CHALLENGES IN ESTABLISHING SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION

Within the field of information systems an interest in environmental issues has driven the agenda for research from green IT improvement to sustainable innovation. A challenge yet to investigate is how sustainable innovation involving a cluster of actors from multiple settings should be 1) designed and 2) orchestrated so that the innovation performed enables sustainable change. Processes for launching sustainable innovation should consequently be analysed in order to further investigate this notion. In northern Europe there is today a strong drive towards enabling initiatives utilizing mobile information technology improving the everyday transportation of people. This paper analysis the launch of a research and innovation cluster with the aim to develop information infrastructures and processes that stimulate distributed development of digital services for everyday travel. Events performed during the two-year start-up have been analysed identifying essential actions for network design and innovation orchestration, creating hypotheses, which enables further research about the establishment of sustainable innovation

Exploring green ICT implementation at a large Information and Communication Technology company in South Africa

Dissertation (MIT (Information Systems))--University of Pretoria, 2023.Climate change is a global problem which has pushed world leaders and their respective countries to take definitive measures to address the environmental crises. One of the areas of attention is the information, communication technology (ICT) sector. ICT tools and infrastructure have higher rates of carbon emissions. Therefore, in line with the global call to address climate change, ICT organisations are increasingly becoming involved in the climate change agenda by committing to responsible Information Systems (IS) agenda. The aim of IS, is to ensure that organisational processes enhance the quality of life contribute, while ensuring business sustainability. Green ICT emerged as a result of the IS agenda. Green ICT is a call for ICT users and organisations to take necessary measures to reduce the environmental impact of ICT while enhancing the positive impact by reforming and allowing sustainable business practices. To ensure Green ICT implementation, it is important for organisations to assess Green ICT capabilities and constraints in order to run ICT in accordance with Green ICT best practices. This qualitative, exploratory study sought to investigate the implementation of Green ICT at a large IT professional services company in South Africa, Gauteng. The study employed the Green IT adoption model (GITAM) as a theoretical framework to explore the organisation's current approach to Green ICT implementation. The dimensions of the GITAM model that informed the study are Green IT context, Green IT readiness, Green IT drivers, and the intention to adopt Green IT. The study population were executive and senior management positions, including C-level managers and operational IT specialists involved in decision-making or day-to-day operations, such as user support and client system implementations in the large IT professional services company. Qualitative data was gathered using semi-structured interviews. The data was then analysed using thematic analysis and the emerging themes were linked to the GITAM model. The study’s findings revealed that cost reduction, operational efficiency improvement, and corporate image initiatives to fulfil regulatory requirements, customer expectations, andii industry standards drive Green ICT deployment. Green efforts are hampered by the lack of a clear Green ICT strategy and governance concerns. This is due to a lack of environmental responsibility and green metric monitoring. In addition, the findings revealed that the COVID- 19 emergency response had a catalytic effect on promoting the implementation of Green ICT. Telecommuting practices were widely adopted and accelerated, assisting the organisation in the implementation of Green ICT, and enhancing resilience to the economic shock caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study extends the GITAM model by proposing an interpretive framework for Green ICT implementation. In addition, the findings from the literature review expand understanding on how Green ICT adoption can be a sustainable business model innovation for sustainable recovery after a crisis. In addition to the framework, the study recommends that management should prioritise a comprehensive and principled design approach for Green ICT management. Furthermore, the study interrogates the conflicts of sustainability goals concerning the different environments and stakeholders, showing that addressing the sustainability goals of all relevant stakeholders is complex and challenging. Management should articulate the problem, devise a solution, and set responsibility, learning, and measurement systems for green practises and sustainable projects. Future studies might, among other things, expand on this research and use the G-Readiness Index as a tool to assess and compare the organisation's Green ICT capabilities and limits with other organisations in the industry.InformaticsMIT (Information Systems)Unrestricte

Understanding digital eco-innovation in municipalities: An institutional perspective

