Developing Green It Capability: An Absorptive Capacity Perspective

Information Systems Journal, 2017

The potential of information systems (IS) to enable environmental sustainability necessitates an understanding of how organisations can realise this potential. In this study, building on the absorptive capacity theory and following a multidisciplinary and multi-method approach, we propose that developing IS-environmental absorptive capacity is a significant mechanism to deliver IS-enabled change that addresses environmental issues. We commenced with a literature review and exploratory interviews to define the IS-environmental absorptive capacity construct. We then developed a model that proposes that sustainable IS triggers, knowledge exposure and prior experience influence IS-environmental absorptive capacity, which in turn contributes to the level of environmentally sustainable IS assimilation as well as to the cost saving, operational performance and reputation of organisations. The model was first tested through an international survey of 148 senior IS managers. The findings support our model regarding the antecedents and value of IS-environmental absorptive capacity. A follow-up case study corroborated the survey results and provided additional insights into the nature and causes of IS-environmental absorptive capacity and its value. This study, in addition to presenting empirical evidence, defines and operationalises the IS-environmental absorptive capacity construct in a theoretically and operationally meaningful way.

Australasian Journal of Information Systems , 2014

The first wave of research in Green IT has often focused on organisational adoption. As Green IT matures in organisations it is important to look beyond adoption and to investigate the assimilation of Green IT. To this end we draw from and compare two theories-contextual theory and absorptive capacity-and investigate which of the two theories better explains the level of Green IT assimilation in organisations. Results from an international survey of 148 large organisations show that both theories explain Green IT assimilation with a medium effect size and that while contextual theory has a slightly higher R2 value than absorptive capacity, the difference is not statistically significant. We then propose a parsimonious and integrated model of Green IT assimilation drawing on contextual and absorptive capacity theories and outline implications for practitioners. The integrated model is parsimonious and has a higher explanatory power implying that a combination of contextual and absorptive capacity factors influences why and how widely and deeply Green IT practices, technologies and values are embedded in the IT people, in the IT management and IT infrastructure of organisations.

Australasian Conference on Information Systems , 2013

As Green IT is a relatively new area in Information Systems research, the first wave of research has often focused on organisations’ adoption of Green IT. In this study, we look beyond the initial adoption and investigate the assimilation of Green IT by organisations. We draw from and compare two theories – contextual theory and absorptive capacity – and investigate which of the two theories better explains the level of Green IT assimilation. Results from an international survey of 148 large organisations show that both theories explain Green IT assimilation, however while contextual theory has a medium to large effect, absorptive capacity has a small to medium effect.

As Green IT is a relatively new area in Information Systems research, the first wave of research has often focused on organisations' adoption of Green IT. In this study, we look beyond the initial adoption and investigate the assimilation of Green IT by organisations. We draw from and compare two theories-contextual theory and absorptive capacity-and investigate which of the two theories better explains the level of Green IT assimilation. Results from an international survey of 148 large organisations show that both theories explain Green IT assimilation, however while contextual theory has a medium to large effect, absorptive capacity has a small to medium effect.

2013

The concept of Green Information Technology (Green IT) has been widely discussed in recent times, but the question of how a firm can afford to implement Green IT in both IT and other business operations has yet to be examined. In addition, the question of whether Green IT has made any significant contributions towards sustainable development in organizations has not yet been studied. This study attempts to bridge this gap by viewing Green IT capability from the lens of Natural Resource-Based View. The two constructs derived from this theory, namely, as pollution prevention and product stewardship are discussed in this paper. Its application is extended into the IT context with reference to Green IT literature. This occurs among an early review of the utilisation of these constructs particularly for Green IT process management. The implications of the outcome of this study, both for the IS researchers and for the practicing managers, are discussed.

This paper presents a conceptual framework aiming to better research, understand and develop Green IT within organizations. Based on a literature review on Green IT, regarding the concepts of responsibility and sustainability, we propose ann initial framework with five dimensions: ethical, technological, economical, social and environmental. These dimensions compose Green IT strategies and practices. Additionally, the framework considers that environmental changing requirements, strategic requirements and dynamic capabilities are the forces which move organizations toward green practices and foster innovation. This conceptual framework is part of a research project which has been developed in this topic and aims to contribute to the theory in the field, having as initial goal to identify the constructs associated with Green IT. Additionally, it will be presented also the research method which is being applied to conduct the project steps and, in the future, verify in the field whether the constructs proposed correspond to the reality in the organizations.

ENSUS2023 - XI Encontro de Sustentabilidade em Projeto

This document is part of the doctoral thesis defended in 2022, being a theoretical discussion about the Absorptive Capacity and the Sustainable Performance of organizations and their relationships. At the time, 2018, the thesis project was based on questions such as: “What mechanisms allow organizations to acquire external green knowledge?” or “what triggers the need to acquire green knowledge in organizations”? The theoretical reviews indicated the following question: which mechanisms of social integration, and triggers of organizational absorption capacity, contribute to the sustainable performance of organizations? The discussion provided by a content analysis, based on articles indexed in SCOPUS and WEB of SCIENCE, allowed the description of the mechanisms of social integration and the triggers of the absorptive capacity in relation to the acquisition of green knowledge. In addition, this article identified that employees' mental models, processes and routines directly influ...

The objective of the present study is to empirically explore the implementation of Green IT measures from the perspective of the dynamic resources in organizations. To this end, the paper integrates two streams of research- 1) the dynamic resources or capabilities of a firm and, 2) the adoption of Green IT measures. The findings suggest that two organizations in our sample have been successful in mobilizing their dynamic resources while implementing Green IT. As a result, these organizations have leveraged Green IT implementation for strategic purposes. Organizational awareness about Green IT is critical to initiating strategic actions in this area.

2009

Businesses are under increasing pressure from customers, competitors, regulators and community groups to implement sustainable business practices. Balancing economic and environmental performance to be green and competitive is therefore a key strategic issue. The information technology (IT) sector is one of the pioneer sectors which started working on the sustainable development model. However, it is only lately that researchers and organisations have begun to consider the role of IT, not only in contributing to a businesses environmental footprint but also in tackling climate change problems. Usually coined as, "Green Information Technology", the role of IT in causing and resolving ecological sustainability, in maintaining low cost IT shops, in building green reputation capital and in supporting corporate green strategies has hardly been researched. This paper identifies five main areas of Green IT capability and describes the main pillars of a G-readiness framework to help organisations evaluate their maturity for Green IT. The utility of the framework is demonstrated through a desk-based research case study of four organisations. The paper argues that just as ereadiness has been, and continues to be, a critical capability in the digital economy, Greadiness is an equally critical capability in the low carbon digital economy. Without a clear understanding of G-readiness, organisations would approach Green IT initiatives on an ad hoc and somewhat reactive basis, which is undesirable.

The realization that legacy information technology (IT) systems have environmental footprint has elevated the sustainability of IT (Green IT) as a significant IT management issue. However, there is a lack of empirical research to explain Green IT capabilities of organizations and the maturity of those capabilities. This article reports a Green IT Readiness framework to capture the input, transformational and output capabilities that organizations need to nurture in sustainable management of IT. It identifies five components of G-readiness and provides an exploratory framework and a research-ready instrument. The instrument is validated based on data collected from a crosssectional and cross-country survey of IT managers.