Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
consequences of economic activity, which require
firms to evolve (Faber, 1998). According to the
current research conducted by Gartner, ICT is
responsible for approximately 2% of global CO2
emissions, and can also contribute significantly
to the control and reduction (up to 98%) of CO2
emissions associated with other activities and in-
dustries (Mingay, 2007). The trend of “greening”
IT products, applications, services, and practices
will probably pose a continuous concern, as the
Green IT strategy provides opportunities to tackle
environmental issues (Vykoukal
et al
., 2009). In
response to this issue, many businesses are altering
their practices in order to become more environ-
mentally responsible (Hendry and Vesilind, 2005).
Considering renewable energy technologies
and efficient energy utilization as the most effec-
tive potential solutions to current environmental
issues (e.g. Hollander and Schneider, 1996; Lee
et al
., 1992), firms are finding it increasingly
necessary to select the appropriate strategies to
address this issue. Because little research has been
conducted thus far on Green IT from a strategic
management perspective, in this study we have
conceptually described and recommended a novel
set of Green IT strategies driven from the resource-
based view perspective, by incorporating modern
institutional theory into the strategic formulations.
do not consider natural environmental aspects in
their strategic formulations (Hart, 1995). On the
other hand, previous research has demonstrated
that competition via innovation and firm perfor-
mance is compatible with and can be enhanced
by proper environmental management (Crowe
and Brennan, 2007). Thus, managers who wish
to secure the continuity and profitability of their
business must deal proficiently with forthcom-
ing environmental developments that have yet
to achieve the status of a decision event (Dutton
and Duncan, 1987).
Incorporating the natural environment as a
strategic focus is considered by some to be a source
of, rather than a threat to, competitive advantage
(Hart 1995; Porter and van der Linde 1995). The
implementation of environmental practices has
been extensively evaluated and such factors of
environmental legislation, the rising cost of waste
disposal, corporate images, and public perception
collectively constitute a further impetus for green
initiatives (Shrivastava, 1995); however, thus far,
only limited efforts have been made to systemati-
cally clarify these practices and to gain insight
into the manner in which they can contribute to
a favorable competitive position (Lucas, 2009).
Researchers concerned with environmental re-
sponsiveness have attempted to determine the
rationales underlying the responses of firms to
environmental issues (e.g. Bansal and Roth, 2000;
Hoffman, 2001; Hunt and Auster, 1990; Sharma
et al
., 1999; Paulraj, 2008). However, the field of
strategic IT from the perspective of environmental
management continues to suffer from a distinct
lack of a theoretical framework and straightfor-
ward definitions (Lucas, 2009).
In this regard, we have conceptually divorced
the technological issue (to which we refer herein
as “Green IT”) from the environmental issue.
Whereas the environmental issue emphasizes the
totality of the organization's actions toward the en-
vironment (Sharma
et al
., 1999), Green IT tends to
focus principally on environmentally technologi-
“Environmental management is necessary, urgent,
and can often be profitable” (Aragon-Correa and
Rubio-Lopez, 2007, p.359).
BACKGROUND
Over the past 20 years, the literature regarding
strategy has developed into two main guru theo-
ries: the resource-based view theorists focus on
the valuable resources required for the sustenance
of competitive advantage, and the Porterians em-
phasize the discovery and exploitation of market
opportunities (Miller, 2003). However, one major