Municipalities consume over 67% of global energy and are responsible for over 70% of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns that rapid adjustments need to happen at a global level, or the effects of climate change will be irreversible. The contribution of municipalities is therefore vital if GHG emissions are to be reduced. Our research is timely in its exploration of the ways in which municipalities institutionalise environmental sustainability practices in and through Green digital artefacts. Using mechanism-based institutional theory as a lens, the paper presents the findings of three contrasting case studies of large municipalities in the United Kingdom in their respective programmes to leverage the direct, enabling and systemic effects of Green ICT in order to reduce GHG emission and achieve their eco-sustainability goals. The case sites are also regarded as exemplars for further research and practice on digital eco-innovation. The mechanism-based explanations illustrate how a social web of conditions and factors influence eco-sustainability outcomes. We conclude that the digital technology-enabled grassroots-based initiatives offer the best hope to begin the transition to sustainable climate change within municipalities. The contributions of our study are therefore both theoretical and practical

Greening information management: final report

As the recent JISC report on ‘the ‘greening’ of ICT in education [1] highlights, the increasing reliance on ICT to underpin the business functions of higher education institutions has a heavy environmental impact, due mainly to the consumption of electricity to run computers and to cool data centres. While work is already under way to investigate how more energy efficient ICT can be introduced, to date there has been much less focus on the potential environmental benefits to be accrued from reducing the demand ‘at source’ through better data and information management. JISC thus commissioned the University of Strathclyde to undertake a study to gather evidence that establishes the efficacy of using information management options as components of Green ICT strategies within UK Higher Education environments, and to highlight existing practices which have the potential for wider replication

Contending European agendas for agricultural innovation

Amid expectations for a European ‘transition to sustainable agriculture’, there are competing transitional processes. Given the widely acknowledged harm from agro-industrial systems, ‘unsustainable agriculture’ has divergent diagnoses and innovative solutions. This rivalry can be analysed as contending innovation agendas; the analysis here combines theoretical paradigms of agricultural innovation. In an EU policy context of a Knowledge-Based Bio-Economy (KBBE), there are divergent accounts of its key terms: biological resources, economy, relevant knowledge and knowledge-producers. Likewise, divergent accounts are found of innovation, intensification, resource efficiency, resilience, bio-energy, horizontal integration, etc. These divergent agendas are promoted by distinct stakeholder networks. The dominant agenda favours laboratory-based techno-scientific innovation as a source of ‘efficient’ inputs, which can use renewable resources more efficiently for competitive advantage in global value chains. By contrast, other agendas promote farmers’ knowledge of natural resources, especially via agro-ecological methods which can reduce energy inputs, increase productivity and add value through quality. With those contending agendas, rival stakeholder networks seek to influence R&D priorities. From the standpoint of multifunctional agriculture, such contending agendas can play complementary roles in different rural spaces. Some agro-food practices may combine aspects of different paradigms. As a concept, Agricultural Knowledge Systems may provide a common space for interchanges between divergent agendas and their research priorities. However, these innovation agendas promote conflicting visions of the future

Towards Evidence-Based Sustainable Communities: Report on Survey of Urban Sustainability Centers in U.S. Universities

Provides an overview of characteristics of urban sustainability research centers, including organizational structure, personnel capacity, finances, current objectives, and recent research topics. Considers policy implications

