The energy transition, which is increasing price volatility, regulatory pressure, and infrastructure uncertainty, requires industrial firms to treat energy as a strategic variable. While energy informatics research has focused on technological architectures and optimization mechanisms, limited attention has been paid to how energy management systems (EMSs) become strategically embedded within organizations. This study addresses this gap by examining how EMS adoption and optimization are shaped by organizational and ecosystem factors. Drawing on thirteen semi-structured interviews with executives across the energy value chain, the study applies an inductive Gioia-based approach to develop a conceptual framework. The results identify three interdependent dimensions: innovation- and technology-centered organizational development, strategic operational synergy effects, and ecosystem integration and expertise development. The findings show that EMSs create value through organizational embedment rather than technological deployment alone. The study contributes by shifting the focus from technical optimization to organizational coordination and ecosystem responsiveness, thereby extending energy informatics and the resource-based view.
