effective processes in shops to create a sustainable environment

for behavioral change and ultimately reduce process energy usage in the organization.

Summary and Conclusions

Front-line military supervisors have the potential to alter energy behaviors by

employing the conceptual foundation from this research study. They could reasonably

incorporate efficient energy management by applying effective energy conservation

strategies and policies to shops in the organization. All military members should

recognize potential barriers to prevent energy interventions from being ineffective. Front-

line military supervisors could promote behavioral change by improving leadership,

infrastructure, training, and processes in their shops.

This study may add to the literature on energy management practices in military

organizations. Although there is research available for energy management practices in

private sector organizations, there is insufficient research on reducing energy

consumption through behavior change in military organizations. A gap continues to

remain between energy management theory and current implementation practices in

military organizations (Antunes et al., 2014). Through the research articles examined in

the literature review, I gained an understanding of how front-line supervisors in other

industries get their employees to change their energy behaviors.

The literature review for this qualitative single case study consists of the

conceptual framework that I used to guide the research and the integration of literature

about reducing energy consumption through behavior change in various universities and

businesses around the world. The RQ guided the topics for the literature review for the

research study. This literature review focuses on the energy management in the military,

energy conservation strategies in practice, barriers preventing energy conservation, and

behavior change in organizations. Chapter 3 includes the methodology, rationale for the

research design, participant selection, instruments, data sample and analysis, and ethical

measures.

Chapter 3: Research Method

The purpose of the qualitative single case study was to gain an understanding of

common strategies front-line military supervisors have used to reduce energy

consumption through behavioral change on a military installation. I used online

asynchronous focus groups to identify strategies front-line military supervisors have used

to reduce energy consumption in a high tempo work environment. The information from

the online focus groups and the conceptual framework can be used by front-line military

supervisors to promote effective, practical strategies to change behaviors in their

organization to reduce energy consumption, which could generate social change.

In Chapter 3, I provide the methodology for the study. The chapter starts with the

research design and approach. I also state my role as the researcher. I thoroughly present

details of the selection of participants, instrumentation, data collection and analysis, and

trustworthiness. Lastly, I describe my ethical procedures and provide a summary of the

chapter.

Research Design and Rationale

The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to gain a common

understanding of strategies front-line military supervisors have used to reduce energy

consumption throughout organizational facilities in the Air National Guard. In the study,

the central question for the study was: What strategies do front-line military supervisors

utilize to change behaviors to reduce energy consumption on a military installation?

I used a qualitative single case study approach to identify strategies front-line

military supervisors can utilize to reduce energy consumption in the Air National Guard.

Case studies, in their essence, explore and investigate contemporary real-life

phenomenon through detailed contextual analysis of a limited number of events or

conditions, and their relationships (Zainal, 2007). Xia, Zhang, and Cass (2012)

determined that the case study demonstrates that a conceptual foundation cannot only

cover all major energy management activities, but it can also identify further energy

efficiency improvement opportunities. This approach is valuable for research to evaluate

programs and develop interventions because of its flexibility and rigor (Baxter & Jack,

2008).

The study of a single real case has been widely used as a source of knowledge in

several areas, whether as an example to be followed, a sample of what can happen, or a

reference of vicarious experience (Mariotto, Zanni, & Moraes, 2014). Through single

case studies, researchers can describe the existence of a phenomenon, and it is better to

make a single case study than a multiple case study when the researcher wants to study,

for example, a person or a group of people (Gustafsson, 2017). Therefore, the qualitative

single case study design was appropriate to gain an understanding of common strategies

to reduce energy consumption.

I used online asynchronous focus groups because front-line military supervisors in

the Air National Guard work in a high tempo military environment, and it is challenging

to schedule participants to conduct face to face focus groups. Busy professionals who

might otherwise be unavailable for a face-to-face meeting can often be reached using

information technologies (Stewart & Shamdasani, 2017). I used open-ended questions in

the online focus groups to gain an understanding of energy conservation strategies front-

line military supervisors used to change behavior to reduce energy consumption. I did not

use closed-ended questions because I would have received simple answers to complex

questions. An online focus group protocol was developed to guide the process of

managing effective online focus group discussions; is the protocol appears in Appendix

This study was developed to gain an understanding of common strategies front-

line military supervisors could use to reduce energy consumption through behavior

change on a military installation. The focus of the study was not on making predictions or

testing hypotheses for possible methods that could reduce energy consumption.

Therefore, I used a qualitative approach instead of a quantitative approach. Other

qualitative research designs were considered, but each had some limitation. Those

designs were narrative research, phenomenology, ethnography, and grounded theory.

Researchers apply the narrative research approach to weave together a sequence

of events, usually from just a couple of individuals, to form a cohesive story (Sauro,

2015). The narrative design examines the ways humans experience the world (Elçi &

Devran, 2014). This research approach was applicable but constructing stories from one

or two front-line military supervisors would not have been as useful in gaining an

understanding of practical strategies to reduce energy consumption for an entire

organization because the stories may be subjective and lack necessary information.

Phenomenological research approaches are often characterized and differentiated

by the degree to which it is accepted that an investigator can achieve objective

descriptions of, or interpret, lived experience (Wilson, 2015). Phenomenology may be the

method of choice for researchers who want to study what an experience means to a group

of people (Grossoehme, 2014). The researcher aims to describe as accurately as possible

the phenomenon, refraining from any pregiven framework while remaining true to the

facts (Groenewald, 2004). This research approach is applicable because the research

problem is structured, but there is limited current research on reducing energy

consumption through behavior change in a military organization.

The ethnography research approach involves analyzing the culture of an

organization and typically includes a full immersion of the researcher in the day-to-day

lives of the research participants (Sangasubana, 2011). Its roots can be traced back to

anthropological studies of small, rural societies that were undertaken in the early 1900s

(Reeves, 2008). This approach would not apply to this study because it is not necessary to

directly observe and interact with front-line military supervisors in their operating

environments to develop strategies to reduce energy consumption for the organization.

Strauss and Corbin (1990) promulgated the grounded theory approach is a

qualitative research method that uses a systematic set of procedures to develop an

inductively derived grounded theory about a phenomenon. Heydarian (2016) surmised

the grounded theory approach is useful when the area of study is new. This approach

would not be applicable to this study because the goal for this study was not to develop a

theory, but rather to gain an understanding of strategies that focus on behavior changes

front-line military supervisors can promote to reduce energy consumption.

Role of the Researcher

Because the researcher's perceptual acuity in observation and finely developed

capacity for eliciting detail from respondents are paramount, the concept of the researcher

as an instrument is prevalent in the qualitative literature (Barrett, 2007). The researcher as

an instrument provides an opportunity for researchers to enter the unknown world of an

individual in regard to the phenomena in question (Bahrami, Soleimani, Yaghoobzadeh,

& Ranjbar, 2015). I was the instrument in this study, so I virtually observed and

interpreted the knowledge and information provided by online focus group participants. I

am a trained and experienced energy manager for multiple military organizations. I used

my experience as an energy manager to efficiently develop and facilitate online focus

groups to gain an understanding of strategies front-line military supervisors could use to

reduce energy consumption through behavioral change.

I strived to be fair when conducting this study. To avoid bias, I developed script

e-mails that I used for all online focus group participants. There was no need to transcribe

information from the online focus groups as with a standard qualitative study because the

participants directly entered data into FocusGroupIt, so human error from transcribing the

information was be eliminated. With FocusGroupIt, responses can be transferred directly

to a database where they are immediately accessible for analysis, without the need for

transcription or editing, enhancing the accuracy of collected data and eliminating

transcriber bias (Tates et al., 2009). FocusGroupIt is a low-cost online platform that links

users together to gather qualitative feedback. I used this online platform to conduct the

online focus groups.

Participants were anonymous and assigned a random username when they created

their user account on FocusGroupIt. Participants were not able to view other posts until

they submitted their initial post to prevent groupthink. Anonymous feedback often

provides some of the most honest and innovative ideas while avoiding groupthink (Ayers,

2017). I also submitted a copy of the summary of themes to the participants so they could

review and verify the information. Member checking, also known as participant or

respondent validation, is a technique for exploring the credibility of results (Birt, Scott,

Cavers, Campbell, & Walter, 2016). I used data triangulation and compared the unit’s

Energy Intensity Reduction memorandum and field notes to verify information from the

summary of themes obtained from the study. Comparing themes could assist policy

makers and senior leaders in the organization to incorporate effective interventions noted

by front-line military supervisors.

Methodology

Participant Selection Logic

The target population for this study was front-line military supervisors in the Air

National Guard located on a military installation. Supervisors and the attitudes that they

hold are central to creating opportunities to reduce energy use (Staddon, Cycil, Goulden,

Leygue, & Spence, 2016). Participants were purposefully sampled based on their most

recent evaluation performance report, being a military member in the Air National Guard,

and being a front-line military supervisor. An invitation was sent out to departments

throughout the Air National Guard unit, and the participants were asked to e-mail back if

they consented to participate. Potential participants who were interested were also asked

to fill out and send back the demographic questionnaire to make sure they met all the

requirements to participate in the study (see Appendix C).

Purposeful sampling is commonly used in qualitative research for the

identification and selection of information-rich cases related to the phenomenon of

interest (Palinkas et al., 2015). Participants were only selected to participate in an online

focus group if they had a satisfactory rating or higher on their evaluation performance

report to ensure data was from quality front-line military supervisors. I gained approval

from the unit commander before sending out electronic invitations (see Appendix D). I e-

mailed various departments in the Air National Guard unit to inquire with front-line

military supervisors about participating. The identity of all participants remained

confidential throughout the study because each participant had a randomly generated

username that was used throughout the study.

The rise of Web 2.0, the advent of greater bandwidth, and new technology

platforms have made it possible to extend the range of focus-group research to the online

environment (Stewart & Shamdasani, 2017). Recent studies on the potential benefits of

the use of online focus groups indicated they were remarkably similar to face to face

focus groups, drawing attention to recruitment issues, participant convenience, researcher

benefits, and the quality of the data obtained (Tates et al., 2009). This study consisted of

three concurrent asynchronous online focus group with five participants in each. Brüggen

and Willems (2008) stated the optimal number of people in an online focus group is

between 3-5 participants. After I acquired a group of feasible participants, I e-mailed

each one to confirm participation and availability to conduct the online focus group. I

gave each participant the timeframe for conducting the online focus group in the

“Welcome” e-mail.

I decided to conduct three online focus groups based on previous research studies

that were similar. Stewart, Shamdasani, and Rook (2007) stated that rarely in the social

sciences research studies are there more than 3-4 focus groups conducted. I focused on

conducting three focus groups concurrently to begin the study but would have conducted

additional online focus groups if the data did not reach a point of saturation. Data

saturation is reached when there is enough information to replicate the study when the

inability to obtain additional new information has been reached, and when further coding

is no longer feasible (Fusch & Ness, 2015). I presented the themes of all focus groups in

a chart format to provide a visible approach to data analysis and saturation (Hancock,

Amankwaa, Revell, & Mueller, 2016). The themes were considered saturated when 80%

or more of the 15 participants made comments that fell within the themes identified. I set

data saturation at 12 (80%) participants mentioning the theme because Hancock et al.

