The relevance of the UN Agenda 2030, rising energy costs, and the need to integrate sustainable routines into corporate strategies have brought renewed attention to behavioral interventions as tools for promoting energy savings and reducing CO₂ emissions. In a manufacturing setting, the monitoring of production lines revealed recurrent energy waste, highlighting both a need and an opportunity for behavioral change to support environmental, economic, and operational goals.
One key target behavior identified was the failure to de-energize machinery during unscheduled shifts. This study investigates whether a nudge can increase the de-energization of shop machines when not in use.
A mixed-method approach was adopted. A qualitative phase was first conducted to map the decision-making processes related to the target behavior. Based on the resulting insights and the implementation opportunities offered by the company, the nudge intervention was designed. A subsequent quantitative phase tested its effectiveness through a quasi-experimental study. Additionally, an autoethnography was conducted to explore the challenges of applying nudges in complex organizational environments from the researcher's perspective.
Findings show that the nudge was partially effective in reducing energy waste in the short term, though it left room for improvement. The autoethnography highlighted several process-related dynamics, obstacles, and unexpected events that shaped the intervention's implementation and outcomes.
In conclusion, while nudges remain promising within applied psychology, their application in organizational contexts prompts a critical question: are we still speaking of "nudges" in the traditional sense, if their design and implementation require deep contextual and systemic understanding?