Proceedings of Third International Conference on Green Computing, Technology and Innovation (ICGCTI2015), Serdang, Malaysia, 2015

A Framework for Adoption and Implementation of Green IT/IS Practice in IT

Governance
Bokolo Anthony Jnr and Noraini Che Pa
Dept. of Software Engineering and Information Systems
Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology
University Putra Malaysia (UPM)
43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
result4real@yahoo.com and norainip@upm.edu.my

ABSTRACT
Green information technologies and systems IT/IS
are initiatives, strategies and programs that directly
or indirectly address environmental sustainability in
organizations. While practitioners have begun to
focus on Green IT/IS, however there is few research
in this area. The aim of this paper is to develop a
framework to assist practitioners and organisations
in the adoption of green IT/IS practices in IT
Governance. Existing green IT/IS literature were
reviewed. Hence the paper concern research that
addresses Green IT, Green IS and environmental
sustainability mainly in domain of information
technology governance (IT Governance). Findings
from this paper show the components and attributes
that are to be considered in implementing Green
IT/IS in IT Governance. Thus the framework can
also be used as a guide for future research in this
domain.

KEYWORDS
Green
IS,
Green
IT,
Sustainability, IT Governance.

Environment,

1 INTRODUCTION
Information Systems (IS) and Information
Technology (IT) has changed human behavior
in the last few years, and therefore has the
potential to support the adoption and transition
to a sustainable world at large. Therefore, the
role and contribution of IT and IS for
sustainability has become the interest of firms,

ISBN: 978-1-941968-15-4 2015 SDIWC

scholars, researcher, academia, industries and

government. Implementation of Green IT/IS
provides a roadmap to better understand how
organizations build, deploy and integrate the
use of IT resources in a sustainability manner
[1]. Lately, Green IT/IS has been one of the
paramount alternatives to decrease energy
consumption and operating IT business
operations in IT Governance [2]. An
information system (IS) is the use of computer
software, applications by people to carry out
business objectives in an organization. While
information technology (IT) is are mainly
specific technologies for information storage,
processing and communication. IT comprises
hardware, telecommunications and office
equipment that transforms data into useful
information for organisational use [1]. Green IT
initiates involves proper energy consumption
and waste disposal relates to the use of
computer hardware and software. Green IT
aims at improving energy efficiency of the
hardware and data center consolidate server by
deploying virtualization software, to reduce
waste associated with outdated infrastructures.
Therefore, Green IS refers to the development
and implementation of information systems to
support
or
enable
eco-environmental
sustainability procedures. Green IS operation
consisting of application and collective group
telepresence applications to allow distant
conference and minimize the harmful

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Proceedings of Third International Conference on Green Computing, Technology and Innovation (ICGCTI2015), Serdang, Malaysia, 2015

environmental impacts linked with travelling.

Green IS initiates aims to track and monitor
ecological variables such as pollution, waste,
water
consumption,
poisoning,
carbon
footprint. The implementation and adoption of
Green IT/IS by organisations can enhance
transport routes and products, thereby
decreasing the amount of energy used in
transporting the IT goods and services [3].
Hence, Green IT/IS are mainly initiative of
information technology / systems and initiatives
that address eco-friendly environmental
sustainability.
The effects of Green IT/IS, has the potential to
be great, and can directly reduce negative
impact of IT usage on the environment.
However the IS can also support practitioners
in IT governance in achieving their
organizations business objectives and also
reduce their negative environmental effects [3].
According to [4] in adopting Green IT/IS
practitioners should include both infrastructural
and organizational aspects of environmental
technologies. The implementation if Green
IT/IS in It governance integrates set of systems
such as practitioners, processes, software, and
technology to support the goals of the
organizational [5].
Hence this paper focus on how Green IT/IS,
can decrease the negative environmental effect
of the organization, and how it can contribute to
environmental sustainability. Thus this paper
presents a framework to assist in the adoption
and implementation of Green IT/IS Practice in
IT Governance. The structure of this paper is
organized as follows: Section 2 is literature
review, section 3 is the methodology, section 4
is the proposed framework, section 5 is
discussion and finally, section 6 is the
conclusion section.
2 LITERATURE REVIEW
Currently researchers explore how IS/IT can be
used to address and solve sustainability issues.
Experts and Researchers in Green IT/IS domain

