Strategic information systems management for environmental sustainability : enhancing firm competitiveness with Green IS

Strategic information systems management for environmental sustainability : enhancing firm competitiveness with Green IS PDF Author: Löser, Fabian
Publisher: Universitätsverlag der TU Berlin
ISBN: 3798327696
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 292

Book Description
During the last three decades, information and communication technologies have fundamentally changed the way we work, live and communicate. The ubiquity of internet services, which become increasingly interactive and complex, together with enhanced connectivity, facilitated by innovative mobile devices, induces an ever-rising demand for computing, storage and data transmission capacities. Today, information systems (IS) constitute the backbone of the globalized economy and are indispensable for modern business and production processes. At the same time, environmental sustainability has evolved as the most pressing societal challenge of the 21st century, in particular due to the looming threats of climate change. By virtue of their global influence and reach, business companies significantly contribute to the creation of environmental problems, but owing to their organizational knowledge, capabilities and resources, they also have the capacity and ability to play a key role in shaping the path towards a more sustainable development. The companies leading the way have noticed that corporate sustainability is not necessarily a burden that negatively impacts their bottom line. If strategically managed, environmental product and process innovations can decrease operational costs, enhance corporate reputation, and differentiate from competitors. With regard to environmental sustainability, IS play a contradictory role: on the one hand, the manufacturing, operation and disposal of information technology (IT) infrastructure are responsible for serious environmental impacts: from the mining of conflict minerals to carbon dioxide emissions that equal those of the airline industry to enormous amounts of toxic e-waste. On the other hand, IS are perceived as key enablers of a "green" economy: environmental management systems and the reengineering of business processes can substantially reduce the environmental impacts of business organizations, while technological innovations provide opportunities to decrease the ecological footprint of end-user products and services. Many organizations have started to implement first environmental measures to decrease IT energy consumption and to reduce operational costs, mostly in an unstructured and uncoordinated manner though. Although Green IS practices feature a considerable potential to increase corporate environmentalism while creating promising business opportunities, the adoption of enterprise-wide cross-functional initiatives aimed at implementing Green IS has been rather slow. Economic uncertainties regarding the long-term effects of Green IS adoption and the lack of appropriate management frameworks have been identified as main inhibitors of an encompassing implementation of Green IS initiatives throughout the enterprise. In this context, this thesis addresses relevant research gaps, contributes to theory development in the evolving Green IS research discipline, develops practice-oriented management frameworks, and emphasizes the importance of following a strategic approach to leverage the competitive potential of Green IS. This cumulative thesis comprises an introduction that includes a literature review and a pre-study, four theory-based conceptual research articles, and two empirical studies, one of them building on qualitative, exploratory case study research whereas the other relies on quantitative data which has been analyzed with structural equation modeling. This thesis targets four specific research goals to advance theory-building in Green IS research and to promote the adoption of Green IS in practice. First, this thesis clarifies and defines the central terms and key concepts Green IT, Green IS, Green IS strategy, and Green IS practices drawing on a transdisciplinary research approach. Second, the most important challenges and inhibitors of Green IS adoption are identified and characterized. In