Paper Number
ECIS2026-2056
Paper Type
CRP
Abstract
The acceleration of human-induced environmental degradation underscores, more than ever, the need for corporate practices to align with Earth's physical limits. Information Systems (IS) have been shown to play a foundational role in producing and catalysing environmental knowledge in organisational contexts. Although many studies have explored the function of IS in corporate environmental practices, the intended purpose of their use in supporting corporate environmental impact mitigation efforts remains limited. To enhance this understanding, I conducted a qualitative meta-analysis of 21 case studies, from which I derived and analysed a sample of IS-enabled initiatives. My findings reveal three primary organisational purposes of IS: (1) impact governance; (2) impact accountability; (3) impact minimisation. I synthesise these insights into a conceptual model and derive three propositions to advance the broader discourse on the use of IS to support the adaptation of organisational activities in corporate environmental mitigation efforts.
Recommended Citation
Cauderay, Virginie, "What Is The Purpose ? - A Meta-Analysis On The Purpose Of Is In Corporate Environmental Initiatives" (2026). ECIS 2026 Proceedings. 11.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2026/is_resil/isresilience/11
What Is The Purpose ? - A Meta-Analysis On The Purpose Of Is In Corporate Environmental Initiatives
The acceleration of human-induced environmental degradation underscores, more than ever, the need for corporate practices to align with Earth's physical limits. Information Systems (IS) have been shown to play a foundational role in producing and catalysing environmental knowledge in organisational contexts. Although many studies have explored the function of IS in corporate environmental practices, the intended purpose of their use in supporting corporate environmental impact mitigation efforts remains limited. To enhance this understanding, I conducted a qualitative meta-analysis of 21 case studies, from which I derived and analysed a sample of IS-enabled initiatives. My findings reveal three primary organisational purposes of IS: (1) impact governance; (2) impact accountability; (3) impact minimisation. I synthesise these insights into a conceptual model and derive three propositions to advance the broader discourse on the use of IS to support the adaptation of organisational activities in corporate environmental mitigation efforts.