Infusion Process of Smart Grid-Related Technology Based on Coping Theory

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

The authors provide a numerical analysis based on real data collected from participants in Jeju smart grid testbed and Carbon-free island project in South Korea, regarding the whole process of diffusing the smart grid related technology. The proposed research and empirical analysis are very interesting as it is based on real data that can give insight information to the examined problem. The paper is overall well-written and easy to follow, keeping the reader interested in the discussed topic. The paper is well-structured, and the presented results are well-thought-out. The authors should address the following comments to improve the presentation of their manuscript. 1) The provided literature review is very short and does not position well the examined problem within the existing literature. The authors are encouraged to provide additional background research on the demand response management problem in smart grid networks, e.g., Apostolopoulos, P. A., Tsiropoulou, E. E., & Papavassiliou, S. (2018). Demand response management in smart grid networks: A two-stage game-theoretic learning-based approach. Mobile Networks and Applications, 1-14, Palensky P, Dietrich D (2011) Demand Side Management: Demand Response, Intelligent Energy Systems, and Smart Loads. IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics 7(3):381–388. 2) Based on the previous comment, the authors should add a subsection in Section 1 stating their main contributions and the novelties of the proposed research work. 3) In Section 3, the authors are encouraged to discuss in detail their two main hypotheses and highlight their physical meaning and importance to the smart grid environment.  4) In Section 5, the authors should include some relevant discussion regarding the future directions that the proposed research can support.

Author Response

Technology Based on Coping Theory

Revision Summary

I am very grateful to you for offering to improve my paper entitled, “Infusion Process of Smart Grid-related Technology Based on Coping Theory”. I carefully read reviewers’ comments and did my best to revise the manuscript by reflecting the reviewers’ comments as much as I could. The corrections and modifications in the revision summary are detailed after each specific comment. I would also like to thank the reviewers for many constructive comments and invaluable suggestions that were really helpful in enhancing my manuscript.

Yours Sincerely

Response to Reviewer 1 Comments

Point 1: The provided literature review is very short and does not position well the examined problem within the existing literature. The authors are encouraged to provide additional background research on the demand response management problem in smart grid networks, e.g., Apostolopoulos, P. A., Tsiropoulou, E. E., & Papavassiliou, S. (2018). Demand response management in smart grid networks: A two-stage game-theoretic learning-based approach. Mobile Networks and Applications, 1-14, Palensky P, Dietrich D (2011) Demand Side Management: Demand Response, Intelligent Energy Systems, and Smart Loads. IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics 7(3):381–388.

Response 1: NIST [5] suggested a conceptual model of smart grid including customers, markets, operations, service providers, generation including distributed energy resources (DER), transmission, and distribution. DER is associated with generation, storage, and demand response for maximizing energy efficiency. Demand response is an important resource of the market domain because it manages electricity consumption at the consumer side and aiming at improving energy efficiency [6]. Palensky and Dietrich [7] describe a taxonomy of demand response management and suggest new challenges related to the demand response management.

Point 2: Based on the previous comment, the authors should add a subsection in Section 1 stating their main contributions and the novelties of the proposed research work

Response 2: There are no studies dealing with diffusion of the smart grid related technology in terms of the entire process from adoption to infusion. Coping theory [11] allows researchers to simultaneously study adoption and infusion of the smart grid related technology. The purpose of the present study is to analyze the relationships between users’ awareness toward the smart grid related technology, its appraisal, adaptation acts, and its infusion throughout the whole process from pre-adoption to post-adoption. Thus, the originality of the present paper comes from an integrated research model dealing with infusion of the smart grid-related technologies. After demonstration of smart grid testbed in South Korea, findings the present study contribute to successful diffusion of smart grid-related technologies and give some implications for academics and practitioners. In particular, analysis results of the research model are significant and useful to policy making because data are collected from users who have been participating in Jeju smart grid testbed.

Point 3: In Section 3, the authors are encouraged to discuss in detail their two main hypotheses and highlight their physical meaning and importance to the smart grid environment

Response 3: Joo and Kim [1] interviewed with 41 users who have been participating in the Jeju smart grid testbed in 2011. According to their study, users who considered the smart grid technology as an opportunity to change for better life or an opportunity to develop new events for helpful life had a proactive attitude toward diffusion of smart grids as described in the following statements:

   “Now I am more knowledgeable than the provider’s staff. I need to get economic benefits. So I studied. I followed around the technicians while they installed the system and asked questions to the staffs. I installed for the first time in the world the electronic appliances that use renewable energy. I can operate air conditioner, refrigerators, washing machines, kitchen appliances, and TVs by smartphones.”

Users who assessed the smart grid technology as a chance for gain or their growth adapted it by making efforts to learn new skills, or to ascribe positive meaning to it as described by informants [1]:

“I positively changed my attitude toward the smart grid technology after I experienced that my neighbor had benefits from it. Well, it saves money. Although CO2 reductions and other environmental benefits don’t mean much to me, I am adopting it because it offers both convenience and financial benefits. I wasn’t really interested in the smart grid at first. I didn’t seek to learn. But as I became more exposed to it, I changed my mind and am somewhat interested. It was inconvenient at first but now I know it saves electricity. It is now convenient.”

The following four hypotheses are proposed:

Hypothesis 3 (H3): Challenge appraisal positively influences self-adaptation.

Hypothesis 4 (H4): Challenge appraisal positively influences system adaptation.

Hypothesis 5 (H5): Challenge appraisal positively influences positive reappraisal.