Implementation Action Plan for organic food and farming research

The Implementation Action Plan completes TP Organics’ trilogy of key documents of the Research Vision to 2025 (Niggli et al 2008) and the Strategic Research Agenda (Schmid et al 2009). The Implementation Action Plan addresses important areas for a successful implementation of the Strategic Research Agenda. It explores the strength of Europe’s organic sector on the world stage with about one quarter of the world’s organic agricultural land in 2008 and accounting for more than half of the global organic market. The aims and objectives of organic farming reflect a broad range of societal demands on the multiple roles of agriculture and food production of not only producing commodities but also ecosystem services. These are important for Europe’s economic success, the resilience of its farms and prosperity in its rural areas. The organic sector is a leading market for quality and authenticity: values at the heart of European food culture. Innovation is important across the EU economy, and no less so within the organic sector. The Implementation Action Plan devotes its third chapter to considering how innovation can be stimulated through organic food and farming research and, crucially, translated into changes in business and agricultural practice. TP Organics argues for a broad understanding of innovation that includes technology, know-how and social/organisational innovations. Accordingly, innovation can involve different actors throughout the food sector. Many examples illustrate innovations in the organic sector includign and beyond technology. The various restrictions imposed by organic standards have driven change and turned organic farms and food businesses into creative living laboratories for smart and green innovations and the sector will continue to generate new examples. The research topics proposed by TP Organics in the Strategic Research Agenda can drive innovation in areas as wide ranging as production practices for crops, technologies for livestock, food processing, quality management, on-farm renewable energy or insights into the effects of consumption of organic products on disease and wellbeing and life style of citizens. Importantly, many approaches developed within the sector are relevant and useful beyond the specific sector. The fourth chapter addresses knowledge management in organic agriculture, focusing on the further development of participatory research methods. Participatory (or trans-disciplinary) models recognise the worth and importance of different forms of knowledge and reduced boundaries between the generators and the users of knowledge, while respecting and benefitting from transparent division of tasks. The emphasis on joint creation and exchange of knowledge makes them valuable as part of a knowledge management toolkit as they have the capacity to enhance the translation of research outcomes into practical changes and lead to real-world progress. The Implementation Action Plan argues for the wider application of participatory methods in publicly-funded research and also proposes some criteria for evaluating participatory research, such as the involvement and satisfaction of stakeholders as well as real improvements in sustainability and delivery of public goods/services. European agriculture faces specific challenges but at the same time Europe has a unique potential for the development of agro-ecology based solutions that must be supported through well focused research. TP Organics believes that the most effective approaches in agriculture and food research will be systems-based, multi- and trans-disciplinary, and that in the development of research priorities, the interconnections between biodiversity, dietary diversity, functional diversity and health must be taken into account. Chapter five of the action plan identifies six themes which could be used to organise research and innovation activities in agriculture under Europe’s 8th Framework Programme on Research Cooperation: • Eco-functional intensification – A new area of agricultural research which aims to harness beneficial activities of the ecosystem to increase productivity in agriculture. • The economics of high output / low input farming Developing reliable economic and environmental assessments of new recycling, renewable-based and efficiency-boosting technologies for agriculture. • Health care schemes for livestock Shifting from therapeutics to livestock health care schemes based on good husbandry and disease prevention. • Resilience and “sustainagility” Dealing with a more rapidly changing environment by focusing on ‘adaptive capacity’ to help build resilience of farmers, farms and production methods. • From farm diversity to food diversity and health and wellbeing of citizens Building on existing initiatives to reconnect consumers and producers, use a ‘whole food chain’ approach to improve availability of natural and authentic foods. • Creating centres of innovation in farming communities A network of centres in Europe applying and developing trans-disciplinary and participatory scientific approaches to support innovation among farmers and SMEs and improving research capacities across Europe

Strategic Research Agenda for organic food and farming

The TP Organics Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) was finalised in December 2009. The purpose of the Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) is to enable research, development and knowledge transfer that will deliver relevant outcomes – results that will contribute to the improvement of the organic sector and other low external input systems. The document has been developed through a dynamic consultative process that ran from 2008 to 2009. It involved a wide range of stakeholders who enthusiastically joined the effort to define organic research priorities. From December 2008 to February; the expert groups elaborated the first draft. The consultative process involved the active participation of many different countries. Consultation involved researchers, advisors, members of inspection/certification bodies, as well as different users/beneficiaries of the research such as farmers, processors, market actors and members of civil society organisations throughout Europe and further afield in order to gather the research needs of the whole organic sector