particular, the lack of management frameworks, which encourage a holistic implementation that follows a strategic rationale, the complexity of strategic Green IS alignment, the multi-dimensional performance impacts of cross-functional initiatives and, above all, the uncertainty relating to the business case of Green IS practices, are identified as the most pressing challenges. Third, current actions of business firms to address these challenges are examined. Building on exploratory case study research, distinctive Green IS strategies are identified in managerial practice. Most notably, the empirical insights from quantitative survey research suggest a positive relationship between Green IS adoption and firm competitiveness, thus decreasing the economic uncertainty which inhibits the implementation of far-reaching environmental initiatives. Fourth, practice-oriented management frameworks are developed. The fine-grained Green IS strategy concept advises the formulation of strategies addressing the corporate, competitive, and functional management level. The proposed typology of four Green IS strategies illustrates distinct strategic options, from which executives can choose under consideration of their competitive targets and the firm-specific context. To allow for consistency of Green IS strategies, the presented alignment framework facilitates coherence with economic and environmental corporate goals. Furthermore, the actors, roles and responsibilities relevant to the alignment process are described. In addition, a management framework for the holistic adoption of Green IS, which specifies decisive management areas and distinguishes between three degrees of environmental impacts, is presented along with a comprehensive catalogue of Green IS implementation measures. As a consequence, this research offers both empirical insights and conceptual models to advance the adoption of Green IS initiatives, thus meeting the challenges of climate change and turning corporate sustainability into a business opportunity. Informationssysteme (IS) zeigen in Bezug auf ökologische Nachhaltigkeit gegensätzliche Eigenschaften. Einerseits verursachen die Herstellung, der Betrieb sowie die Entsorgung von Informationstechnologie (IT) – Infrastrukturen schwerwiegende negative Umweltauswirkungen: Vom Abbau von Konfliktmineralien über Kohlendioxidemissionen bis hin zu beträchtlichen Mengen giftigen Elektroschrotts. Andererseits werden IS als Schlüsseltechnologien für eine nachhaltige Wirtschaft gesehen. Umweltmanagementsysteme und die Umgestaltung von Geschäftsprozessen können den ökologischen Fußabdruck von Organisationen bedeutend verringern. Zudem eröffnen technologische Innovationen neuartige Möglichkeiten, die Umweltauswirkungen von Produkten und Dienstleistungen über den gesamten Lebenszyklus hinweg zu senken. Zahlreiche Organisationen haben damit begonnen, einzelne Green-IT-Maßnahmen zu implementieren um den Energieverbrauch und operative Kosten zu senken. Allerdings verfolgen die meisten Unternehmen hierbei keinen strukturierten oder strategischen Ansatz. Obwohl Green-IS-Initiativen beachtliche Potentiale zur Verbesserung der ökologischen Nachhaltigkeit von Organisationen bieten und gleichzeitig vielversprechende wirtschaftliche Chancen eröffnen, schreitet die Umsetzung von bereichsübergreifenden Green-IS-Maßnahmen in Unternehmen nur langsam voran. Ökonomische Unsicherheiten in Bezug auf die Rentabilität derartiger Maßnahmen sowie der Mangel an adäquaten Management-Frameworks werden in diesem Zusammenhang als zentrale Hinderungsgründe für eine strategische und ganzheitliche Umsetzung von Green-IS-Initiativen identifiziert. Diese Dissertation adressiert diese Hinderungsgründe, schafft Schlüsselkonzepte für den neuen Green-IS-Forschungszweig, entwickelt praxisorientierte Management-Frameworks und hebt die Bedeutung eines strategischen Ansatzes bei der Implementierung von Green IS hervor. Diese Forschungsarbeit offeriert empirische Einblicke wie auch konzeptionelle Modelle um die Umsetzung ganzheitlicher Green-IS-Initiativen in Organisationen voranzutreiben. Unternehmen haben somit die Chance, den Herausforderungen des Klimawandels verantwortungsvoll zu begegnen und gleichzeitig durch eine nachhaltige Unternehmensführung Wettbewerbsvorteile zu generieren.