(2016) conducted a similar study using online focus groups, and they used 75% of

participants as their data point of saturation.

Instrumentation

In qualitative research, the researcher as an instrument is an accepted stance, and

it is imperative that the qualitative researcher be fully aware of their ontological and

epistemological position underpins the research (Xu & Storr, 2012). The data collection

tools I used for this study is an online asynchronous focus group platform developed by

FocusGroupIt and the focus group questions. Online focus groups were used to gain an

understanding of strategies front-line military supervisors can use to reduce energy

consumption. The information from the online focus groups assisted in identifying

effective practical strategies to change behavior in the organization to reduce energy

consumption, which could bring social change to the organization.

Focus groups ascended in the early 1940s as social science researchers were

looking for alternatives to interviewer-dominated methods and one of the first uses of

focus groups was to explore morale of U.S. troops during World War II (Rennekamp &

Nall, 2003). Online focus groups are an extension of traditional focus groups, which have

been utilized in qualitative research for decades and, for the most part, the principles are

consistent with traditional focus groups (Stancanelli, 2010). Zwaanswijk and Van

Dulmen (2014) suggested that the anonymity of online focus groups may cause

participants to feel more comfortable to express their views. Busy people, such as

military professionals, are more accessible to target with online qualitative techniques

because they can participate from their workplace or home, and do not have to travel to

the research location (Brüggen & Willems, 2008).

I developed the online focus group questions from the principles and ideas of the

conceptual framework. Each open-ended question is aligned with a component in the

conceptual framework to maintain proper alignment throughout the study. Aligned

probing questions were also developed to increase depth in discussion during the online

focus group sessions. I used an expert panel review, consisting of two University of

Maryland management professors and one DoD energy management expert, to review the

online focus group protocol to ensure the online focus group questions aligned with the

objectives of this research study.

I required all online focus group participants to respond back that they consent

and a completed demographic questionnaire to ensure they met all the requirements to

participate in the study (see Appendix C). I managed three asynchronous online focus

groups for 7 consecutive days. Tates et al. 2009 and Brüggen and Willems (2008)

conducted effective asynchronous online focus groups that lasted a week. I sent each

participant a “Welcome” email two weeks before the start of the online focus groups.

After I completed the online focus groups, I sent participants an email thanking

them for participating and asked them to member check a copy of the summary of themes

to ensure accurate information was being captured in the study (see Appendix E). I

analyzed the feedback I received from all participants and reviewed the data from Nvivo

to determine if the member checking input changes results from the software. I modified

the summary of themes based on the feedback I got from the member checking results. I

resent the updated summary of themes to participants for them to reevaluate for accuracy.

I repeated this process until all participants agreed on the summary of themes.

The Air National Guard unit developed an Energy Intensity Reduction (EIR)

memorandum to improve energy efficiency and reduce energy consumption. The EIR

memorandum has recommended behaviors and actions personnel can utilize to reduce

energy consumption. I used this document to compare to the summary of themes and

field notes from the online focus group discussions. I suggested improvements to the EIR

memorandum based on the analysis I conducted.

Procedures for Recruitment, Participation, and Data Collection

I recruited full-time front-line military supervisors serving in an Air National

Guard unit. I emailed the Wing Commander to obtain permission and attached the letter

of cooperation to conduct online focus groups with personnel in the Air National Guard

unit (see Appendix D). Once I received IRB approval from Walden University (Walden

IRB approval no. 01-25-18-0658144) and the U.S. Air Force HRPO, I e-mailed study

invitations to departments in the Air National Guard unit to inquire about interest in

participating in the research study. The invitation included the purpose of the study,

requirements to participate, and potential benefits from participating in the study.

Potential participants had to have a satisfactory rating on their most recent

evaluation performance report, be a military member in the Air National Guard unit being

studied and be a front-line military supervisor to participate in the online focus groups.

Potential participants that met the requirements were asked to e-mail me back they

consent and attach a completed demographic questionnaire to ensure they met all the

requirements to participate. I included my contact information to address any questions or

concerns about the research study. The identities of the online focus group participants

remained confidential throughout the study.

After I acquired 15 participants, I scheduled three concurrent online focus groups.

If I did not obtain 15 participants that met the participant requirements, I was going to

resubmit the study invitation to gain additional potential participants. I ensured there

were no scheduling conflicts with any of the participants partaking in the online focus

groups. I ensured all participants had e-mailed me back that they consented a week before

conducting the online focus groups. After completing the focus groups, I e-mailed each

participant thanking them for participating in the study and had the participants review

the summary of themes to ensure accuracy.

I spent approximately one week conducting the asynchronous online focus

groups. FocusGroupIt was the online platform I used to perform the focus groups. The

findings were dependent on my interpretation of the data collected from all the online

focus groups. I was responsible for conducting the whole study, organizing the online

focus groups, and selecting the potential participants. I developed the online focus group

questions (see Appendix A) and procedures (see Appendix B), coordinated logistics with

participants, answered any questions participants had about the study and transcribed

field notes from the online focus groups.

I sent participants a thank you and member checking email upon completing the

online focus groups (see Appendix E). They were asked to review the summary of

themes from the study. After they sent back any comments, I resent the updated summary

of themes to participants for them to reevaluate for accuracy. I repeated this process until

all participants agreed on the summary of themes and thanked them again for their

participation in the study.

Data Analysis Plan

The process of qualitative analysis aims to bring meaning to a situation rather

than the search for truth focused on by quantitative research (Rabiee, 2004). I used Braun

and Clarke’s six-phase thematic analysis technique to analyze the data obtained from the

online focus groups. Thematic analysis is a method for identifying, analyzing, and

reporting patterns or themes within data (Braun & Clarke, 2006). I began data analysis

after I completed the asynchronous online focus groups. I generated the transcripts for the

online focus groups directly from FocusGroupIt.

In phase one, I thoroughly read each online focus group transcript and highlighted

keywords and phrases I could use for coding. In phase two, I developed initial codes from

the highlighted words and phrases. In the third phase, I developed themes based on the

initial codes identified. In the fourth phase, I reviewed the themes and made

modifications to the themes when necessary. In the fifth phase, I analyzed each theme in

detail and develop the “story” for the themes identified. In the last phase, I finalized all

the themes and discussed why the themes were relevant to the research study.

I used the management problem, conceptual framework, and RQ as a guide to

compare themes developed from this research. I utilized NVivo throughout the entire

process to organize data and identify potential themes I did not consider initially. I took

detailed field notes and used a bracket memo throughout the online focus groups.

Bracketing is a method used in qualitative research to mitigate the potentially deleterious

effects of preconceptions that may taint the research process (Tufford & Newman, 2010).

Field notes written during data collection and memos recorded during data analysis can

help researchers to recognize discrepancies in collected data early in the study, priming

researchers to consider ambivalence or contradiction as a salient theme rather than as a

threat to validity (Antin, Constantine, & Hunt, 2015). If I did not reach a point of

saturation with the initial online focus groups, then I would have resent invitations to

obtain more qualified participants to conduct additional online focus groups until I reach

a point of saturation.

I used data triangulation and compared the unit’s Energy Intensity Reduction

memorandum and field notes to verify information from the summary of themes obtained

from the study. If the data is of poor quality, the data triangulation process is likely to

identify it in the form of data inconsistencies (Lindgren, 2015). I developed a data

triangulation chart to compare the themes and information identified from each source to

validate information collected from the sources.

Issues of Trustworthiness

Credibility

An important criterion addressed by positivist researchers is that of internal

validity, in which they seek to ensure that their study measures or tests what is intended

(Shenton, 2004). I conducted member checking by submitting a copy of the summary of

themes to the participants so that they could review and verify the information from their

online focus group. I used data triangulation and compare the unit’s Energy Intensity

Reduction memorandum and field notes to verify information from the summary of

themes obtained from the study. Triangulation has been viewed as a qualitative research

strategy to test validity through the convergence of data from different sources (Carter et

al., 2014).

I presented the themes of the online focus groups in a chart format to provide a

visible approach to data analysis and saturation (Hancock et al., 2016). I would have

conducted additional online focus groups if the data has not reached a point of saturation.

Research data is saturated when there is enough information to replicate the study, and

further coding is no longer feasible (Fusch & Ness, 2015).

Transferability

Transferability refers to the degree to which the results of qualitative research can

be generalized or transferred to other contexts or settings (William, 2006). I ensured

transferability by administering effective probing questions, detailed field notes, and the

proper use of the instrumentation. I used research aligned probing questions to increase

depth in discussion during the online focus group sessions.

Dependability

To address the dependability issue more directly, the processes within the study

should be reported in detail, thereby enabling a future researcher to repeat the work, if not

necessarily to gain the same results (Shenton, 2004). I conducted an external audit by

engaging with military energy managers that have graduate-level research experience to

serve as external auditors. I used this method to create alternative perspectives of the

trustworthiness of the study and build relationships with other military energy managers.

Confirmability

Confirmability refers to the degree to which the results could be confirmed or

corroborated by others (William, 2004). Confirmability depends on the perspective that

the integrity of findings lies in the data and that the researcher can adequately tie together

the data, analytic processes, and findings in such a way that the reader can confirm the

adequacy of the findings (Morrow, 2005). I used a bracketing memo during online focus

groups to record any potential bias that I may have been thinking while reading the online

focus group discussions.

Ethical Procedures

The relationship and intimacy established between the researchers and

participants in qualitative studies can raise a range of different ethical concerns, and

qualitative researchers face dilemmas such as respect for privacy, the establishment of

honest and open interactions, and avoiding misrepresentations (Sanjari, Bahramnezhad,

Fomani, Shoghi, & Cheraghi, 2014). I ensured ethical treatment of all online focus group

participants. I obtained approval to complete the study from Walden’s IRB and the U.S.

Air Force’s HRPO. I obtained written permission from the D.C Air National Guard

Commander to conduct the study with volunteers within the organization (see Appendix

D).

Participation in the research study was voluntary, and participants could stop

participating in the study at any time. If more participants were needed, I would have

resubmitted the research invitation to departments in the organization to gain additional

participants. Participants had the opportunity to ask questions about the research study

before conducting the online focus groups. I had each participant send back a reply of

consent before participating in the online focus groups. The identities of the online focus

group participants remained confidential during and after the research study was

completed. All participants were given a random username and remained anonymous

during the online focus groups.

The researcher being a military officer could have influenced the online focus

group participants. Front-line military supervisors are typically enlisted members of the

organization. I did not use my rank when communicating with participants. The

participants were not a part of my military organization, so that eliminated some potential

ethical concerns. FocusGroupIt has multiple security infrastructures and policies in place

to protect information obtained from the online focus groups. I was the only person with

access to focus group data, including online discussion posts, transcripts, field notes, and

the bracketing memo. I stored these items on a password protected flash drive, where I

was the only person with access. After obtaining my Ph.D., I will erase the content on the

flash drive and maintain it in a personal lockbox for five years. After five years, I will

destroy the flash drive to ensure the security of the research data.

