Innovative ICT‐mediated activities for people, profit and planet

Abstract

PurposeSolutions to complex environmental problems rely on the innovative knowledge and expertise of many professions whose members accept their responsibilities towards the environment. The study described here canvases information systems (IS) professionals for their perspectives, knowledge and expertise within the domains of Green IT and Green IS.Design/methodology/approachFollowing a review of the Green IT and IS literature, two topics were identified for a Q‐study conducted among IS professionals: topic 1 focussed on which technologies, systems and applications offer the greatest opportunity in solving environmental problems, and topic 2 on what sets of issues affect these green opportunities. Activity Theory was used to interpret the factors emerging from the Q‐study.FindingsThree categories of activities were identified in topic 1 involving ICT support for “teleworking and teleconferencing”, “monitoring, optimising, and modelling” and “influencing human understanding and behaviour”. The topic 2 responses were quite varied.Research limitations/implicationsA Q‐study is both subjective and exploratory, not seeking consensus but rather the breadth of opinion on a topic. The findings of topic 1 indicate three directions for future research and topic 2 identified many issues to consider in pursuing Green outcomes.Practical implicationsThe three topic 1 categories of activities identify practical “green” applications of ICT.Social implicationsThe varied issues identified from topic 2 reveal the interconnection of environmental projects with economic and social issues.Originality/valueFollowing this study of IS professional the authors call on other professions to apply the expertise of their respective fields to the environmental cause.