Implementing green business processes : the importance of functional affordances of information systems

An environmentally sustainable and thus green business process is one that delivers organizational value whilst also exerting a minimal impact on the natural environment. Recent works from the field of Information Systems (IS) have argued that information systems can contribute to the design and implementation of sustainable business processes. While prior research has investigated how information systems can be used in order to support sustainable business practices, there is still a void as to the actual changes that business processes have to undergo in order to become environmentally sustainable, and the specific role that information systems play in enabling this change. In this paper, we provide a conceptualization of environmentally sustainable business processes, and discuss the role of functional affordances of information systems in enabling both incremental and radical changes in order to make processes environmentally sustainable. Our conceptualization is based on (a) a fundamental definition of the concept of environmental sustainability, grounded in two basic components: the environmental source and sink functions of any project or activity, and (b) the concept of functional affordances, which describe the potential uses originating in the material properties of information systems in relation to their use context. In order to illustrate the application of our framework and provide a first evaluation, we analyse two examples from prior research where information systems impacted on the sustainability of business processes.

Green roof retrofit potential in the central business district

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the potential for green roof retrofit to commercial buildings in a city centre to property managers and other property professionals.

Design/methodology/approach – This paper addresses the research question: what is the potential of existing buildings in the CBD to accommodate a retrofitted green roof? Furthermore, it questions how many buildings are suitable for green roofs? The researchers compile a unique building database incorporating information about 536 commercial buidings and evaluate the potential suitability of each building to undergo a green roof retrofit. Assisted by other commercially available databases and software, the researchers are able to assess each roof based on criteria derived from an extensive literature review.

Findings – A relatively small proportion of roofs are found to be suitable, partly a result of local climate conditions and rainfall patterns, and the physical property stock. On a purely physical assessment, only a very small proportion of CBD stock is found to be suited. These buildings are most likely to be in low secondary locations, ungraded or B grade buildings, privately owned, concrete framed and not overshadowed by adjoining properties.

Practical implications – Property managers and other property professionals can now determine the potential of their portfolio stock for green roof retrofit based on the review of building attributes required for success adaptation in this paper. It possible that greater potential for green roof retrofit exists in the suburbs or regional towns where lower rise buildings may reduce the amount of overshadowing found in city centres. Follow-up research could focus on a comparison of regional and suburban developments.

Originality/value – This is the first study of its kind and has assessed such a large number of buildings for their suitability for green roof retrofit; the findings provide a reliable guide for policymakers regarding the potential number of city centre buildings which would be possible to retrofit. Such findings should influence policymaking and incentives to target effective sustainability policies with regards to existing buildings.

The green economy agenda: business as usual or transformational discourse?

This analysis of the emergence since 2008 of the green economy agenda and the related idea of ‘green growth’ focusses upon the articulation of these discourses within key international economic and environmental institutions and evaluates whether this implies the beginning of an institutional transformation towards an ecologically sustainable world economy. The green economy may have the capacity to help animate a transition away from current socially and ecologically unsustainable patterns of economic growth only if notions of green growth can be discursively separated from green economy, strong articulations of green economy become dominant, and alternative measures of progress to gross domestic product are widely adopted. The concept of ‘rearticulation’, found in post-structural discourse theory, is proposed to guide this transition. This offers a framework to reconstruct notions of prosperity, progress, and security whilst avoiding direct and disempowering discursive conflict with currently hegemonic pro-growth discourses.

Review of the green consumers' perception formation about the environmentally safe products

This study examines the influence of various factors on the green purchase intention of customers in Australia. A conceptual model has been proposed and was subjected to empirical verification with the use of a survey of metropolitan and regional households in Victoria. The results indicate that corporate perception with respect of companies not placing higher priority on reducing pollution than increasing profitability was the significant predictor of customers’ negative overall perception toward environmentally safe products. The only positive contribution to customers’ perceptions was their past experience with the product. Other factors including the perception of environmentally safe products, product labels, and regulatory protection did not appear to influence customers’ perceptions. The results also suggest that customers are not tolerant of lower quality and higher prices of environmentally safe products. The present findings provide an understanding of the antecedents of green purchasing and highlight that green customers rely more on personal experience with the product rather than the information provided by the marketer.

Public environmental consumerism : recycling behaviour and its impact on intentions to purchase green products

Recycling behaviour has been used as indicators of green behavior since research has indicated that there is a positive relationship between environmental concern and ecologically responsible behavior such as recycling. The objective of this study is to find out if there is a difference between recyclers and non-recyclers and heavy and light recyclers with respect to their willingness to pay more for green products despite the perception of green products being of a lower quality in comparison to alternative products. The answers to this will help us to better understand environmentally conscious consumerism of both groups of consumers i.e. the light and heavy recyclers. The results indicate that willingness to pay somewhat higher prices and accepting somewhat lower quality of green products appears to be, generally, independent of recycling and non-recycling, as well as heavy and light recycling behaviour. It also addresses the implications of these findings for business managers.

Managing strategic versus tactical green collaborations : a nonprofit perspective

This exploratory study examines how non-profit organisations view collaborations with other organisations, based on the objective of the collaboration. This perspective has not been previously considered within the literature. Our findings suggest that non-profits believe there are differences in the management of collaborations depending on whether they are designed
to achieve strategic or tactical goals. The variables of power and managerial imbalance were found to impact on the perceived effectiveness of strategic collaborations while organisational compatibility was found to impact on the perceived effectiveness of tactical collaborations.