Summary

The purpose of the qualitative single case study is to gain an understanding of

common strategies front-line military supervisors have had with reducing energy

consumption through behavioral change. I managed three concurrent online focus groups

to capture effective energy conservation strategies used by front-line military supervisors

in the Air National Guard. I purposeful sampled participants by e-mailing research email

invitations to departments in the Air National Guard unit.

Potential participants had to have a satisfactory rating on their most recent

evaluation performance report, be a military member in the Air National Guard, and be a

front-line military supervisor to participate in the research study. I employed Braun and

Clarke’s six-phase thematic analysis technique to analyze the data obtained from the

online focus groups. I ensured trustworthiness throughout the research study by

implementing various ethical measures. I started collecting research data after I received

approval from U.S. Air Force’s HRPO and Walden’s IRB. In next chapter, I presented

the results from the asynchronous online focus groups.

Chapter 4: Results

The purpose of the qualitative single case study was to gain an understanding of

common strategies front-line military supervisors use to reducing energy consumption

through behavioral change. I answered the central question for the study using three

asynchronous online focus groups. The RQ was: What strategies do front-line military

supervisors utilize to change behaviors to reduce energy consumption on a military

installation? In Chapter 4, I report the findings from the online focus groups. The chapter

also consists of details about the research setting, demographics, data collection, data

analysis, and evidence of trustworthiness. Finally, I conclude with an overall summary of

the chapter and transition into Chapter 5.

Research Setting

I conducted this study virtually using three concurrent, asynchronous online focus

groups. FocusGroupIt was the platform used to perform the anonymous online focus

group discussion among the 15 participants. All participants were volunteers, and each

one e-mailed me their consent before participating in the study. All the participants were

relatively flexible in scheduling a 7-day period to conduct the online focus groups.

Demographics

The composition of the participants for this research study included 15 front-line

military supervisors with different levels of supervised experience and importance of

energy management (Table 1). The demographic questionnaire data indicated the

participants’ gender; participants included 5 women and 10 men (Figure 1). The

participants were in the age range of 21 and 60 years (Figure 2). The participants had 1 to

over 10 years of experience supervising personnel (Figure 3). The level of importance for

energy management included 0 low, 5 moderate, and 10 high (Figure 4).

Table 1.

Demographic Data of Sample

Reference

Gender

Age

Supervising

experience

Importance of

energy mgmt.

Male

31-40

4-5

Moderate

Male

31-40

6-9

High

Female

51-60

10+

High

Female

31-40

4-5

Moderate

Male

31-40

1-3

Moderate

Male

31-40

6-9

High

Male

41-50

6-9

High

Male

41-50

6-9

High

Male

31-40

10+

High

Male

41-50

1-3

High

Male

31-40

1-3

High

Male

31-40

10+

High

Female

21-30

1-3

Moderate

Female

41-50

10+

Moderate

Female

31-40

1-3

High

Figure 1. Demographic data: Population gender distribution.

Figure 2. Demographic data: Population age distribution.

Male Female

Gender

Gender Distribution

21 - 30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71-80

Age in Years

Age Distribution

Figure 3. Demographic data: Population supervising experience distribution.

Figure 4. Demographic data: Population energy management importance distribution.

1 to 3 4 to 5 6 to 9 10+

Years of Experience

Supervising Experience Distribution

Low Moderate High

Level of Importance

Energy Management Importance Distribution

Data Collection

The online, asynchronous focus groups consisted of 15 male and female military

front-line supervisors. The focus groups were conducted virtually, which allowed

spatiotemporally separated participants to join the discussion at a time that was

convenient from their home or office (Zwaanswijk & Van Dulmen, 2014). There were

three online focus groups, and each contained five participants. I e-mailed study

invitations to 10 departments in the Air National Guard unit to inquire about interest in

participating in the research study.

I purposefully sampled participants on April 30, 2018. I asked potential

participants to e-mail me back their consent and attach a completed demographic

questionnaire to ensure they met all requirements to participate. After I acquired 15

participants, I coordinated with them to conduct three online focus groups from May 1,

2018 to May 7, 2018. I e-mailed the remaining individuals who showed interest in

participating in the study and appreciatively informed them I had acquired all participants

needed for the study.

I sent the 15 participants a “Welcome” e-mail containing the FocusGroupIt link

for their online focus group and the dates the focus group would be conducted. Some of

the participants struggled to register, but I assisted them to set up their accounts correctly.

Participants focused their discussion on the first four focus group questions during the

first 4 days of the online focus groups. During the last 3 days, they focused on the last

four questions. I used probing questions throughout the 7-day period to add more depth to

the online focus group discussions. Periodically, I sent participants a reminder e-mail

encouraging them to comment on focus group questions and respond to posts submitted

by other participants in their respective online focus groups.

Participants directly entered their comments into FocusGroupIt. I generated

transcripts from FocusGroupIt, eliminating the potential for errors from transcribing. I

sent the “Thank You/Member Checking” e-mail to participants on May 8, 2018, to ensure

the summary of themes was accurate (see Appendix E). Participants submitted no

changes during member checking. I collected the research data as described in Chapter 3

with no changes. There appeared to be no organizational or personal conditions that could

have influenced participants enough to impact the results of the study.

Data Analysis

I conducted the data analysis using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase thematic

analysis technique. It provided an easily interpretable and concise description of the

emergent themes and patterns in a dataset (Wigdorowitz, 2016). Braun and Clarke’s six-

phase thematic analysis included summarizing each online focus group, creating initial

codes, searching for themes, reviewing themes & interpreting the results, defining &

naming themes, and producing a report. I used NVivo software to identify possible codes

and themes not considered initially. I also used field notes and a bracketing memo

throughout the online focus groups to analyze the data.

Data Familiarization

In phase one, I thoroughly read each online focus group transcript and highlighted

keywords and phrases I could use for initial coding. I read each online focus group

transcript a minimum of 15 iterations, so I was comfortable and familiar with all data

collected from the online focus groups. I wrote daily summaries of initial impressions

from the data into my field notes and reviewed my bracketing memo to maintain an

accurate analysis. I used the bracketing memo to help with self-reflection about previous

experiences so that I could analyze the research data through an unbiased lens.

Generate Initial Codes

I transitioned into phase two after I became familiar with the words and phrases I

highlighted during the data familiarization phase. In phase two, I developed initial codes

from highlighted words and phrases. I used a simple table in a Microsoft Word document

to track initial codes from transcripts, field notes, and daily focus group summaries. I

conducted five iterations of identifying initial codes and made some modifications to

initial codes during this phase. I inputted the online focus group transcripts into NVivo to

use later to identify potential themes.

Search for Themes

In the third phase, I developed preliminary themes based on the initial codes

identified in the transcripts, field notes, and daily focus group summaries. Relevant codes

were combined and divided to identify themes from the online focus group data. I used

NVivo 11 to identify other codes not considered and made additional adjustments based

on recommendations from the software. I developed the preliminary themes after

numerous coding iterations and searches for relevant codes. The six themes I identified

were based on an 80% frequency of related comments from the research data. The themes

were environmental preservation, sustainable practices, funds, proactive leadership,

workplace management, and policy and regulations. I discuss each emergent theme and

its impact on the RQ in more detail in the Study Results section.

Review Themes

In the fourth phase, I reviewed the preliminary themes and made modifications

where necessary. I made modifications to themes to ensure they were relevant to the RQ.

I ensured the themes formed consistent patterns and were valid to the research study. I

used the summary of themes to ensure themes were relevant to each other and the RQ.

Some potential themes were considered but not mentioned by 80% or more of the online

focus group participants. Typically, two or three participants mentioned potential themes,

and I entered those into my field notes for later consideration. The data presented in

Figure 5 displays key codes that make up the emergent themes. I developed

recommendations for leaders in the Air National Guard unit based on the initial emergent

themes.

Figure 5. Themes and key codes.

Define Themes

In the fifth phase, I finalized the themes and created a summary of themes. I

analyzed and developed the “story” for each theme identified. The summary of themes

allowed me to illustrate how each was relevant to the RQ and other identified themes.

The data presented in Figure 6 displays data saturation by each theme and the focus

group questions that correlate with each theme identified. I set data saturation at 12

(80%) participants mentioning the theme because Hancock et al. (2016) conducted a

similar study using online focus groups and they were effective with using 75% of

participants as their point of data saturation. I did not set my threshold at 75% because I

wanted to add more restrictions on themes to potentially improve data accuracy. I

conducted member checking by e-mailing the summary of themes to each participant to

review for accuracy, and all participants e-mailed back that no changes were necessary.

Figure 6. Data saturation by theme.

Produce Report

In the last phase, I expanded off the summary of themes to develop the final

report. I triangulated the research data based on the summary of themes, field notes, and

EIR memorandum to ensure there were no data inconsistencies. I finalized my

recommended action plans for the Air National Guard unit’s leaders to consider

implementing into the organization to change the energy conservation culture in the

organization potentially successfully. I identified no discrepant cases in the research

study.

Evidence of Trustworthiness

Credibility

I established credibility through member checking, data triangulation, and the use

of a chart to display data saturation. I e-mailed each online participant a copy of the

100

Environmental

Preservation

(FQ1, FQ4)

Sustainable

Practices (FQ2,

FQ3, FQ7)

Funds (FQ4) Proactive

Leadership

(FQ6)

Workplace

Management

(FQ5, FQ8)

Policy &

Regulations

(FQ8)

Percentage of Particpants

Focus Group Data by Theme

summary of themes to review for accuracy. Participants confirmed data was accurate in

an e-mail response. I accomplished data triangulation through a cogent analysis of the

summary of themes, field notes, and the unit’s EIR memorandum. At least 80% of online

focus group participants had to mention the theme in their input to establish it as a critical

theme in the research study. I presented the themes in a chart that displayed each theme

reaching the data saturation point.

Transferability

I ensured transferability using aligned probing questions, field notes, and an

organized online focus group protocol. I used an aligned probing question for each online

focus group question to increase depth in the online focus group discussions. I took daily

field notes that can be easily interpreted by another researcher interested in completing a

similar study. The online focus group protocol was well organized and goes into detail

about preparing, conducting, and interpreting the online focus groups.

Dependability

I attained dependability by conducting external audits with a military energy

manager with graduate level experience and management professors from the University

of Maryland. The energy manager and management professors reviewed the online focus

group protocol and focus group questions. All the reviewers gave recommendations on

how to improve both based on their perspectives. Initially, I was only going to have

energy managers review the protocol and questions but thought it would be beneficial to

gain the input of management professors as well.

Confirmability

I obtained confirmability through the daily use of a bracketing memorandum

during the online focus groups and open-ended online focus group questions. I recorded

any potential personal bias and considered my previous relevant experience to maintain

the authenticity of the research analysis. I added three peer reviews of the summary of

themes to establish more confidence in the data collected from the study.

