Sharing Yet Caring - Mitigating Moral Hazard in Access-Based Consumption through IS-Enabled Value Co-Capturing with Consumers

The quest for creating smart and sustainable cities entails various substantial challenges, such as environmental degradation and a shortage of space. To negotiate these hurdles, innovative approaches must be implemented. A key aspect in this regard is the shared use of resources via forms of access-based consumption. Owing to advances in the digitalization of contemporary societies, these concepts have recently attracted both consumer and scholarly interest. However, the digitally enabled separation of ownership and use brings along the risk of moral hazard by consumers using resources in careless or wasteful ways, which is detrimental to the sustainability of the overall system. In this study, the authors conceptualize and empirically investigate how these adverse effects can be mitigated by applying the potentials of connectivity and digital data to enable users to participate economically while acting favorably from a collective perspective. The results of the quasi-experimental research design, situated in a carsharing context and comprising data records of 2,983 bookings, indicate that this form of value co-capturing with consumers can significantly motivate users to alter their behavior. From these findings, the authors derive important implications for research on the sustainability of digital business eco-systems in the specific context of smart cities

Enhancing Sustainable Business by SMEs’ Digitalization

In the digital and knowledge society, where SMEs are predominant contributors to economic and social development, SMEs’ digitalization is a lever for sustainable business. The purpose of this paper is to argue the importance of SMEs’ digitalization for their sustainable business operation and for strengthening their innovation and development potentials. The theoretical part of the paper gives an overview of the topic’ s backgrounds: sustainable business, the new digital business reality, digital technologies and their functionalities, the state of digital technologies adoption among European micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and the existent governmental and European Union’s (EU) support to SMEs’ digitalization. In the empirical analysis, we explore business digitalization in the European Union, focusing on Slovenia and Croatia. We found that both Slovenia and Croatia are on a promising path towards SMEs’ digitalization; however, they still need to diminish some gaps. We propose some requisite policy responses

ON THE ROLE OF SMARTNESS IN HELPING CONSUMERS CREATE SUSTAINABLE OUTCOMES

The proliferation of smart technologies transforms the way individual consumers perform tasks. Considerable research alludes that smart technologies are often related to domestic energy consumption. However, it remains unclear how such technologies transform tasks and thereby impact our planet. We explore the role of technological smartness in personal day-to-day tasks that help create a more sustainable future. In the absence of theory, but facing extensive changes in everyday life enabled by smart technologies, we draw on phenomenon-based theorizing (PBT) guidelines. As anchor, we refer to task endogeneity related to task-technology fit theory (TTF). As infusion, we employ theory on public goods. Our model proposes novel relations between the concepts of smart-autonomy and -transparency with sustainable task outcomes, mediated by task convenience and task significance. We discuss some implications, limitations, and future research opportunities

On the role of smartness in helping consumers create sustainable outcomes

The proliferation of smart technologies transforms the way individual consumers perform tasks. Considerable research alludes that smart technologies are often related to domestic energy consumption. However, it remains unclear how such technologies transform tasks and thereby impact our planet. We explore the role of technological smartness in personal day-to-day tasks that help create a more sustainable future. In the absence of theory, but facing extensive changes in everyday life enabled by smart technologies, we draw on phenomenon-based theorizing (PBT) guidelines. As anchor, we refer to task endogeneity related to task-technology fit theory (TTF). As infusion, we employ theory on public goods. Our model proposes novel relations between the concepts of smart-autonomy and -transparency with sustainable task outcomes, mediated by task convenience and task significance. We discuss some implications, limitations, and future research opportunities

Sustainable IS Use: What IS Needed to REDUSE

Facing ever-looming climate change, studying the drivers for individuals\u27 Information Systems (IS) Use to reduce environmental harm gains momentum. While extant research on the antecedents of sustainable IS Use has focused on specific theories, interventions, contexts, and technologies, a holistic understanding has become increasingly elusive, with a synthesis remaining absent. We employ a systematic literature review methodology to shed light on the driving antecedents for sustainable IS Use among individual consumers. Our results build on findings of 29 empirical studies drawn from 598 articles retrieved from our premier outlets and a forward/backward search. The analysis reveals six salient complementary antecedents: Relief, Empowerment, Default, User-centricity, Salience, and Encouragement. We recommend considering these concepts when developing, deploying, promoting, or regulating digital technologies to mitigate individual consumers’ emissions. Along with memorable and implementable concepts, our theoretical framework offers a novel conceptualization and four promising avenues for researchers on sustainable IS Use