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have established several approaches of how

attitudes of practitioners in organization,
determines the usage and dispositions of IT
resources. Green IT/IS practice and ecosustainability procedures has leads to some
organization achieving a successful ecofriendly environment. In general the analysis of
Green IT/IS from a practice viewpoint offers a
deeper and complete understanding of IT/IS in
relation to how organisations develop, deploy,
use and integrate for sustainability [1].
2.1 Information Technology Governance
IT governance aims to support business and IT
policies effectively and efficiently. IT
Managers and practitioners adopt IT
governance in their businesses to guarantee
service efficiency, reduced costs and improved
control of IT infrastructures. IT governance
can decrease organizational expenditure,
resulting in yield on savings.
IT governance centered mainly on strategic
decision making processes between the
management and its IT departments. Thus IT
governance is an approach of ensuring delivery
of expected benefits of IT. IT governance
guarantees the anticipated deliverables of IT.
[6] expands on this definition by adding that IT
governance
is
the
accomplishing
of
organisations objectives, while mitigating risks.
Risks can be mitigated with the correct
organizational decision making approach and
the assignment of roles and responsibilities.
IT Governance processes and structures are put
in place to ensure that the organizational vision,
values and strategies are accomplished. IT
Governance supports decision making directed
by the management ensuring proficient and
successful use of organizational resources, in
realizing the organisations objectives. IT
governance also aims to protect shareholders
interests, by effectively assessing business
opportunities and risks. Therefore risk
mitigation is a critical aspect of IT governance
[7]. Green IT/IS in IT governance; is the
planning for, making of and execution of

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Proceedings of Third International Conference on Green Computing, Technology and Innovation (ICGCTI2015), Serdang, Malaysia, 2015

decisions regarding goals, processes, people

and systems on a tactical and strategic level of
the organisations in an environmental friendly
approaches [8].
2.2 Sustainable IT/IS Research Domain
While IT industry is responsible for the 2% of
the biospheres total CO2 releases [2], over the
last decade, due to the often utilization of IT in
various sector of the world such as by the
society,
economy,
and
ecology,
the
management of IT hardware manufacturers and
IT service firms are facing the challenges to
take the concept of eco-sustainability and green
IT/IS into account for their products and
services. Green is an English word used to
name a color that is a combination of yellow
and blue. However over the last few years the
color Green got linked with environmental
issue and thus evolved to have a deeper
meaning.
Earth may no longer be a sustainable place for
future generations to come if the present
generation does not make any effort to decrease
the carbon footprints. Sustainability is a broad
concept and refers to meeting the needs of
present generations without compromising the
ability of future generations to meet their needs.
Sustainability involves practices to minimize
the environmental footprint by utilizing clean
technologies to reduce the use of polluting
materials and develop environmentally friendly
systems.
Thus the main objective of Green IT/IS is to
minimize the negative impact on environment.
Green IT/IS has a significant impact in the
environment, since the firms depends on IT for
their operations and production [9]. Therefore,
going green is an endless process to achieve
environmental
improvement.
Therefore
organizations that want to adopt environmental
orientation must develop appropriate corporate
strategy that recognizes the importance of
environmental
issues
to
formalize
environmental practices.