Study Results

I revealed strategies front-line military supervisors could use to change their

subordinates’ behavior to reduce energy consumption on military installations based on

research the research data. I developed all eight online focus group questions from the

RQ: What strategies do front-line military supervisors utilize to change behaviors to

reduce energy consumption on a military installation? There were six themes identified

from the online focus group data that were relevant to the research question and purpose

of the study.

Focus Group Question 1

What does energy management mean to you? The purpose of this question was to

understand participants’ perception of energy management. Personnel comprehended the

concept of energy management, but suggested supervisors tend to lack effort in

reinforcing energy efficient behaviors to reduce energy consumption. I identified only

one theme for this focus group question.

Theme 1: Environmental preservation. All 15 participants (100%) believed

energy management was effectively conserving natural resources to ensure future

generations have a sustainable world to live in. The 15 participants’ responses

demonstrated how there is a social concern with energy management in our society,

especially in the workplace. The following comments provide support for Theme 1:

• “It means formulating a plan to utilize energy judiciously and efficiently to be

able to accomplish the mission while saving valuable resources.” (Participant-5A)

• “Energy management is basically making a conscious effort to ensure the optimal

use of energy to minimize over all costs while maximizing productivity and

reducing global emissions.” (Participant-1B)

• “Energy management to me means being responsible. Using my fair share of

energy and not being wasteful because it’s not necessarily always about money,

its about a resource that may not always be around weather you have money or

not. If the resources is used up and not available that’s the end.” (Participant-5C)

Focus Group Question 2

How do personnel in your shop efficiently use equipment to conserve energy?

The purpose of this question was to explore current energy conservative behaviors of

shop personnel. I identified only one theme for this focus group question.

Theme 2: Sustainable practices. There were 12 participants (80%) who

identified energy conservative practices currently employed in their shop. The other three

participants commented only on technology needed to change behaviors. The 12

participants’ responses demonstrated how their personnel have a fundamental

understanding of conserving energy by turning off and properly using shop equipment.

They identified simple behaviors personnel perform daily, but a lack of recognition and

incentives decreases motivation to be energy conservative. The following comments

provide support for Theme 2:

• “The shop personnel only use electrical power when need to complete their tasks.

The rest of the time the equipment is powered off. They are also conserving water

and not using overhead lights when they are not in the office space.” (Participant-

3A)

• “We all turn off as much as we can when we leave the office for the day.

Examples are office and hangar lights and small appliances such as coffee pots.

We also turn off our monitors and the rest usually sleep when not in use

anyways.” (Participant-4B)

• “Energy is conserved through turning off equipment that can be turned off at the

end of day and that’s not affected by powering down.” (Participant-5B)

Focus Group Question 3

What are some best management practices you utilize to be conservative in your

shop? The purpose of this question was to explore shop level energy conservative

practices. I identified only one theme for this focus group question.

Theme 2: Sustainable practices. All 15 participants (100%) identified best

management practices applied in their shop to be conservative. The 15 participants’

responses demonstrated how energy conservation could be part of culture in a military

workplace environment. Participants suggested military personnel can execute their jobs

effectively, while still conserving energy. They also agreed that effective energy

conservative best management practices are not being shared between front-line military

supervisors to ensure the entire organization benefits. The following comments provide

support for Theme 2:

• “I like to keep my blinds open to allow bright light in the office instead of having

to use the lights.” (Participant-2A)

• “From a managerial stand point we try to direct the repair and replacement of all

things with energy conservative devices when we are allowed and or money is

available. Currently in my shop we preserve energy by turning off light when we

leave the room, unplugging appliances that aren’t used and turning off computer

monitors.” (Participant-1B)

• “I push myself to stay away from the computer as much as possible and tend to

ignore emails to make people come and see me in person. This helps reduce

energy expended from reading and sending emails. Also, I use less energy as I

force myself to walk around the shop and socialize.” (Participant-4C)

Focus Group Question 4

Why should personnel in the shop be motivated to save energy? The purpose of

this question was to understand participants’ perception of their subordinates’ motivation

to save energy. I identified two themes for this focus group question.

Theme 1: Environmental preservation. There were 12 participants (80%) who

considered the environment as a major reason for personnel to be motivated to save

energy. Three participants commented strictly on the importance of funding. The 12

participants’ responses demonstrated how front-line military supervisors believe

personnel should consider the environment when making workplace decisions dealing

with energy usage. Participants recognized that the environment is usually an

afterthought for personnel, especially when they have limited time to complete their job.

They also determined that personnel are not typically held accountable for the negative

impact their energy consumption behavior has on the environment. The following

comments provide support for Theme 1:

• “It helps to conserve resources, establish accountability and give sense of

ownership to the members in the shop.” (Participant-3A)

• “There is a direct correlation to utilizing energy conservative devices and building

sustainability. So with the conscience decision to utilize energy saving devices

shop personnel are less likely to have to return to a repair already performed

previously, therefore saving time and aggravation. And simply put it is everyone’s

responsibility to save energy during a time when energy usage is at the highest it

ever been worldwide.” (Participant-1B)

• “Besides it being a requirement federally, Green Product programs meet all of the

requirements and guidelines of the Federal procurement preference program.

Even though its is regulated federally, sharing this info with the states and private

sector is great. It creates an atmosphere of sharing and educating on knowing the

environmental benefits, sustainability, and compliance of Green Products.”

(Participant-2C)

Theme 3: Funds. There were 12 participants (80%) who considered potential

cost savings as a significant reason for personnel to be motivated to save energy. Three

remaining participants commented strictly on the importance of environmental

preservation. The 12 participants’ responses demonstrated how front-line military

supervisors believe personnel should consider expenditures when making workplace

decisions dealing with energy usage. Participants reasoned that shop personnel desire to

spend funds on tools and equipment to assist them in efficiently completing their jobs,

not the cost of wasted energy. The following comments provide support for Theme 3:

• “Because saving energy is the responsibility of all personnel in the shop. Saving

energy saves on costs and the funds could be directed into other shop needs to

benefit all personnel.” (Participant-5A)

• “We should practice being energy efficient and saving the government money

annually. Most important is it important to be able to sustain in case the budget

decreases next year or resources run out.” (Participant-3B)

• “The amount of energy used determines the amount of money spent, which

effects the budget.” (Participant-5B)

Focus Group Question 5

How does your work schedule impact energy usage in your shop? The purpose of

this question was to understand participants’ perception of the impact of their work

schedule on energy conservation. I identified only one theme for this focus group

question.

Theme 5: Workplace management. There were 14 participants (93%) who

identified how their work schedules impacted energy conservation. One participant only

commented that technology is used to decrease energy consumption. The 14 participants’

responses demonstrated the influence work schedules have on energy consumption and

the need for efficient daily operational management in each shop to maintain a

sustainable, energy-efficient workplace. The following comments provide support for

Theme 5:

• “The amount of time that me and my airmen spend in the shop has an affect on

the amount of energy that is used. Whenever we are out of the shop on a job or

training, we need to take the steps to eliminate energy usage.” (Participant-1A)

• “If a shop is on 24/7 schedule, obviously more energy is used. A fully staffed

shop will use more energy vs a skeleton crew, however, same amount of energy is

needed for lighting and to run basic/standard equipment regardless of number of

staff, so some could argue this is wasteful.” (Participant-5B)

• “Encouraging a flexible work arrangement decreases traffic congestion,

eliminates energy consumption, and air pollution. At the office by having

individuals telework the equipment energy consumption rate is greatly reduced.

Telework has also assisted in reducing the amount of facilities needed, which

assisted and showed a reduction in office energy consumption is critical since

there has been a decrease lowered utilization of office space and equipment.”

(Participant-2C)

Focus Group Question 6

How does your leadership style overcome energy conservation barriers? The

purpose of this question was to explore strategies participants used to overcome energy

conservative barriers in their shops. I identified only one theme for this focus group

question.

Theme 4: Proactive leadership. There were 12 participants (80%) who

identified techniques in their leadership style to overcome energy conservation obstacles.

Three participants simply commented training would be an effective way to overcome

energy conservation barriers. The 12 participants’ responses demonstrated the need for

front-line military supervisors to be proactive leaders. They believed that proactive

leaders facilitate positive results with greater ease and create positive workplace

environments. The following comments provide support for Theme 4:

• “Leading by example. Turning off electronics that are not in use, turning off lights

when no one is occupying a workspace/center and by reminding personnel to turn

off lights and electronics when they depart a workspace.” (Participant-5A)

• “My leadership style is one that comes with a lot of planning. What I mean by this

is that I have been able to overcome most of those issues by planning projects

even ordering parts way in advance.” (Participant-1B)

• “I encourage my officer personnel to “reach-out and touch someone” or “practice

in-person face-time”. Just sending emails wont cut-it anymore. Sometimes you

have to get away from your desk and visit people to get your message across to

others.” (Participant-4C)

Focus Group Question 7

What are some innovative methods you can have your personnel do to save

energy in your shop? The purpose of this question was to explore creative methods

participants used to facilitate energy conservation in their shops. I identified only one

theme for this focus group question.

Theme 2: Sustainable practices. There were 13 participants (87%) who

identified innovative methods to save energy. One participant commented on using more

power strips and the other mentioned using a non-renewable energy source on the

military installation. Neither of the two were creative methods to save energy in their

shop. The 13 participants’ responses demonstrated the need for front-line military

supervisors to use creative methods for saving energy. They conveyed that providing a

creative environment keeps personnel engaged and willing to develop more ideas to

potentially save energy. The following comments provide support for Theme 2:

100

• “Using energy conservative power strips. Group office exercises to warm up i.e.

Challenge push-ups or pull-up instead of cranking the heat up. Encouraging

personnel to wear authorized cold gear to warm up in the office or removing extra

clothing to cool off and drinking plenty of water.” (Participant-5A)

• “I don’t know I would call it so much as being innovative as I would call it being

open to all ideas. The most important thing is to keep an open mind to shop ideas

and foster an open yet respectful environment. This way people get used to the

idea of energy conservation and will always have it on their mind because they

know management will always listen to great ideas.” (Participant-1B)

• “An early release, or an extended lunch seem to be the preferred rewards.”

(Participant-3C)

Focus Group Question 8

What are some current workplace norms that impact energy conservation in your

shop? The purpose of this question was to explore workplace norms that have an impact

on energy conservation in the organization. I identified two themes for this focus group

question.

