Impact of planned power outages (load shedding) on consumers in developing countries : evidence from South Africa

dc.contributor.authorWiese, Melanie
dc.contributor.authorVan der Westhuizen, Liezl-Marie
dc.contributor.emailmelanie.wiese@up.ac.zaen_US
dc.date.accessioned2024-03-13T11:04:22Z
dc.date.issued2024-04
dc.descriptionDATA AVAILABILITY : Data will be made available on request.en_US
dc.description.abstractEnergy security and reliable supply are as important as transitioning to cleaner energy production systems. Emotions towards such energy policies and projects should be more constructively responded to by policymakers. We explore how the public's attribution of blame for an energy policy failure when reliable electricity disintegrates in the context of South Africa's load shedding, as well as the public's own volition to reduce energy demand, impacts emotions and resulting behaviour. Results indicate that consumers attribute blame, resulting in anger and frustration, as well as negative word-of-mouth and seeking social support. This study considers load shedding as an ongoing energy policy failure and offers insight into managing specific stakeholders during this time, including developing more effective communication and service recovery strategies that are more consumer-centric and addressing the behavioural problem of decreasing the demand but also managing consumers' emotions and behaviour during such time until effective solutions are implemented. Policy implications include that the Government and the electricity provider should accept responsibility for the service failure, consider public consultations, and develop communication strategies to convey the effect of consumer involvement in energy-saving activities to prevent load shedding aimed at behavioural change benefitting the individual and society.en_US
dc.description.departmentMarketing Managementen_US
dc.description.embargo2026-02-24
dc.description.librarianhj2024en_US
dc.description.sdgSDG-07:Affordable and clean energyen_US
dc.description.urihttps://www.elsevier.com/locate/enpolen_US
dc.identifier.citationWiese, M. & Van der Westhuizen, L.-M. 2024, 'Impact of planned power outages (load shedding) on consumers in developing countries : evidence from South Africa', Energy Policy, vol. 187, art. 114033, pp. 1-10, doi : 10.1016/j.enpol.2024.114033.en_US
dc.identifier.issn0301-4215 (print)
dc.identifier.issn1873-6777 (online)
dc.identifier.other10.1016/j.enpol.2024.114033
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/95192
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherElsevieren_US
dc.rights© 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Notice : this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Energy Policy. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. A definitive version was subsequently published in Energy Policy, vol. 187, art. 114033, pp. 1-10, 2024, doi : 10.1016/j.enpol.2024.114033.en_US
dc.subjectEnergy policy failureen_US
dc.subjectAttribution-of-blameen_US
dc.subjectAngeren_US
dc.subjectFrustrationen_US
dc.subjectNegative WOMen_US
dc.subjectSupport-seekingen_US
dc.subjectWord-of-mouth (WOM)en_US
dc.subjectSDG-07: Affordable and clean energyen_US
dc.titleImpact of planned power outages (load shedding) on consumers in developing countries : evidence from South Africaen_US
dc.typePostprint Articleen_US

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