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2.3 Benefits
Governance

of

Green

IT/IS

in

IT

Green IT/IS aims to attain cost-effective

feasibility and enhanced system performance
and usage, in accordance to social and ethical
responsibilities. Thus, green IT/IS includes the
scopes of environmental sustainability, the cost
associated with the usage of energy efficiency,
and the total cost of possession, which includes
the rate of disposal and recycling [10].
In IT Governance Green IT/IS study and
practice assists in developing, implementing,
deploying, and disposing of computers
peripherals, networks infrastructures, and
associated systems, such as projectors,
monitors, printers, storage devices, and
networking and communications systems,
effectively and efficiently with insignificant or
almost no effect on the environment.
Green IT/IS implementation in IT Governance
can assist practitioners to reduce the use of
hazardous materials, promote the recyclability
or biodegradability of defunct products and
maximize energy efficiency during the
product's lifetime. Green IT/IS can provide
solution on how practitioners can save energy
at various levels of use. These include
hardware, software and other infrastructural
services. Hence the benefits of Green IT/IS are
numerous. Below are some benefits of Green
IT/IS in IT governance as seen in Table 1.

Table 1. Benefits of green IT/IS in IT Governance

Adopted from [10]
Tangible
Intangible
Benefits
to
Benefits
Benefits
Practitioners/firms
Capital
Environmental
Reduce
overall
improvements
benefits
like energy consumption
pollution controls
E-waste
Secured
head Optimize
server
reduction
disbursement
capacities
and
issues controlled
performance
Energy saving Increased
user Reclaiming valuable
and efficiency
efficiency
floor space through
virtualization
Maintenance
Economic
Reduce data-center
savings
benefits
(Eco- footprint

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Proceedings of Third International Conference on Green Computing, Technology and Innovation (ICGCTI2015), Serdang, Malaysia, 2015

Better and safer

lighting
Space saving

Travel
reduction
(Video
conferencing &
collaboration)
Technological
advancement

Use resources
more efficiently

sustainable
development)
Social benefits

Simple
and
reliable
IT
infrastructure

Encourages efficient
utilization of natural
resources
Provide rapid and
secure access to
required data

Emotional risk
minimizing

Recycle end-of-life
equipment

Testing
application
software
on
multiple
platforms is easy
Behavioral risk
minimizing

Increase ease of
systems and solutions
management

Free-up
components

2.

3.

budget

2.4 Formal Approach to Green IT/IS

As stated in the previous section, Green IT/IS
practice is aimed at reducing power
consumption, synthesize environmental friendly
devices and enlighten the society, end users and
practitioners towards Green IT/IS operation and
usage. To design a Green IT/IS environmental
friendly system, an approach divided into six
components is normally adopted as shown in
figure 1.

4.

5.

Figure 2. A Formal approach to Green IT/IS

1. Green Usage- Saving of energy results to

small amount of pollutants and that means

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healthy environment. Green use in IT

Governance aims to decrease the energy
utilization of computers hardware, software
and other information systems as well as
using them in an environmentally sound and
efficient approach [11].
Green Management- Aims to implement
and control the systems used by
practitioners in IT Governance. For an
effective green management, practitioners
should buy and procure the right material
for green development. This is one of the
most critical point to be considered by
decision makers and practitioners.
Green Design- Design energy proficient
and ecologically sound IT/IS components.
In Green design practitioners aims to
evaluate, develop and deploy environmental
friendly
services
with
outstanding
proficiency. However the main objective for
green designing is to ensure a sustainable
future for humanity, in regard to both
resources utilization and environmental
health. It is crucial develop and utilize
technology that will not cause un-fore seen
problems for future generations.
Green Procurement- Practitioners are
encouraged to purchase electronic products
having green or energy labels in their
design. Hence practitioners are encouraged
to develop greener products and services
that utilize less power, and generate less
harm to environment.
Green Development- Develop IS/IT
systems with automated components,
computers, and other supplementary
subsystems with reduced effect on the
environment [11]. This phase encourages
effective processes and increases the reuse
and reutilization rate of developed products.
Moreover, Green development, also
involves hygienic delivery schemes to
encourage nominal unwanted formation,
which increases the competence of IT
Governance, thereby lowers resource
utilization.