Theme 5: Workplace management. There were 12 participants (80%) who

commented that inefficiency is a workplace norm that negatively impacts energy

conservation. Three participants commented on the need to update energy policy for the

organization. The 12 participants’ responses demonstrated how there is a need to adjust

how personnel are managed daily in the workplace to change energy consumption

101

behaviors. They advocated that some front-line military supervisors have failed to

address negative energy behaviors in the organization and those behaviors have now

become norms. The following comments provide support for Theme 5:

• “People leaving small appliances like space heater plugin while they are not there

to use.” (Participant-2A)

• “Charging of personal electronics.” (Participant-5B)

• “Having copiers and printers. Too many people use these products for personal

use instead of professional. By eliminating paper and relying more on technology

the same work can be done, eliminating on people using workplace products for

personal use.” (Participant-2C)

Theme 6: Policy and regulations. There were 12 participants (80%) who also

considered outdated policy and regulations as a workplace norm that negatively impacts

energy conservation. Three participants commented strictly on the importance of

workplace management. The 12 participants’ responses demonstrated how the current

energy policy is not effective and needs to be updated to facilitate a change in the energy

culture. They revealed that effective policies and regulations set the standard and

establish a specific culture in an organization. The following comments provide support

for Theme 6:

• “Currently, the culture of conserving is not instilled in everyone. I would like to

see if there was an energy day where all the participants would use only the

102

minimum energy needed to conduct their work and not dependent on the overhead

lights or the HVAC systems.” (Participant-3A)

• “To many people have their own person version of the same items. Example,

small person fridge and Keurig machines. Another example is most desks have

power strips with random devices plugged in that are rarely used if at all, or just

not essential items.” (Participant-4B)

• “One of the current norms that impact energy conservation is not being able to

leave computers in shutdown mode when not in use. Mainly because if the

computer is shutdown the updates/downloads that get pushed down from the

Communications section can’t take place unless the computer is on.” (Participant-

5B)

Summary

The feedback from the eight online focus group questions was used to answer the

RQ: What strategies do front-line military supervisors utilize to change behaviors to

reduce energy consumption on a military installation? The findings from the study

highlighted the importance of front-line military supervisors being proactive leaders and

using practical, sustainable practices to manage energy conservation in their shops

properly. Furthermore, energy policies must be updated and reinforced for personnel to

maintain sustainable behaviors and have the capability to make the best decisions with

consideration to the environment and funding. In Chapter 5, I discussed the findings from

103

the study and recommendations for improving energy management for the Air National

Guard unit.

104

Chapter 5: Discussion, Conclusions, and Recommendations

The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to gain an understanding of

common strategies front-line military supervisors could administer to reduce energy

consumption throughout organizational facilities in an Air National Guard unit. The

primary reason for this study was the careless energy behavior of military personnel in

the Air National Guard, which parallel the mindset and action of many military

organizations across the DoD when it comes to energy consumption and expenditure.

Front-line military supervisors in these organizations should comprehend and integrate

various behavioral change interventions to effectively manage energy consumption.

I used a qualitative single case design for the study and eight open-ended focus

group questions to amass data from 15 participants divided into three asynchronous

online focus groups. The participants revealed that some front-line military supervisors

have deficiencies in environmental considerations, implementing sustainable practices,

funding considerations, proactive leadership, effective workplace management, and

enforcing energy policy. In Chapter 5, I present my recommendations to enhance energy

management in the Air National Guard unit. I also provide the interpretation of my

findings, study limitations, and implications for social change.

Interpretation of Findings

The central RQ addressed in this study was: What strategies do front-line military

supervisors utilize to change behaviors to reduce energy consumption on a military

installation? I identified six themes based on an 80% frequency of related comments from

105

the research data. The themes identified from the findings of this study were related to

this research question and helped to fill the gap in research.

Theme 1: Environmental Preservation

All 15 participants (100%) identified environmental preservation as an essential

reason to conserve energy. Environmental concern is a cognitive norm in the energy

culture framework and participants recommended that it should be remediated by leaders

in the organization. Participants indicated that supervisors should motivate personnel to

continuously consider the impact of their workplace decisions on the environment at

global and local levels.

The online focus group participants confirmed that environmental problems

associated with energy use span a growing spectrum of pollutants, hazards, and accidents

and degradation of environmental quality and natural ecosystems (Dincer, 1998).

Participants believed when personnel consume less power, they reduce the number of

toxic fumes released from shop areas, conserve the earth's natural resources, and protect

ecosystems from destruction, and by taking steps to reduce their energy intake, they will

contribute to a healthier environment for future generations (Robertson, 2015).

In the study, participants unveiled that behavioral change towards energy

consumption is necessary to minimize the organizational impact on the environment.

They suggested personnel will intentionally change their energy behavior if they become

aware of their energy use, pay attention to it, notice its environmental impact, and be

informed about the consequences of not being energy efficient (Emeakaroha, Ang, &

106

Yan, 2012). The participants also corroborated that front-line military supervisors should

facilitate an energy efficient culture and hold personnel accountable for their energy

usage behavior to successfully preserve the environment, which associates tightly with

the proactive leadership theme.

Theme 2: Sustainable Practices

All 15 participants (100%) identified numerous sustainable best management

practices that front-line military supervisors could realistically implement into shops

throughout the Air National Guard unit. They suggested that front-line supervisors tailor

sustainable practices discovered in the study based on the mission of their shops. Shop

energy practices are significant in the energy culture framework and participants

proposed continuous energy assessments should be managed by front-line military

supervisors to improve energy consumption behaviors.

Participants recommended that front-line military supervisors should unceasingly

expand and communicate sustainable practices with their peers to ensure the most

efficient methods are being used to save energy in shops. Based on the data collected,

participants believed the DoD and the private sector should create more platforms for

sharing best practices, experiences with new technology, and information regarding

potential opportunities for private firms to invest in innovation (Light, 2014). All three

focus groups emphasized the importance of front-line military supervisors in developing

and sharing innovative interventions with other supervisors from other organizations at

conferences or training events to disseminate best management practices.

107

Based on study findings, participants advocated that to achieve a high degree of

organizational commitment and to remove obstacles to changes of attitude and

involvement, well-defined training and communication plans are critical factors in

promoting a clear understanding of the role and importance of sustainable practices for

organizational strategy and goals (Stone, 2006). Participants proposed military

organizations should effectively incorporate sustainable practices for the DoD to become

a truly sustainable powerhouse. Based on data from the online focus groups, front-line

military supervisors should continuously search for training opportunities and energy

efficient resources to maintain motivation towards the use of sustainable practices.

Theme 3: Funds

There were 12 participants (80%) who identified organizational funding as

another significant reason to conserve energy. Participants advised that personnel

typically do not think about funding when they misuse energy, but more realistically they

generally think about the convenience of their wasteful behaviors. Online focus group

participants derived that when there is an increase in wasted energy, then there will be an

increase in unnecessary costs to the organization. Online participants recognized excess

energy usage also decreases the life expectancy of shop equipment. They acknowledged

increasing energy efficiency often costs money up-front, but in many cases, this capital

outlay could return in the form of reduced energy costs within a short time period (Clark,

2012).

108

Participants divulged that the use of energy efficient-equipment would save

money on maintenance and labor costs from outdated or misused pieces of equipment.

Energy efficient-equipment is part of the material culture in the energy culture framework

and is a prime component in maintaining conservative behaviors. Participants also

recognized that technology had been a primary strategy used by society in its quest to

achieve energy efficiency (Malama, Makashini, Abanda, Ng’ombe, & Mudenda, 2015).

They substantiated that money front-line military supervisors save through energy

conservation behaviors could be used to purchase other coveted equipment throughout

the organization.

Participants revealed that personnel in military organizations should become more

conscious of the importance of energy conservation, and senior leaders should push

supervisors to lead the effort to control energy budgets efficiently through behavioral

change. Online focus group contributors also believed that front-line military supervisors

should be mindful of the motivational and hygiene factors that motivate their personnel

and how those factors could affect organizational funding. They recognized the DoD

budget continues to shrink, so military leaders must continue to generate more

sustainable alternative methods to ensure military missions are completed successfully

with the reduced funding received each fiscal year.

From the data collected in the study, participants confirmed front-line military

supervisors could attain behavioral change savings with little to no initial cost faster than

energy conservation measures requiring significant policy changes or renovations to

109

facilities (Quaglione, Cassetta, Crociatac, & Sarra, 2017). Participants believed that front-

line military supervisors must incorporate behavioral change interventions into their

shops to control funds. They proposed effective interventions could prevent wasteful

energy usage influencing organizational funding.

Theme 4: Proactive Leadership

There were 12 (80%) participants who identified proactive leadership as a type of

leadership necessary to overcome energy conservation barriers. They suggested that

proactive leaders pursue potential problems and effectively present solutions to senior

leaders to successfully meet organizational energy goals. From the research data,

participants determined proactive leaders use the four leadership styles from Hersey and

Blanchard's situational leadership theory to lead personnel to change energy behaviors.

Through the results of the study, participants confirmed that as work becomes

more dynamic and decentralized, leaders with proactive behaviors and initiatives become

even more critical determinants of organizational success (Crant, 2000). Participants

identified that in Air National Guard units, there are typically heavy workloads and high

tempo work environments with the minimum workforce to execute the mission compared

to typical active duty units. They underlined that front-line military supervisors should

pursue what personnel value to motivate them to use energy efficient behaviors.

Participants also believed that proactive leaders are necessary for efficient energy

management because they provide effective forward thinking and prioritizing to achieve

energy reduction goals in organizations.

110

Participants identified front-line military supervisors who struggle to reduce

energy consumption in their shops tend to be more reactive leaders and should attempt to

become more proactive. They believed front-line military supervisors could avoid many

of the energy behavior issues through proactive leadership. Participants corroborated that

proactive leaders prepare their personnel for success by coaching them to follow the most

effective processes in their job roles (Kokemuller, 2017). They recommended front-line

military supervisors empower personnel and use their energy consumption behaviors to

set the example for maintaining a sustainable culture in their shop.

Theme 5: Workplace Management

There were 14 participants (93%) who identified workplace management as a

significant factor that had a substantial impact on the energy culture in the Air National

Guard unit. They recognized that front-line military supervisors manage shops with a

wide range of energy consumption intensities throughout the Air National Guard unit.

Participants reported the way supervisors succeed or fail to maintain personnel and

processes in their shop effects the organization’s ability to reduce energy consumption.

Participants endorsed front-line military supervisors exerting corrective actions

when there are energy management deficiencies identified. They suggested that

sustainable behaviors must be recognized by supervisors to motivate personnel to

continue giving effort and to show others the importance of efficient energy management

practices in the workplace. They emphasized the importance of front-line military

111

supervisors maintaining a balance between the inputs and outputs of subordinates to keep

them motivated to change their energy behaviors.

From the findings of the study, participants confirmed a lack of energy

management in the workplace often leads to inefficient use of energy and improper

allocation of energy resource (Shi et al., 2012). Participants believed front-line military

supervisors should establish a best practice to organize work schedules efficiently, spend

funding, and communicate with personnel in their shop to properly manage energy

consumption. They identified that effective workplace management sets the tone for an

organization’s culture. Participants advocated that front-line military supervisors must

effectively manage their shops, so the Air National Guard unit can maintain a long-term

sustainable culture.

