Can energy service companies promote 'green' growth? The Korean case. Issue 3 (May 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Oh, Inha; Oh, Seunghwan; Heshmati, Almas; Lee, Jeong-Dong
• Is Part Of: Energy & environment. Volume 27:Issue 3/4(2016)
• Page Start: 420
• Page End: 433
• Publication Date: 2016-05
• Subjects: Job creation -- energy service companies -- Korea -- green growth; Power resources -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Power resources -- Periodicals; Renewable energy sources -- Periodicals; Energy policy -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Ressources énergétiques; Politique énergétique; Energy policy -- Environmental aspects; Power resources; Power resources -- Environmental aspects; Renewable energy sources; Periodicals; 333.7
• DOI: 10.1177/0958305X15627549
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0958-305X

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the performance of energy service companies with support from the Korean government. In particular, we focus on the amount and quality of jobs created by energy service company businesses. From the results, we can observe some characteristics of the Korean energy service company industry, which is very volatile with a high turnover rate for the participating firms. The dwindling profitability within the industry appears to be the main reason for the high turnover rate. However, some firms have accumulated the capacities and experiences of the industry and are enjoying monopolistic profits. Job creation for firms conducting energy service company business is higher compared to other similar firms in the same industries studied. However, the quality of newly created jobs measured by the wage level is lower, which by social planners is seen as a worrying trend.