Strategic Information Systems Management for Environmental Sustainability

Strategic Information Systems Management for Environmental Sustainability PDF Author: Fabian Löser
Publisher:
ISBN: 9783798327702
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

Book Description


Green Business: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications

Green Business: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications PDF Author: Management Association, Information Resources
Publisher: IGI Global
ISBN: 1522579168
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 1685

Book Description
The issues of sustainability and corporate social responsibility have become vital discussions in many industries within the public and private sectors. In the business realm, incorporating practices that serve the overall community and ecological wellbeing can also allow businesses to flourish economically and socially. Green Business: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications is a vital reference source for the latest research findings on the challenges and benefits of implementing sustainability into the core functions of contemporary enterprises, focusing on how green approaches improve operations. Highlighting a range of topics such as corporate sustainability, green enterprises, and circular economy, this multi-volume book is ideally designed for business executives, business and marketing professionals, business managers, academicians, and researchers actively involved in the business industry.

Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Investments in the Green Economy

Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Investments in the Green Economy PDF Author: Jean Vasile, Andrei
Publisher: IGI Global
ISBN: 1522520767
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 339

Book Description
The protection of the environment and economic growth are two important aspects of modern sustainability initiatives. By placing these two together, a competitive advantage is developed by utilizing green factors with investing. Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Investments in the Green Economy is an essential reference publication for the latest research on green entrepreneurship and its impacts on investment activity within sustainable development and competitive markets. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics and perspectives such as contemporary enterprises, global feeding, and waste management, this book is ideally designed for practitioners, students, and academicians seeking current research on green entrepreneurship and investments.

Green Automation for Sustainable Environment

Green Automation for Sustainable Environment PDF Author: Sherin Zafar
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 100019034X
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 102

Book Description
This book explores the concepts and role of green computing and its recent developments for making the environment sustainable. It focuses on green automation in disciplines such as computers, nanoscience, information technology, and biochemistry. This book is characterized through descriptions of sustainability, green computing, their relevance to the environment, society, and its applications. Presents how to make the environment sustainable through engineering aspects and green computing Explores concepts and the role of green computing with recent developments Processes green automation linked with various disciplines such as nanoscience, information technology, and biochemistry Explains the concepts of green computing linked with sustainable environment through information technology This book will be of interest to researchers, libraries, students, and academicians that are interested in the concepts of green computing linked with green automation through information technology and their impacts on the future.

Production at the Leading Edge of Technology

Production at the Leading Edge of Technology PDF Author: Mathias Liewald
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3031183185
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 857

Book Description
The German Academic Association for Production Technology (WGP) annually invites researchers coming from its institutes and from industry to contribute peer reviewed papers in the field of production technology. This congress proceedings provides recent research results and findings on leading-edge manufacturing processes. Main aim of this scientific congress is to push forward existing borders in production and to provide novel solutions of "Production at the Leading Edge of Manufacturing Technology”. Different sessions were held on the topics • Recent Developments in Manufacturing Processes • Advancements in Production Planning • New Approaches in Machine Learning • Aspects of Resilience of Production Processes • Creating Digital Twins for Production

Unimagined Futures – ICT Opportunities and Challenges

Unimagined Futures – ICT Opportunities and Challenges PDF Author: Leon Strous
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3030642461
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 233

Book Description
This Festschrift, Unimagined Futures – ICT Opportunities and Challenges, is the first Festschrift in the IFIP AICT series. It examines key challenges facing the ICT community today. While addressing the contemporary challenges, the book provides the opportunity to look back to help understand the contemporary scene and identify appropriate future responses to them. Experts in different areas of the ICT scene have contributed to this IFIP 60th anniversary book, which will be a key input to the ICT community worldwide on setting policy priorities and agendas for the coming decade. In addition, a number of contributions look specifically at the role of professionals and of national, regional, and global organizations in disseminating the benefits of ICT to humanity worldwide.

The Critical Success Factors of Green Supply Chain Management in Emerging Economies

The Critical Success Factors of Green Supply Chain Management in Emerging Economies PDF Author: Syed Abdul Rehman Khan
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3030427420
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 276

Book Description
This book outlines the scope of sustainability and green practice in supply chain operations, which has continued to grow with a rapid speed. The book includes core aspects of sustainability and green supply chain management philosophy and practice, covering general concepts, principles, strategies and best practices, which not only protect socio-environmental sustainability, but spur economic growth. The book will aid practitioners in using sustainable supply chains to reduce cost and improve service, as well as keep up-to-date with different features of green supply chains and logistics in a global market. The book will also be a valuable resource for candidates undertaking certification examinations and students studying for degrees in related fields of sustainability and green supply chain management.