Theme 6: Policy and Regulations

There were 12 participants (80%) who identified policy and regulations as a

salient factor that had a significant influence on the energy culture in the Air National

Guard unit. Participants determined an effective energy policy provides the foundation

for successful energy management and formalizes senior management’s support for

ongoing energy management (Crittenden, Grant, & Dessi, 2016). They believed front-line

military supervisors should use the unit energy policy as a cornerstone to build shop goals

and objectives so that they can maintain a sustainable workplace. Participants

recommended that front-line military supervisors should ensure personnel understand the

112

content of the unit energy policy, so they are educated and willing to comply with the

policy established.

Participants revealed that the staleness of the policy dialogue reflects a failure to

recognize the importance of energy to the issues it affects such as the mission, budget,

and the environment (Wirth, Gray, & Podesta, 2003). They suggested that updated energy

policy could improve inefficient cognitive norms currently instilled throughout the

organization. They believed that senior leaders in the Air National Guard unit should

consider updates to the energy policy developed by the unit energy manager to create

more restrictions on wasteful energy behaviors.

Focus group participants identified a need for an update to the energy policy that

addresses computer updates. They believed computer updates should be conducted on a

consistent schedule to stop forcing personnel to leave equipment on continuously. They

suggested that front-line military supervisors should incorporate an annual energy day

into the energy policy, which could add additional sustainable activities to focus the

efforts of personnel on conserving energy throughout the organization. Lastly,

participants recommended that senior leaders address excess equipment by setting a

maximum number of standard office equipment and appliances in each shop to prevent

developing wasteful workplace environments.

Limitations of the Study

In Chapter 1, I asserted the limitations identified in the research study. The first

limitation of the study was the lack of research focused on reducing energy consumption

113

through behavioral change in a military organization. I was able to locate, review, and

incorporate relevant information from over 200 research articles on reducing energy

consumption through behavioral change on other types of organizations such as

universities, non-profits, private sector companies, and residential communities.

The second limitation was the research study being a single case study. Single

case study research is considered unreliable by some researchers because of the inability

to acquire generalized conclusions (Zainal, 2007). Multiple case studies are administered

to compare results for expected reasons, so a researcher can verify if the findings are

valuable or not (Gustafsson, 2007). I compared cases in multiple shops within the

organization. I employed a data triangulation chart and external audits with a military

energy manager with graduate level experience and management professors to validate

the data collected in the research study.

Recommendations

I developed multiple recommendations based on the results of this study. The

recommendations for future practice should be applied by front-line military supervisors

to change energy behaviors and meet energy reduction goals. I identified daily, monthly,

and annual energy conservation strategies that could realistically be implemented by

supervisors in military organizations. Potential researchers could administer these

recommendations to study organizations interested in improving energy management

through behavioral change. Researchers could use the recommendations to recreate the

114

study to gain information that lacked from this research study and possibly identify new

gaps.

Recommendations for Future Practice

I developed recommendations for future practice based on the data collected from

the online focus groups. All the online focus group participants identified numerous

interventions that could be employed to positively transform energy consumption

behaviors in the Air National Guard unit. Supervisors in other organization could apply

these recommendations in other military organizations striving to save energy through

behavioral change. In Figure 7, I illustrated the recommended daily, monthly, and annual

energy conservation strategies identified in the research study.

Daily interventions. I developed daily interventions from environmental

preservation, sustainable practices, funding and proactive leadership themes. All 15

participants shared daily energy conservation interventions for facilitating a sustainable

culture within their respective shops. Front-line military supervisors should consistently

acknowledge effective energy conservation behaviors displayed by shop personnel to

recognize their efforts to motivate them to do more potentially. Supervisors should also

hold personnel accountable for their workplace decisions towards energy usage to

reinforce the importance of sustainable behaviors. When front-line military supervisors

encourage face to face interactions instead of electronic communications forces personnel

out of the shop area to interact with others to save energy. Finally, front-line military

115

supervisors should set the example every day, to demonstrate first hand to personnel that

energy conservation is essential at all levels in the organization.

Monthly interventions. I developed monthly interventions from the workplace

management theme. All 15 participants shared monthly interventions that could be used

by front-line military supervisors throughout the Air National Guard unit. Front-line

military supervisors should emphasize shop energy objectives to maintain energy

conservation awareness in the shop. Supervisors should share energy consumption data

from the unit energy manager with shop personnel to provide feedback and keep

personnel attentive of consumption rates. Front-line military supervisors should have

personnel report potential facility infrastructure issues to the facility managers to ensure

the facilities are maintained and building envelopes are kept tight to maintain an energy

efficient working environment. Finally, front-line military supervisors should use

incentives and rewards to keep personnel motivated to maintain sustainable behaviors.

An example could be a supervisor issuing a one-hour pass that could for an extended

lunch or an early release from work.

Annual interventions. I developed annual interventions from workplace

management and policy and regulation themes. All 15 participants agreed that annual

interventions could be implemented in October because that is Energy Awareness month.

Front-line military supervisors should coordinate annual meetings, where they focus on

how their energy usage impacts the environment. They should establish internal shop

116

energy goals and objectives and have them displayed throughout shop areas to prompt

personnel to change their energy behaviors constantly.

Front-line military supervisors could also use the annual meeting as an annual

training event to maintain energy conservation awareness and keep personnel educated to

reduce excess energy usage through behavioral change in energy consumption. Front-line

military supervisors should conduct internal energy audits in their shop to update shop

processes and equipment, so they maintain an energy efficient culture. Finally,

supervisors should empower shop personnel to develop shop specific energy prompts to

motivate personnel and keep them engaged in reducing energy consumption.

Figure 7. Recommended energy management strategies.

Recommendations for Future Study

In this qualitative single case study, I gained an understanding of common

strategies front-line military supervisors could utilize to reduce energy consumption

117

through behavioral change. Participants suggested that further research is conducted to

obtain direct feedback from military and civilian subordinates in military organizations. I

focused this study solely on front-line military supervisors, but future researchers could

identify more useful energy conservation strategies from the comments provided by

personnel working directly with equipment and appliances in shops.

Participants recommended future research be conducted on other military

branches because there are no branches in the DoD that consume energy at the same rate

because each branch has a different mission to support the DoD. The Army, the most

populous branch of the military, consumes less energy than the Navy or Air Force

because of the Army’s reliance on the Air Force and the Military Sealift Command for

transportation (Homeland Defense and Security Information Analysis Center, 2015).

Participants believed that potential researchers could identify branch specific energy

saving interventions that could be used by military or civilian supervisors.

Participants commented that future researchers could investigate improving

energy consumption behaviors for other utilities such as natural gas, water, and

wastewater. In this study, I focused strictly on electrical usage on a military installation.

Stress on water and energy utilities, including natural resource depletion, infrastructure

deterioration, and growing populations, threatens the ability to provide reliable and

sustainable service (Chini, Schreiber, Barker, & Stillwell, 2016). Participants concurred

that other utilities are also important and could impact the amount of funding military

organizations plan for energy use.

118

Participants emphasized the importance of improving behaviors towards fuel

usage. The DoD organizations use fuel to power numerous military vehicles, sea vessels,

and aircraft for various missions in the DoD. At a burn rate of 300,000 barrels of oil per

day, the DoD consumes 1.5% of total national consumption and is the most significant

user of energy in America (Chemi, 2014). Participants underlined that the annual DoD

budget would continue to shrink, so military organizations must effectively change fuel

consumption behaviors to keep military aircraft in the air, ships at sea and vehicles

moving on the ground to complete missions.

Implications

Maintaining an energy efficient culture has been a significant challenge for many

front-line military supervisors throughout the DoD. The online focus group questions and

the conceptual framework helped participants to identify effective practical strategies to

change behavior in the Air National Guard unit to reduce energy consumption, which

could potentially bring positive social change. The implications of positive social change

occur at multiple levels for this research study. The results of this study could have an

impact on the individual, family, organizational, and societal levels.

At the individual level, front-line military supervisors exposed to effective energy

conservation strategies can transform into sustainable leaders regardless of the daily

obstacles faced in their shops. The transformation could create improved relationships

with subordinates, raise the morale of shop personnel and increase productivity in their

119

shop. Supervisors could empower subordinates with these sustainable leadership traits to

maintain a long-term sustainable culture within their shop.

At the family level, military personnel could take the newly established behaviors

home and influence family members to become more energy conservative. Household

energy consumption is vital in building a low-carbon society, especially in U.S (Yue,

Longa, Chen, Khan, & Qi, 2016). It is essential that military personnel practice energy

conservation at home with their family and not only in the workplace because energy

efficient behaviors should become part of their everyday lives.

At the organizational level, there is potential to reduce the energy usage in the

Federal Government due to the higher amounts of energy the military utilizes compared

to other organizations in the Federal Government. Organizations in the DoD could save

money through simple changes in energy consumption behaviors instead of spending

money on expensive upgrades to building automation and facilities retrofits. DoD

organizations could gain a positive public image through the efforts of personnel in the

military to reduce their energy use and impact on the environment (Leygue, Ferguson, &

Spence, 2017).

At the societal level, energy efficiency in the DoD could improve the economy.

Money saved from the behavioral change of military personnel could be used to fund

more jobs needed throughout the DoD and other government agencies. Military personnel

could improve the environment through the behavioral change by emitting fewer toxins

into ecosystems and reducing natural resource waste. National security could be

120

reinforced through the behavioral change of military personnel because there would be a

reduction in the demand for imported fossil fuels from foreign countries.

Conclusions

The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to gain an understanding of

common strategies front-line military supervisors could utilize to reduce energy

consumption throughout organizational facilities in an Air National Guard unit. The focus

group participants revealed some front-line military supervisors have deficiencies in

environmental considerations, implementing sustainable practices, funding

considerations, proactive leadership, effective workplace management, and enforcing

energy policy.

In conclusion, front-line military supervisors should strive to be proactive leaders

and use effective, sustainable practices to properly manage energy conservation in their

shops. They could use the daily, monthly, and annual interventions from this study to do

so. Organizational energy policies need to be updated and reinforced for personnel to

maintain sustainable behaviors, so that they can make the best decisions based on

environmental and funding considerations.

Front-line military supervisors are vital in ensuring the DoD is an energy efficient

organization. When energy efficiency fires on all cylinders, it is one of the most potent

and cost-effective options to achieve a variety of benefits, from the creation of U.S. jobs

to the reduction of carbon emissions, from enhancing U.S. national security to reducing

waste in the federal government (Vidangos, 2017).

121

References

Abrell-Vogel, C. &, Rowold, J. (2014). Leaders’ commitment to change and their

effectiveness in change–a multilevel investigation. Journal of Organizational

Change Management, 27(6), 900-921. doi:10.1108/JOCM-07-2012-0111

Al-Zawahreh, A., & Al-Madi, F. (2012). The utility of equity theory in enhancing

organizational effectiveness. European Journal of Economics, Finance and

Administrative Sciences, 46, 158-170. Retrieved from

https://eis.hu.edu.jo/deanshipfiles/pub105362403

Allen, R. S., & White, C. S. (2002). Equity sensitive theory: A test of responses to two

types of under-reward situations. Journal of Managerial Issues, 14(4), 435-451.

Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/40604403

Amadeo, K. (2017). Federal budget. Retrieved from The Balance website:

https://www.thebalance.com/fiscal-year-definition-federal-budget-examples-

3305794

Amanchukwu, R. N., Stanley, G. J., & Ololube, N. P. (2015). A review of leadership

theories, principles and styles and their relevance to educational management.

Management, 5(1), 6-14. doi:10.5923/j.mm.20150501.02

American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. (2016). Behavior and human

dimensions. Retrieved from http://aceee.org/portal/behavior

122

Andres, R. B., & Loudermilk, M. J. (2011, September 27). Improving military energy

behavior & culture. Livebetter Magazine, 12. Retrieved from

http://livebettermagazine.com/article/improving-military-energy-behavior-culture/

Anosike, P., Ehrich, L. C., & Ahmed, P. (2012). Phenomenology as a method for

exploring management practice. International Journal of Management Practice,

5, 205-224. doi:10.1504/IJMP.2012.048073

Antin, T., Constantine, N. A., & Hunt, G. (2015). Conflicting discourses in qualitative

research: The search for divergent data within cases. Field Methods, 27(3), 211-

222. doi:10.1177/1525822X14529926

Antunes, P., Carreira, P., & Silva. M. M. (2014). Towards an energy management

maturity model. Energy Policy, 73, 803-814. doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2014.06.011

Attari, S. Z. & Rajagopal, D. (2015). Enabling energy conservation through effective

decision aids. Journal of Sustainability Education, 8, 1-15. Retrieved from

http://escholarship.org/uc/item/8pm1b01d

Austin, W., & Walster, E. (1975). Equity with the world: The trans-relational effects of

equity and inequity. Sociometry, 38(4), 474-496. Retrieved from

www.jstor.org/stable/2786362

Aydin, O. T. (2012). The impact of motivation and hygiene factors on research

performance: An empirical study from a Turkish University. International Review

of Management and Marketing, 2(2), 106-111. Retrieved from

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/254407663

123

Ayers, R. (2017). Creativity is key: Tips on avoiding groupthink. Retrieved from

InnovationManagement.se website:

http://www.innovationmanagement.se/2017/01/10/tips-on-avoiding-groupthink/

Baack, S. (2014). Energy expert reveals simple, low/no-cost energy habits to save

millions. Retrieved from https://www.army.mil/article/121775

Backman, F. (2017). Barriers to energy efficiency in Swedish non-energy-intensive

micro- and small sized enterprises: A case study of a local energy program.

Energies, 10(100), 1-13. doi:10.3390/en10010100

Bahrami, N., Soleimani, M. A., Yaghoobzadeh, A., & Ranjbar, H. (2015). Researcher as

an instrument in qualitative research: Challenges and opportunities. Advances in

Nursing & Midwifery, 25(90). doi:10.22037/sbmuanm.v25i90.11584

Barrett, J. R. (2007). The researcher as instrument: Learning to conduct qualitative

research through analyzing and interpreting a choral rehearsal. Music Education

Research, 9(3), 417-433. doi:10.1080/14613800701587795

Barron, J., & Sinnott, D. (2013, June). Energy use in existing dwellings: An ethnographic

study of energy use patterns in the domestic sector in Ireland. Paper presented at

CLIMA 2013 - 11th REHVA World Congress and the 8th International

Conference on IAQVEC, Prague, Czech Republic. Abstract retrieved from

http://repository.wit.ie/id/eprint/2679

Barton, B., Blackwell, S., Carrington, G., Ford, R., Lawson, R., Stephenson, . . .

Williams, J. (2013). Energy cultures: Implication for policymakers. Dunedin,

124

New Zealand: Centre for Sustainability. Retrieved from

http://hdl.handle.net/10523/3747

Baskin, M. (2014). Energy education and training: A matter of operational necessity.

Washington, DC: U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency &

Renewable Energy. Retrieved from

http://energy.gov/eere/education/articles/energy-education-and-training-matter-

operational-necessity

Bator, R. J., Tabanico, J. J., Walton, M. L., & Schultz, W. (2014). Promoting energy

conservation with implied norms and explicit messages. Social Influence, 9(1),

69-82. doi:10.1080/15534510.2013.778213

Baxter, P., & Jack, S. (2008). Qualitative case study methodology: Study design and

implementation for novice researchers. Qualitative Report, 13(4), 544-559.

Retrieved from http://nsuworks.nova.edu/tqr/vol13/iss4/2/

Bevernage, E. (2011). Energy culture: Low hanging fruit for businesses? Det Norske

Veritas AS. Retrieved from https://studylib.net/doc/18178218/energy-culture---

stanford-university

Birt, L., Scott, S., Cavers, D., Campbell, C., & Walter, F. (2016). Member checking: A

tool to enhance trustworthiness or merely a nod to validation? Qualitative Health

Research, 26(13) 1802–1811. doi:10.1177/1049732316654870

Bjugstad, K., Thach, E. C., Thompson, K. J., & Morris, A. (2006). A fresh look at

followership: A model for matching followership and leadership styles. Journal of

125

Behavioral & Applied Management, 7(3), 304-319. Retrieved from

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/252457195

Bolino, M. C., & Turnley, W. H. (2008). Old faces, new places: Equity theory in cross-

cultural contexts. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 29, 29-50.

doi:10.1002/job.454

Browning, A., & Powers, J. (2017, July 7). Clean energy is a matter of national security;

even the military knows it. The Washington Examiner. Retrieved from

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/clean-energy-is-a-matter-of-national-

security-even-the-military-knows-it/article/2627792

Brüggen E., & Willems, P. (2008). A critical comparison of offline focus groups, online

focus groups and e-Delphi. International Journal of Market Research, 51(3), 363-

381. doi:10.2501/S1470785309200608

Buhrmester, M., Kwang, T., & Gosling, S. D. (2011). Amazon’s Mechanical Turk: A

new source of inexpensive, yet high-quality, data? Perspectives on Psychological

Science, 6(1), 3-5. doi:10.1177/1745691610393980

Cairns, T. D., Hollenback, J., Preziosi, R. C., & Snow, W. A. (1998). Technical note: A

study of Hersey and Blanchard’s situational leadership theory. Leadership &

Organization Development Journal, 19(2), 113-116.

doi:10.1108/01437739810208692

126

Carter, N., Bryant-Lukosius, D., DiCenso, A., Blythe, J., & Neville, A. J. (2014). The use

of triangulation in qualitative research. Oncology Nursing Forum, 41(5), 545-547.

doi:10.1188/14.ONF.545-547

Chemi, E. (2014, December 17). You know who's not getting cheap gas? The US

military. CNBC. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2014/12/17/you-know-

whos-not-getting-cheap-gas-the-us-military.html

Chiang, C., & Jang, S. (2008). An expectancy theory model for hotel employee

motivation. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 27, 313-322.

doi:10.1016/j.ijhm.2007.07.017

Chini, C. M., Schreiber, K. L., Barker, Z. A., & Stillwell, A. S. (2016). Quantifying

energy and water savings in the U.S. residential sector. Environmental Science &

Technology, 50, 9003-9012. doi:10.1021/acs.est.6b01559

Chui, W. S., Wai, C. W., & Ahmad, R. (2015). Local and global messages for prompting

energy conservation behavior: An experimental study in university. Jurnal

Teknologi, 74(2), 87-92. Retrieved from

http://www.jurnalteknologi.utm.my/index.php/jurnalteknologi/article/view/4527/3

161

Civre, Z., Lovec, N., & Fabjan, D. (2013). Herzberg’s two factor theory of work

motivation: The case of tourism employees. Management, 8(3), 219-232.

Retrieved from https://ideas.repec.org/a/mgt/youmng/v8y2013i3p219-232.html

127

Clark, D. (2012). What's energy efficiency and how much can it help cut emissions? The

Guardian, U.S. Edition. Retrieved from

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/jun/08/energy-efficiency-

carbon-savings

Crant, J. M. (2000). Proactive behavior in organizations. Journal of Management, 26(3),

435-462. doi:10.1177/014920630002600304

Creutzig, F., Fernandez, B., Haberl, H., Khosla, R., Mulugetta, Y., & Seto, K. C. (2016).

Beyond technology: Demand-side solutions for climate change mitigation. Annual

Review of Environmental and Resources, 41, 173-198. doi:10.1146/annurev-

environ-110615-085428

Crittenden, P., Grant, C., and Dessi, A. (2016). Energy management in mining. Canberra,

Australia: Australian Government Department of Industry, Innovation and

Science. Retrieved from https://industry.gov.au/resource/Programs/LPSD/Energy-

management-in-mining/Pages/default.aspx

De Simone, S. (2015). Expectancy value theory: Motivating healthcare workers.

American International Journal of Contemporary Research, 5(2), 19-23.

Retrieved from www.aijcrnet.com/journal/index/878

Defense Science Board. (2008). Report of the Defense Science Board Task Force on

DoD energy strategy, "More Fight - Less Fuel". Retrieved from

www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA477619

128

Defense Science Board. (2016). Task Force on Energy Systems for Forward/Remote

Operating Bases. Retrieved from http://www.dtic.mil/get-tr-

doc/pdf?AD=AD1022571

Delmas, M. A., & Aragon-Correa, J. A. (2016). Field experiments in corporate

sustainability research: Testing strategies for behavior change in markets and

organizations. Organization & Environment, 29(4), 391-400.

doi:10.1177/1086026616677827

Delmas, M. A., Fischlein, M., & Asensio, O. I. (2013). Information strategies and energy

conservation behavior: A meta-analysis of experimental studies from 1975 to

2012. Energy Policy, 61, 729-739. doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2013.05.109

Dincer, I. (1998). Energy and environmental impacts: Present and future perspectives.

Energy Sources, 20, 427-453. doi:10.1080/00908319808970070

Dininni, J. (2017). Management theory of Victor Vroom. Retrieved from

https://www.business.com/articles/management-theory-of-victor-vroom/

Dixon, G. N., Deline, M. B., McComas, K., Chambliss, L., and Hoffmann, M. (2014).

Using comparative feedback to influence workplace energy conservation.

Environmental and Behavior, 47(6), 667-693. doi:10.1177/0013916513520417

Dwyer, P. C., Maki, A., & Rothman, A. J. (2015). Promoting energy conservation

behavior in public settings: The influence of social norms and personal

responsibility. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 41, 30-34.

doi:10.1016/j.jenvp.2014.11.002

129

Earnhardt, M. P. (2007). Practical application of five leadership theories on a U.S. naval

vessel. Leadership Advance Online, 11, 1-8. Retrieved from

http://www.regent.edu/acad/global/publications/lao/issue_11/earnhardt.htm

Ehrhardt-Martinez, K., Laitner, J. A., & Keating, K. M. (2009). Pursing energy-efficient

behavior in a regulatory environment: Motivating policymakers, program

administrators, and program implementers [White paper]. Retrieved from the

California Institute for Energy and Environment website: https://uc-

ciee.org/library/1/390/49/nested

Elçi, A., & Devran, B. (2014). A narrative research approach: The experiences of social

media support in higher education. In D. Hutchison, T. Kanade, J. Kittler, J.M

Kleinberg, F. Mattern, J. C. Mitchell, M. Naor, C. Pandu Rangan, B. Steffen, D

Terzopoulos, D. Tygar, & G. Weikum (Series Eds.), Lecture notes in computer

science (pp. 36–42). Basel, Switzerland: Springer Nature. Retrieved from

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/290578481

Emeakaroha, A., Ang, C. S., & Yan, Y. (2012). Challenges in improving energy

efficiency in a university campus through the application of persuasive

technology and smart sensors. Challenges, 3, 290-318.

doi:10.3390/challe3020290

Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, Pub. L. No. 110-140, 121 Stat. 1492

(2007).

