Exploration of drivers for energy regulatory process reengineering in the digital era: The grounded theory approach

Energy regulatory process reengineering is significant for addressing governance issues in the energy industry and achieving digitalization and green transformation. Therefore, this study adopts the grounded theory approach to explore the influencing factors of energy regulatory process reengineering in the context of digitalization and construct a driving mechanism model, and on that basis, reveal the effects of the key elements and the theoretical logic. The results reveal: 1) Reengineering needs, reengineering capabilities, reengineering drivers, and reengineering environment can promote energy regulatory process reengineering. 2) Reengineering needs, as the direct driving forces, and reengineering capabilities, as the intrinsic driving forces, can directly drive the energy regulatory process reengineering. 3) Reengineering drivers, as the foundational driving forces, and reengineering environment, as the situational driving forces, play a moderating role in the integrated model. This paper provides targeted policy insights and implementation pathways for achieving energy regulatory process reengineering.