Source control SUDS strategic directions

Background to researchThe uptake or transition from traditional drainage to sustainable drainage (SUDS) in Scotland has happened in a relatively short timescale (less than fifteen years) with site and regional control drainage structures such as ponds and basins now considered ‘business as usual’. This rapid transition to SUDS has been facilitated by a stakeholder platform called the Sustainable Urban Drainage Scottish Working Party (SUDSWP) which has promoted their use since 1997. This has subsequently led to Scotland being regarded as a frontrunner in SUDS implementation in the UK. However the uptake of source control as part of a stormwater treatment train is less routine than expected. With the aforementioned in mind, this Phase Three Report seeks to answer the question ‘How can the national uptake of source control be encouraged and influenced by the SUDS Working Party and whether they should recast their remit’? Objectives of research Phase One of this research looked at the background to the evolution of source control in Scotland providing preliminary insight into the enabling factors and obstacles for uptake of the systems since inception in the mid 1990’s. Phase Two appraised source control delivery on a global scale providing insight to enabling factors out with Scotland and appraising current delivery in Scotland by responsible organisations. The transition pathway from traditional drainage to source control SUDS was mapped out to highlight what the key enabling (and disabling) factors were to realise the transition to date. This phase of the research, Phase Three defines the next steps including comment on optimal source control and further considerations and recommendations. This involved analysis and consolidation of the findings from Phases one and two, a workshop delivered to SUDSWP and two surveys delivered online and via telephone interviews with professionals involved in source control SUDS. These findings are used to define barriers and opportunities to inform the development of a strategy to support and encourage implementation of source control within SUDSWP remit.Key findings and recommendationsKey findings and recommendations for the SUDS Working Party are grouped according to transition management cluster activities:* Transition Arena: Strengthen links with internal members and external stakeholders who have a stake in source control SUDS and develop an integrated long-term vision.* Transition Agenda: Develop a shared strategic plan which considers aligning agendas with other infrastructure initiatives and enforcement / inspection policies to ensure cost effective, fit for purpose measures particularly in the areas of unit plot, local streets and regeneration areas.* Transition Experiments / case studies: Encourage research partnerships to validate techniques in the source control toolkit not yet applied in Scotland and showcase case studies.* Transition Monitoring / evaluation: undertake a baseline assessment to gauge source control uptake and performance, revise existing guidance and encourage capacity building programmes.<br/

Meeting the challenge of zero carbon homes : a multi-disciplinary review of the literature and assessment of key barriers and enablers

Within the built environment sector, there is an increasing pressure on professionals to consider the impact of development upon the environment. These pressures are rooted in sustainability, and particularly climate change. But what is meant by sustainability? It is a term whose meaning is often discussed, the most common definition taken from the Bruntland report as “sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987). In the built environment, the sustainability issues within the environment, social and economic spheres are often expressed through design considerations of energy, water and waste. Given the Stern Report’s economic and political case for action with respect to climate change (Stern, 2006) and the IPCC’s Fourth Assessment Report’s confirmation of the urgency of the climate change issue and it’s root causes (IPCC, 2007), the need for action to mitigate the effects of climate change is currently high on the political agenda. Excess in carbon dioxide concentrations over the natural level have been attributed to anthropogenic sources, most particularly the burning of carbon-based fossil fuels. Over 40% of Europe’s energy and 40% of Europe’s carbon dioxide emissions arise from use of energy in buildings. Energy use in buildings is primarily for space heating, water heating, lighting and appliance use. Professionals in the built environment can therefore play a significant role in meeting targets for mitigating the effects of climate change. The UK Government recently published the Code for Sustainable Homes (DCLG, 2006). Within this is the objective of development of zero carbon domestic new build dwellings by 2016. It is the domestic zero carbon homes agenda which is the focus of this report. The report is the culmination of a research project, funded by Northumbria University, and conducted from February 2008 to July 2008, involving researchers from the Sustainable Cities Research Institute (within the School of the Built Environment) and academics, also from within the School. The aim of the project was to examine, in a systematic and holistic way, the critical issues, drivers and barriers to building and adapting houses to meet zero carbon targets. The project involved a wide range of subject specialisms within the built environment and took a multi-disciplinary approach. Practitioner contribution was enabled through a workshop. The focus of this work was to review the academic literature on the built environment sector and its capabilities to meet zero carbon housing targets. It was not possible to undertake a detailed review of energy efficiency or micro-generation technologies, the focus of the research was instead in four focussed areas: policy, behaviour, supply chain and technology.What follows is the key findings of the review work undertaken. Chapter One presents the findings of the policy and regulation review. In Chapter Two the review of behavioural aspects of energy use in buildings is presented. Chapter Three presents the findings of the review of supply chain issues. Chapter Four presents the findings of the technology review, which focuses on phase change materials. A summary of the key barriers and enablers, and areas for future research work, concludes this report in Chapter Five. Research is always a work in progress, and therefore comments on this document are most welcome, as are offers of collaboration towards solutions. The School of the Built Environment at Northumbria University strives to embed its research in practical applications and solutions to the need for a low carbon economy