130

Energy Information Administration. (2015). Use of Energy in the United States

Explained. Retrieved from

https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=about_energy_efficiency

Elinder, M., Escobar, S., & Petré, I. (2017). Consequences of a price incentive on free

riding and electric energy consumption. PNAS, 114(12), 3091-3096.

doi:10.1073/pnas.1615290114

Eyring, G. (2013). Energy reduction at U.S. Air Force facilities using industrial

processes. Retrieved from https://www.nap.edu/read/18281/chapter/1

Fawkes, S., Oung, K., & Thorpe, D. (2016). Best practices and case studies for industrial

energy efficiency improvement. Retrieved from

https://europa.eu/capacity4dev/unep/document/best-practices-and-case-studies-

industrial-energy-efficiency-improvement

Fisher, J., & Irvine, K. (2016). Reducing energy use and carbon emissions: A critical

assessment of small-group interventions. Energies, 9, 1-12.

doi:10.3390/en9030172

Ford, R., Karlin, B., & Frantz, C. (2016, June). Evaluating energy culture: Identifying

and validating measures for behavior-based energy interventions. Paper

presented at International Energy Policies and Programmes Evaluation

Conference, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Abstract retrieved from

https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:88323e7b-0a78-44f8-b0ec-d50078b30f88

131

Frederiks, E. R., Stenner, K., & Hobman, E. V. (2015). Household energy use: Applying

behavioral economics to understand consumer decision-making and behavior.

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 41, 1385-1394.

doi:10.1016/j.rser.2014.09.026

Fusch, P. I., & Ness, L. R. (2015). Are we there yet? Data saturation in qualitative

research. The Qualitative Report, 20(9), 1408-1416. Retrieved from

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282955844

Gaffney, C. (2018). Strengths & weaknesses of the expectancy theory. Retrieved from

https://bizfluent.com/info-8672752-strengths-weaknesses-expectancy-theory.html

Gallop, S. (2011). Viewpoint: Assumptions. Journal of Behavioral Optometry, 22, 158-

160. Retrieved from http://www.oepf.org/journals

George, W. (2015). Department of Defense reducing energy consumption: Why this is a

great thing. Retrieved from http://www.americansecurityproject.org/department-

of-defense-reducing-energy-consumption-why-this-is-a-great-thing/

Greenberg, J. (1988). Equity and workplace status: A field experiment. Journal of

Applied Psychology, 73(4), 606-613. doi:10.1037/0021-9010.73.4.606

Groenewald, T. (2004). A phenomenological research design illustrated. International

Journal of Qualitative Methods, 3(1), 42-55. doi:.1177/160940690400300104

Grossoehme, D. H. (2014). Research methodology overview of qualitative research.

Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy, 20(3), 109-122.

doi:10.1080/08854726.2014.925660

132

Gul, M. S., & Patidar, S. (2015). Understanding the energy consumption and occupancy

of a multi-purpose academic building. Energy and Buildings, 87, 155-165.

doi:10.1016/j.enbuild.2014.11.027

Gulbinas, R. and Taylor, J. (2014). Effects of real-time eco-feedback and organizational

network dynamics on energy efficient behavior in commercial buildings. Energy

and Buildings, 84, 493-500. doi:10.1016/j.enbuild.2014.08.017

Gustafsson, J. (2017). Single case studies vs. multiple case studies: A comparative study.

Retrieved from www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1064378/FULLTEXT01

Hambleton, R. K., & Gumpert, R. (1982). The validity of Hersey and Blanchard’s theory

of leader effectiveness. Group & Organization Management, 7(2), 225-242.

doi:10.1177/105960118200700210

Hancock, M. E., Amankwaa, L., Revell, M. A., & Mueller, D. (2016). Focus group data

saturation: A new approach to data analysis. Qualitative Report, 21(11), 2124-

2130. Retrieved from http://nsuworks.nova.edu/tqr/vol21/iss11/13

Handgraaf, M. J., Van Lidth de Jeude, M. A., & Appelt, K. C. (2013). Public praise vs.

private pay: Effects of rewards on energy conservation in the workplace.

Ecological Economics, 86, 86-92. doi:10.1016/j.ecolecon.2012.11.008

Hathaway, R. S. (1995). Assumption underlying quantitative and qualitative research:

Implications for institutional research. Research in Higher Education, 36(5), 535-

562. doi:10.1007/BF02208830

133

Hatzl, S., Brudermann, T., Reinsberger, K., & Posch, A. (2014). Do public program in

‘energy regions’ affect citizen attitudes and behavior? Energy Policy, 69, 425-

429. Retrieved from

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421514000895

Hersey, P., & Blancard, K. H. (1969). Life cycle theory of leadership. Training and

Development Journal, 23(5), 263-34. Retrieved from

http//psycnet.apa.org/psycinfc/1970-19661-001

Heydarian, N. M. (2016). Developing theory with the grounded-theory approach and

thematic analysis. Retrieved from the Association for Psychological Science

website: https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/developing-theory-with-

the-grounded-theory-approach-and-thematic-analysis

Hofmans, J. (2012). Individual differences in equity models. Psicológica: International

Journal of Methodology and Experimental Psychology, 33(3), 473-482. Retrieved

from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ980489

Holland, A., Cunningham, N., Huppmann, K., & Joyce, W. (2013). Powering military

bases: DoD's installation energy efforts. Retrieved from

https://www.americansecurityproject.org/ASP%20Reports/Ref%200128%20-

%20DoD%20Installation%20Energy%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf

Homeland Defense and Security Information Analysis Center. (2015). Military’s shift

toward renewable energy. Retrieved from

http://science.dodlive.mil/2015/08/12/militarys-shift-toward-renewable-energy/

134

Hong, T., Taylor-Lange, S. C., D’Oca, S., Yan, D., & Corgnati, S. P. (2016). Advances in

research and applications of energy-related occupant behavior in buildings.

Energy and Buildings, 116, 694-702. doi:10.1016/j.enbuild.2015.11.052

IEA Demand Side Management Energy Efficiency Technology Collaboration Program.

(2012). Task 24 phase I–Closing the loop: Behavior change in DSM–From theory

to practice. Retrieved from http://www.ieadsm.org/task/task-24-phase-1/

Ishak, M. H., Sipan, I., Sapri, M., Iman, A. H., & Martin, D. (2016). Estimating potential

saving with energy consumption behavior model in higher education institutions.

Sustainable Environmental Research, 26, 268-273. doi:10.1016.j.serj.2016.04.017

Johnson, B., & Christensen, L. (2008). Educational research: Quantitative, qualitative,

and mixed approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Johnson, H., Johansson, M., & Andersson, K. (2014). Barriers to improving energy

efficiency in short sea shipping: An action research case study. Journal of

Cleaner Production, 66, 317-327. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2013.10.046

Judd, K. S., Sanquist, T., Zalesny, M., and Fernandez, N. (2013). The role of occupant

behavior in achieving net zero energy: A demonstration project at Fort Carson.

Retrieved from https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc863426/

Karatas, A., Menassa, C. C., & Stoiko, A. (2015). A framework for delivering targeted

occupancy intervention to reduce energy usage in buildings. Procedia

Engineering, 118, 752-759. doi:10.1016/j.proeng.2015.08.510

135

Karlin, B., Davis, N., Sanguinetti, A., Gamble, K., Kirkby, D., & Stokols, D. (2014).

Dimensions of conservation: Exploring differences among energy behaviors.

Environment and Behavior, 46(4), 423–452. doi:10.1177/0013916512467532

Kemp-Hesterman, A., Glick, S., & Cross, J. E. (2014). Reducing electrical energy

consumption through behavior changes. Journal of Facilities Management, 12(1),

4-17. doi:10.1108/JFM-02-2013-0006

Khan, I., & Halder, P. K. (2016). Electrical energy conservation through human behavior

change: Perspective in Bangladesh. International Journal of Renewable Energy

Research, 6(1), 43-52. Retrieved from

http://www.ijrer.org/ijrer/index.php/ijrer/article/view/3030

Kim, S., & Yoon, G. (2015). An innovation-driven culture in local government: Do

senior manager’s transformational leadership and the climate for creativity

matter? Vision: The Journal of Business Perspective, 44(2), 147-168.

doi:10.1177/0091026014568896

Kokemuller, N. (2017). Proactive vs. reactive management. Retrieved from

https://careertrend.com/facts-5880200-proactive-vs--reactive-management.html

Lawler, E. E., & O’Gara, P. W. (1967). Effects of inequity produced by underpayment on

work output, work quality, and attitudes toward the work. Journal of Applied

Psychology, 51(5), 403-410. doi:10.1037/h0025096

Lehrer, D., Vasudev, J., and Kaam, S. (2014). A usability study of a social media

prototype for building energy feedback and operations. Paper presented at 2014

136

ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings. Pacific Grove, CA.

Abstract received from http://escholarship.org/uc/item/7mc5n81t

Leygue, C., Ferguson, E., & Spence, A. (2017). Saving energy in the workplace: Why,

and for whom? Journal of Environmental Psychology, 53, 50-62.

doi:10.1016/j.jenvp.2017.06.006

Lichtman, M. (2006). Qualitative research in education: A user’s guide. Thousand Oaks,

CA: Sage Publications.

Light, S. E. (2014). The military-environmental complex, Boston College Law Review,

55(3), 879-946. Retrieved from http://lawdigitalcommons.bc.edu/bclr/vol55/iss3/5

Lindgren, D. (2015). Triangulation: A best practice method. Retrieved from

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/triangulation-best-practice-method-daniel-

lindgren

Liu, Y., Veríssimo, D., & Farhidi, F. (2016). Using social norm to promote energy

conservation in a public building. Energy and Buildings, 133, 32-36.

doi:10.1016/j.enbuild.2016.09.041

Lokhorst, A. M., Staats, H., & van Iterson, J. (2015). Energy saving in office buildings:

Are feedback and commitment-making useful instruments to trigger change?

Human Ecology, 43, 759-768. doi:10.1007/s10745-015-9783-8

Lokhorst, A. M., Werner, C., Staats, H., van Dijk, E., & Gale, J. L. (2013). Commitment

and behavior change: A meta-analysis and critical review of commitment-making

Students also viewed