Point 4: In Section 5, the authors should include some relevant discussion regarding the future directions that the proposed research can support.
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Response 4: Generalization of research findings depends on representativeness of sample and its size. Data were collected from valid samples selected from a list of population provided by local government, although purposive sampling was used. 226 samples are not too small size to validate the research model and to test 10 hypotheses. However, there may be a limitation in generalization of the research findings. A further research regarding comparison of PV systems and EVs by applying the research model through multi-group analysis is required to identify different relationships by smart grid-related technologies.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

This is an interesting paper that could be potentially publishable subject to some revisions that are discussed in more detail below.

Detailed comments Research design - Methods: Provide more details on the sample selection. It is essential to explain how you have eliminated the possibility of sample selection bias.

Results: Discuss on the generalization of the results of the study.

Implications: Discuss on both methodological and practical implications of the study.

Limitations: Discuss on the limitations of the study, if there are any.

Author Response

Infusion Process of Smart Grid-related Technology Based on Coping Theory

Revision Summary

I am very grateful to you for offering to improve my paper entitled, “Infusion Process of Smart Grid-related Technology Based on Coping Theory”. I carefully read reviewers’ comments and did my best to revise the manuscript by reflecting the reviewers’ comments as much as I could. The corrections and modifications in the revision summary are detailed after each specific comment. I would also like to thank the reviewers for many constructive comments and invaluable suggestions that were really helpful in enhancing my manuscript.

Yours Sincerely

Response to Reviewer 2 Comments

Point 1: Provide more details on the sample selection. It is essential to explain how you have eliminated the possibility of sample selection bias.

Response 1: Purposive sampling method that is nonprobability was employed to collect data. Purposive sampling is more effective when population is composed of only limited people. After the Jeju testbed was completed in May 2013, there were no more follow-up support projects except expansion of government subsidies in areas of PV systems and EVs. Thus, only limited people are still using the smart grid technology in Jeju. It is difficult to apply a random probability sampling to the data collection because of only limited users and face-to-face survey.

Point 2: Discuss on the generalization of the results of the study.

Response 2: Generalization of research findings depends on representativeness of sample and its size. Data were collected from valid samples selected from a list of population provided by local government, although purposive sampling was used. 226 samples are not too small size to validate the research model and to test 10 hypotheses. However, there may be a limitation in generalization of the research findings. A further research regarding comparison of PV systems and EVs by applying the research model through multi-group analysis is required to identify different relationships by smart grid-related technologies.

Point 3: Discuss on both methodological and practical implications of the study.

Response 3: Implications for academics are as follows. The integrative research model based on the coping theory effectively explains the whole process of diffusing the smart grid-related technology. The research model sheds light on the study regarding infusion of technology at level of individual. Infusion, which involves individuals using the smart grid-related technology to its fullest potential in their routine life, is important from the perspectives of firms, society, as well as individuals. Research results found the variables that are significant to the diffusion of smart grid-related technology at each stage of awareness, adaptation process, and infusion. Methodological approach including the research model can be applied to other emerging technologies.

Implications for practitioners and policy makers are drawn from the research results. Firms can expand the market of products and services and create new wealth and jobs, and infusion of smart grid- related technology enables society to become sustainable. First, at the stage of awareness toward the smart grid-related technology, government and firm partnerships need to facilitate consumers’ beneficial expectancy or perception of the technology through authentic promotion and education, while a systematic approach to reduce risks or barriers which may be resulted from unknown risky factors should be promoted and provided to consumers.

Second, at the stage of adoption of the smart grid-related technology, it is important that users assess the technology as a challenge or an opportunity for improving their life because challenge appraisal significantly has an effect on their adaptation behaviors. Firms and government need to devise strategies and execute policies facilitating users to evaluate the potential outcomes of the smart grid-related technology as a challenge rather than a threat. It is necessary to promote challenge appraisals in order to achieve positive reappraisals through an emotion-focused strategy. The smart grid-related technology is beneficial at the individual level due to economic and convenience aspects, and also promotes public interest in environmental protection, sustainable regional development, and building clean and comfortable villages. The public interest, as well as individuals’ private benefits, will induce the challenge appraisals. Authentic and continuous communication with consumers promotes challenge appraisals. Nowadays, many consumers know the importance of policies regarding sustainable energy and climate change. It is not difficult to draw consumers’ benefit expectancy affecting challenge appraisals because the smart grid-related technology has advantages in the public interest as well as cost savings from the individual perspective.

Finally, at the stage of adaptation and post-adoption, firms and government partnerships need to foster an environment conducive to positive reappraisals and self adaptation behaviors by establishing systematic guidelines and policies. Consumers’ challenge appraisals have a significant effect on their positive reappraisal and self adaptation behaviors. For example, convenient and institutionalized communication channels between suppliers and users will be helpful to promote infusion through users’ adaptation acts. Consumers’ direct and indirect experiences play a role in their positive reappraisal. According to Joo and Kim [1], communication with acquaintances or neighbors who have positive experience with smart grid-related technology facilitates positive indirect experience.

Point 4: Discuss on the limitations of the study, if there are any.

Response 4: Generalization of research findings depends on representativeness of sample and its size. Data were collected from valid samples selected from a list of population provided by local government, although purposive sampling was used. 226 samples are not too small size to validate the research model and to test 10 hypotheses. However, there may be a limitation in generalization of the research findings. A further research regarding comparison of PV systems and EVs by applying the research model through multi-group analysis is required to identify different relationships by smart grid-related technologies.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

The authors have successfully addressed all the reviewer's comments.