Research On The Growth Strategies Of Energy Service Company Based On The Niche Theory

China is facing the dual task of promoting economic growth and buildingecological civilization at present, and the development of low-carbon economy is thestrategic choice of our country to seize the opportunity of economic development andadvance the transition of social civilization. Low-carbon economy is a greeneconomic development model, which takes energy conservation and emissionreduction as the main means. Energy conservation has an important strategicsignificance for China’s energy supply and sustainable economic development, andthe development of energy service industry is the only way to achieve the goal ofChina’s energy conservation plan. The Chinese government puts forward that energyservice industry is the breakthrough for China to transform the mode of economicdevelopment and achieve the strategic layout of low-carbon economy, and that theenergetical development of energy service industry is the vigorous measure topromote energy conservation and emission reduction and slow down greenhouse gasemissions through market mechanisms. However, with the small scale and weakcompetitiveness, it is difficult for China’s energy service companies (ESCOs) to adaptto the urgent need to promote energy conservation nowadays. Besides, the systematicacademic research on ESCOs is deficient. Therefore, study on the growth of ESCOsin China has important theoretical and practical significance.Based on the niche theory, this dissertation makes a thorough and systematicstudy on the growth strategies of ESCOs in China through the integrated use ofliterature research, survey research and statistical analysis. The main research resultsachieved in this dissertation are as follows:Firstly, this dissertation respectively reviews and summarizes the literatures onESCOs, organizational niche and firm growth, and points out the deficiencies of theexisting research, in order to lay a theoretical foundation for the follow-up research.Secondly, this dissertation analyzes the niche factors on firm growth environment,including demand factor, resource factor, technology factor and institution factor.Then the effects of four niche factors on firm growth are respectively expounded, andthe niche factor model is built. Based on the above analysis, this dissertation proposes the conceptual model of the relationship between niche factors and growthperformance of ESCOs, and defines the dimensions and concepts of the variables inthis model. According to this model, the theoretical hypotheses are given.Thirdly, this dissertation designs the questionnaire on ESCO’s growthenvironment and conducts a questionnaire survey. The structural equation modelingmethod is used to validate the hypotheses proposed in this dissertation. The empiricalresults show that demand factor, resource factor, technology factor and institutionfactor and their various dimensions all have significant positive impacts on thefinancial performance and non-financial performance of ESCOs. Then the dissertationevaluates the growth environment of China’s ESCOs and puts forward thecountermeasures and suggestions.Finally, based on the perspective of niche theory, this dissertation proposes thetypes and contents of firm growth strategies. The empirical study of the evolution ofChina’s ESCO population shows that ESCO population in China is in the later stageof growth. Then the dissertation studies the growth strategies of China’s ESCOs, andthe conclusion is that ESCOs in China can take dislocation management strategy,value innovation strategy and co-evolution strategy to achieve sustainable growth.