Sustainable Green Development and Manufacturing Performance through Modern Production Techniques

Sustainable Green Development and Manufacturing Performance through Modern Production Techniques PDF Author: Chandan Deep Singh
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1000487903
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 376

Book Description
Various Multiple Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) techniques in one book: 13 MCDM techniques have been applied, namely, WSM, WPM, WASPAS, GRA, SMART, CRITIC, ENTROPY, EDAS, MOORA, AHP, TOPSIS, VIKOR, and new tools: MDEMATEL, Fuzzy MDEMATEL, Modified Fuzzy TOPSIS and Modified Fuzzy VIKOR. To date, no other book possesses this many tools. Various quantitative techniques: Different quantitative techniques have been applied, namely, Cronbach alpha, Chi-square and ANOVA (for demographic analysis), Percent Point Score and Central Tendency (response analysis), Factor Analysis, Correlation and Regression. To date, no other book possesses this many tools. Interpretive Structural Modelling: ISM has been applied for verifying MCDM results through MICMAC analysis and ISM model thus paving the way for model through SEM. Structural Equation Modelling: SEM using AMOS in PASW has been applied for model development. New MCDM techniques developed: In the process during qualitative analysis, new tools have been developed and their results have been compared with other existing MCDM tools and the results are encouraging. The new techniques are MDEMATEL, Fuzzy MDEMATEL, Modified Fuzzy TOPSIS and Modified Fuzzy VIKOR. Qualitative Model Developed: As the title says, Sustainable Green Development and Manufacturing Performance through Modern Production Techniques. It is a need-of-the-hour topic, as industries must maintain their performance (sustainable development) and, while sustaining, they have to keep in mind green issues (that is, environment-related issues, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic) and adopt advanced manufacturing and maintenance techniques. A model for this has been developed which will be helpful to both academicians and industrialists. Real-time Case Studies: Case studies in two industries of differing origins, different manufacturing sectors, different products, and comparing their units in the country of their origin and India. Dr. Chandan Deep Singh is an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Punjabi University, Patiala, Punjab (India). He is a co-author of Adolescents, Family and Consumer Behaviour (Routledge, 2020) and of Manufacturing Competency and Strategic Success in the Automobile Industry (CRC Press, 2019). Dr. Harleen Kaur is a manager (HR) at DELBREC Industries, Pvt. Ltd., Chandigarh. She co-authored Adolescents, Family and Consumer Behaviour (Routledge, 2020).

Sustainable Supply Chain Management

Sustainable Supply Chain Management PDF Author: Joëlle Morana
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 111860413X
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 228

Book Description
It is commonly recognized that logistics has become a major strategic issue for all companies, whether they are part of the primary, secondary or tertiary sector. Faced with the external pressures of globalization and competition, logistics optimizes processes and reduces production and delivery cycles. The use of Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SuSCM) is now increasingly at the center of thought, due to the numerous factors favoring its implementation: requests from various stakeholders, governmental pressures (decrees, laws, regulations, etc.), environmental pressures (pollution, disappearance of fuel fossils, etc.) and societal pressures (reputation/image, protection, etc.). However, there are still obstacles to the implementation of SuSCM, including significant costs, the complexity of coordination and the lack of communication within the whole supply chain. Nevertheless, it should nowadays be included by any organization in its decisions towards a strategic approach towards sustainability. This book presents each economic, environmental and societal aspect of SuSCM. By considering each of these dimensions separately, the primary objective is to facilitate the implementation of the elements that make it up. Readers are also provided with several “strategic interpretive lenses” to be able to perform audits and diagnostics of each component. Contents: 1. The Economic Aspect of Sustainable Supply Chain Management. 2. The Environmental Aspect of Sustainable Supply Chain Management. 3. The Social/Societal Aspect of Sustainable Supply Chain Management. 4. Sustainable Supply Chain Management Balanced Scorecard. About the Authors Joëlle Morana is Lecturer in management science, attached to the Laboratoire d’Economie des Transports (Transport Economy Laboratory) at University Lumière Lyon II in France. Her fields of research concern economic, environmental and societal logistics.