The business case for incorporating sustainability in office buildings : the adaptive reuse of existing buildings

The effect of climate change and global warming has received increased attention in society with constant reminders about the importance of energy efficiency and sustainability in buildings. Whilst the focus is often placed on smaller items such as plastic bags, air conditioners and motor vehicles, the emphasis has recently shifted to structures in the built environment. Office buildings have been identified as contributing significantly to global warming during their building lifecycle with a substantial contribution to CO2 omissions. In response, building designs and construction techniques have evolved over time to improve energy efficiency and reduce CO2 omissions. Whilst property valuers, managers and analysts must remain up-to-date regarding changes, relatively little research has been conducted about whether and how increased sustainability, such as signified in a Green Star rating affects a property’s highest and best value and long-term lifecycle. This study investigates the degree to which sustainability is understood in the property marketplace, especially in relation to property values with the emphasis placed on a cost- benefit analysis from both an owner’s and tenant’s perspective. Whilst it may be argued that incorporating sustainability into a new office building is cost prohibitive on a financial cost-benefit analysis, often various minor steps can be taken to upgrade the sustainability of an existing building. This project examines recent trends in capital expenditure to increase the sustainability of offices and where Green Star ratings have been applied to establish whether any corresponding increase in value is evident. In order to develop a researchframework, a thorough literature review will be conducted of recent Australian and overseas studies. This will enable links between sustainability and office buildings to be highlighted, and vitally how they affect a property’s value in both the short and long-term.

Investor perception of the business case for sustainable office buildings : evidence from New Zealand

Over recent years the global market for sustainable commercial property has been growing in importance, with rapid growth occurring overseas that has led to substantial changes in the property markets. The New Zealand property industry has been recently introduced to the concept of sustainability, and although still at an early stage is already noticing the accelerating uptake of sustainability in the industry. Although certain measures have been taken by the New Zealand Green Building Council and government mandates, there remains still a common assumption that there is considerable hesitation and skeptism in the market from both an investor’s and a building owner’s perspective.

The research presented in this paper reports on the results of an investigation into the market perception toward sustainable buildings from the investment community in New Zealand. Property developers and investors from New Zealand were surveyed about their perception of sustainable buildings in New Zealand and their actions with regards to their own commercial portfolios, as well as the impact sustainability is having upon investment decisions. This paper presents the results of research conducted into the relationship between the elements of sustainability and the market value of an office building. The paper provides an insight into the rapidly evolving area of sustainability and office buildings, with the emphasis placed on the valuation process that seeks to assess a hypothetical purchaser’s perspective of this relationship.

Green roofs in Melbourne - potential and practice

In Melbourne, green roofs are increasingly being included in the new and retrofitted buildings that claim to be ‘sustainable’ or ‘green’. This enthusiasm follows overseas experience where a variety of benefits have been recorded; these include a reduction in heating and cooling loads. This benefit is of particular importance because of the urgent need to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with air conditioning. What is the potential for such savings and to what extent are some of the existing green roofs likely to achieve these benefits? This paper begins with a review of the overseas experience to reduce conditioning loads, particularly cooling, in temperate climates. Some observations on the potential and practice of green roofs in Melbourne is then presented. The results of measurements of plant canopy, soil and hard surface temperatures on two green roofs in the Melbourne Central Business District are discussed and future on-going work is outlined.

Perceptions of quality in higher education : a comparative study of Turkish and Australian business academics

Finding a common definition of ‘quality’ in studies of quality and quality improvement in higher education institutions is very important. This study identifies the views of a key stakeholder group, academics, with reference to their beliefs (what is currently occurring) and their attitudes (what ought to be occurring) in relation to quality in their departments. The focus of this paper is on the collection of data from 64 business administration academics in Turkish universities. Face-to-face interviews were conducted using an instrument titled ‘Quality in Accounting Education Survey’. The questionnaire was developed by Watty and is based on the conceptions of quality framework, developed by Harvey and Green. The results are compared with the beliefs and attitudes of Australian accounting academics as reported in an earlier paper by Watty. The findings show that academics from Turkey adopt the perspective of quality as excellent or élitist, both in their beliefs (current situation perception) and in their attitudes (desired situation perception). This compares with the findings that Australian academics’ attitudes reflect a quality perspective as fitness for purpose in the current situation and beliefs that reflect a transformational quality perspective as the desired situation (what ought to be).

The limitations and potentialities of green marketing

The authors evaluate the potential of green marketing and its limitations in solving society’s environmental problems. The streams of research in the green marketing area are reviewed and their assumptions and efficacies are discussed. While green marketing has some positive societal outcomes, on its own it is an insufficient solution to societal environmental problems in general and to humanity’s existential threat from climate change in particular. The authors analyze and discuss the roles and responsibilities of business, citizen-consumers, and government in contributing environmental solutions.

The effect of green roofs on pedestrian level air temperature

Man made alterations have resulted in higher air temperatures in cities, compared to their surrounding rural areas. There are many attempts to modify the urban design elements to ameliorate urban heat island effect. One among them is the concept of green roofs. There is a potential to incorporate vegetation to the large roof area of the buildings. Several studies investigated the effect of micro and macro scale implementation of green roofs. Most of these studies examined the impact of green roofs on the air temperature variation at the roof level, whereas studies are lacking on the effect of green roof at the pedestrian level. Therefore, this study aims to explore the impact of green roofs on the air temperature at pedestrian level, in the central business district (CBD), using Melbourne as a case study. A generic layout of Melbourne's CBD is modelled using ENVI-met 3.1 BETA 4. A number of different scenarios with different green roof coverages and building heights are examined. It was found that green roofs did not have significant impact on the temperatures at pedestrian level.