Paper Number
ICIS2025-1335
Paper Type
Complete
Abstract
Green IS plays a crucial role in promoting environmentally friendly user behavior through digital technologies such as eco-feedback systems or gamified smart devices. Despite their potential, tensions between system providers and users can hinder adoption and effectiveness. This study addresses these tensions by applying a design science research approach to develop actionable design guidance. Based on a systematic literature review, expert interviews, and a focus group demonstration, we conceptualize provider–user tensions as dialectical contradictions and translate them into four pairs of meta-requirements and corresponding design principles. These artifacts support the development of Green IS that balance provider interests with user needs, fostering behavior change through long-term participation, contextual relevance, transparency and personalization. Grounded in the COM-B model and informed by stakeholder perspectives, our findings offer a theory-based yet practice-oriented contribution to Green IS design—ultimately unlocking the potential of Green IS to promote environmentally friendly user behavior.
Recommended Citation
Breiter, Katharina; Probost, Fabian; and Gimpel, Henner, "Unlocking the Potential of Green IS: Addressing Tensions to Promote Environmentally Friendly User Behavior" (2025). ICIS 2025 Proceedings. 3.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/icis2025/sustain/sustain/3
Unlocking the Potential of Green IS: Addressing Tensions to Promote Environmentally Friendly User Behavior
Green IS plays a crucial role in promoting environmentally friendly user behavior through digital technologies such as eco-feedback systems or gamified smart devices. Despite their potential, tensions between system providers and users can hinder adoption and effectiveness. This study addresses these tensions by applying a design science research approach to develop actionable design guidance. Based on a systematic literature review, expert interviews, and a focus group demonstration, we conceptualize provider–user tensions as dialectical contradictions and translate them into four pairs of meta-requirements and corresponding design principles. These artifacts support the development of Green IS that balance provider interests with user needs, fostering behavior change through long-term participation, contextual relevance, transparency and personalization. Grounded in the COM-B model and informed by stakeholder perspectives, our findings offer a theory-based yet practice-oriented contribution to Green IS design—ultimately unlocking the potential of Green IS to promote environmentally friendly user behavior.
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04-Sustainability