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Proceedings of Third International Conference on Green Computing, Technology and Innovation (ICGCTI2015), Serdang, Malaysia, 2015

6. Green Recycling & Disposal- Refurbish,

renovate and reuse old computers and
properly recycle unwanted computers and
other electrical equipment [11]. This phase
provides a simple, flexible and auditmanaged alternative for the assembly and
re-processing of end-of-life redundant
computing infrastructures and computer
reutilizing [10].

2.5 Related Works

Green IT/IS holds greater promise for
addressing environmental issues in the society
and in organizations. However, very little
research has examined the potentials of
adopting Green IT/IS by practitioners and end
users. This is due to lack of public awareness of
the impact of the utilization of IT/IS in the
organization's environmental footprint and
limited education and training of end users and
society in relation to environmental issues.
[12] developed a contingency model for
governance based on the Green contingency
theory of governance and IT. This model
highlights the relationship between the
expected
and
the
company-specific
configuration in Green IT. This model consists
of a competitive strategy, firm size,
organizational structure, performance strategy,
the environmental impact of industry,
environmental strategies, IT infusion, and the
spread of IT as a contingency factor to
determine the appropriate approach for Green
IT governance.
[3] developed a conceptual model for Green
IT/IS research, their model components
comprises of environmental sustainability
motivating forces, environmental sustainability
initiatives which comprises of Green IT/IS
strategies, overall environmental orientation
which comprises of the organisation and
employee and lastly environmental impacts.
Their model provides a medium for future
research in Green IT/IS adoption.

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[13] proposes a model known as the Green IT

adoption model. This model defines Green IT
from the perspective of four distinct but
interrelated. The researcher stressed that the
following
components;
technological,
organizational and environmental creates a
contextual, dynamic dimension in Green IT
adoption. The researcher believes these
components are strong drivers of Green IT and
can predict the intentions practitioners in Green
IT/IS usage. [14] introduced a model
suggesting competitive pressure, pressure
legitimacy,
stress
social
responsibility,
organizational
factors
and
technology
constraints as factors that affect the level of
green IT adoption in organizations.
[1] proposed a conceptual framework and a set
of hypothesis for future Green IS research. The
framework comprises of four components; Top
management, environmental steward, IS
Managers /Professionals and Green IS practice.
Their frameworks components are based
Economic, Knowledge, Technology, ecosustainability and roles of information systems
which are the internal attributes.
Based on the technology organization
environment framework [2] developed a green
IT/IS adoption model. The developed model
includes the factors of business strategy and
three aspects of green IT/IS motivations under
the
instruction
of
corporate
social
responsibility. The model comprises of 3
components, technological, organizational and
environmental context.
Based on a Belief and Action of practitioners
and the outcome of the practitioners in
implementing Green IT/IS, [5] produced a
model that shows senior managers awareness
of both the experiences to and the significances
of Green IS adoption by a firm. In addition, the
researchers found out there are important
association between Green IS adoption based
on the attitude of practitioners in the
organization, and their consideration of future
consequences. The model attributes are based
on attitude, pressure, considerations of future
consequences, action and outcome.

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[15] proposed a Green IT/IS research model

based on the theory of acceptance. The Model
variables comprises of subjective norms,
attitude towards behavior, behavior intentions,
actual behavior, person related beliefs, sector,
experience and level of awareness. [16]
suggested a framework in term of implementing
green technology and processes in a company.
The framework is based on the practitioners
personal
performance.
The
researchers
concentrated their research on different IT/IS
concepts such as, system quality, information
quality, service quality environment concern,
and knowledge. [17] research proposed a
Theory of Planned behavior model to explain
IT professionals intents for Green Information
Technology practices. The model comprises of
behavior beliefs, subjective norms, perceived
behavior control, behavioral intention to use
and actual use as attributed the determined the
adopted of Green IT/IS practice by
practitioners.

