PANEL 3: PRACTICING WHAT WE PREACH? REFLECTING ON ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE RESEARCH PRACTICES OF THE IS COMMUNITY

Authors

Johann Kranz, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, GermanyFollow
Roman Zeiss, University of Cologne, GermanyFollow
Roman Beck, IT University of CopenhagenFollow
Roya Gholami, University of Illinois - SpringfieldFollow
Saonee Sarker, University of VirginiaFollow
Richard T. Watson, University of GeorgiaFollow
Edgar Whitley, London School of Economics and Political ScienceFollow

Abstract

Over the past decade, research on IS solutions for environmental sustainability evolved and produced a modest but firm body of knowledge. Despite this progressive understanding about ICT’s solution potential for environmental sustainability, our research practices seem widely unaffected by these insights. Most of us travel by air for work several times a year, to conferences, research stays, or guest lectures. Our community meetings do not seem well aligned with ecological goals. We research and apply technologies, such as blockchain or artificial intelligence, without sufficiently acknowledging the enormous amounts of energy they consume. It raises the fundamental question: Do we practice what we preach? While recognizing the good intentions IS research pursues, should we no longer ignore the environmental ‘elephant in the room’? In this inclusive panel discussion, we openly debate these issues. Thereby, we intend to capture the status-quo of the sustainability of our research practices and develop recommendations on how to improve it and ways of measuring the carbon footprint of some key activities.

Recommended Citation

Kranz, Johann; Zeiss, Roman; Beck, Roman; Gholami, Roya; Sarker, Saonee; Watson, Richard T.; and Whitley, Edgar, "PANEL 3: PRACTICING WHAT WE PREACH? REFLECTING ON ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE RESEARCH PRACTICES OF THE IS COMMUNITY" (2020). ECIS 2020 Select Recordings. 2.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2020_sessionrecordings/2