@techreport{56494,
  abstract     = {{Many industrialized countries have recognized the need to mitigate energy cost increases faced by low-income households by fostering the adoption of energy-efficient technologies. How to meet this need is an open question, but “behavioral insights” are likely components of future policy designs. Applying well-established behavioral insights to low-income house- holds raises questions of transportability as they are typically underrepresented in the existing evidence base. We illustrate this problem by conducting a randomized field experiment on scalable, low-cost design elements to improve program take-up in one of the world’s largest en- ergy efficiency assistance programs. Observing investment decisions of over 1,800 low-income households in Germany’s “Refrigerator Replacement Program”, we find that the transportabil- ity problem is real and consequential: First, the most effective policy design would not have been chosen based on existing behavioral insights. Second, design elements favored by these insights either prove ineffective or even backfire, violating ‘do no harm’ principles of policy advice. Systematic testing remains crucial for addressing the transportability problem, partic- ularly for policies targeting vulnerable groups.
}},
  author       = {{Kesternich, Martin and Chlond , Bettina and Goeschl, Timo  and Werthschulte, Madeline}},
  keywords     = {{Transportability, low-income households, field experiment, randomized controlled trial, governmental welfare programs, energy efficiency, technology adoption}},
  publisher    = {{ AWI Discussion Paper Series No. 755}},
  title        = {{{Transporting behavioral insights to low-income households: A field experiment on energy efficiency investments}}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}

@article{5715,
  abstract     = {{Smart interactive services, in contrast with other technology-based services, require significant human-to-human interaction and collaboration in addition to the service provided by the embedded technology itself. The authors’ foundational Delphi study confirms smart interactive services (e.g., remote diagnosis, remote repair of equipment, and telemedicine) are a rapidly growing innovation category across industries. Yet, gaining user acceptance of these types of services presents a significant challenge for managers. To address this challenge, the authors employ a grounded theory approach, drawing on depth interviews, to develop a framework of barriers and facilitators to users’ attitudinal and behavioral responses to smart interactive services. The findings reveal a new set of beliefs that are critical in this context. These beliefs are tied to the human element and specifically pertain to beliefs about the “service counterpart (SC),” who is the provider’s employee controlling the technology. Control, trustworthiness, and collaboration beliefs emerge jointly as important and interrelated influencers tied to the SC. Contrary to conventional wisdom that focuses on features of the technology itself to gain user acceptance, this research encourages providers to emphasize the interpersonal elements of the service by providing control cues, raising social presence, and enhancing human trust mechanisms.}},
  author       = {{Wünderlich, Nancy and Wangenheim, Florian V and Bitner, Mary Jo}},
  journal      = {{Journal of Service Research}},
  keywords     = {{service technology, technology-mediated service, service counterpart, smart service, remote service, technology adoption}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{3--20}},
  publisher    = {{SAGE Publications Sage CA: Los Angeles, CA}},
  title        = {{{High Tech and High Touch: A Framework for Understanding User Attitudes and Behaviors Related to Smart Interactive Services.}}},
  volume       = {{16}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}