3 METHODOLOGY
This paper utilizes secondary data collection by
reviewing existing literatures on Green IT/IS
research practice. The review is based mainly
on existing conceptual/research model or
frameworks in Green IT/IS practice. Hence this
paper is concerned with the study of Green
IT/IS use from the practice and theoretical
perspective. This paper strives to understand
how Green IT/IS practices surface and become
recurrent in IT Governance and tackles the
research question of how do Green IT/IS
practices emerge to support IT Governance
sustainability practices?
3.1 Eco-Sustainability and Green IT/IS
Implementation in IT Governance
Eco-sustainability is the capability of one or
more object or beings, either independently or
mutually, to exist either unaffected or in
changed forms for lengthy time frame. Eco-

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sustainability aims to assist firms adopt green

practice implementation. Eco-sustainability is
categorized into three categories of ecoefficiency, eco-equity and eco-effectiveness.
Thus Eco-efficiency is organizations ability to
provide competitively products that satisfy end
users needs and bring value to human life
while gradually decreasing environmental
impacts. Eco-equity is aimed at achieving
equal rights of people to environmental
resources and to achieve social responsibility
for future generation without causing much
harm to the earth.
Eco-effectiveness aims to reduce pollution and
lessening degrading of natural resources by
guiding practitioners and firms responsiveness
to the fundamental and important causes of
environmental issues by implementing green
system design [1].
Usage of IT/IS can change views of
practitioners and end users in regards to
enhancing environmental and commercial
performance. Proper IT/IS usage can also
decrease carbon output as input to production
systems and as approach to optimize production
processes. Green IT/IS is practiced by
practitioners in IT Governance, based on the
processes shown in Table 2;

Table 2. Green
Governance
Green IT/IS
Implementation
Development/
Sourcing

IT/IS

Implementation

in

IT

Description
This phase involves monitoring
the impacts of IT/IS that directly
results from activities involved in
the usage of IT infrastructures,
such as electrical energy that is
necessary
to
power
the
workstations of practitioners
offices, electrical energy and
natural resources that are
necessary to run IT infrastructure
such as networking devices,
servers, and storages. This phase
also addresses energy for
transportation purposes like long
distance business trips for

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Proceedings of Third International Conference on Green Computing, Technology and Innovation (ICGCTI2015), Serdang, Malaysia, 2015

meetings
with
stack
holders/experts and even the
staffs daily way to work. Nearly
all these impacts can be
addressed
by
adopting
teleworking and teleconferencing.
Deployment

Mainly
accounts
for
environmental
impacts
that
results from the usage of
developed IT services. It includes
printed manuals, plastic or data
medium, such as CD/DVD, USB
memory stick. Furthermore, if the
software service/product are
presented as a download, then its
download
size
should
be
considered, as well as the
electrical energy and material
resources that are necessary to
run the IT infrastructure.

Usage

Addresses impacts that result

from deploying, using and
updating the IT product. Where
updating means that IT admin is
in charge of installed software
and support practitioners in the
firm.
Hence,
updating
maintenance involves installation
of software updates and patches,
configuration of software and
training of practitioners in regards
to proper IT/IS usage.

Integration for
Eco
Sustainability

Eco Sustainability offers a

flexible alternative for the
collection and re-cycling and
reuse
of
redundant
IT
infrastructures and equipment
recycling.
Practitioners
can
implement Eco-Sustainability by
appropriate
disposing
of
unwanted computers hardware
with green IT/IS disposal, since
its easy to assemble and dispose
the unwanted items at absolutely
no cost. With computer recycling
its possible for practitioners to
achieve Eco Sustainability, hence
reducing waste, decreasing CO2
emissions
and
controlling
processing expenditures.

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4 PROPOSED FRAMEWORK
Green IT/IS adoption is the practice by which a
green ITIS is communicated through certain
channels over time among the practitioners in
an organization. Green IT/IS hold more
potential for addressing environmental issues in
organizations. The proposed framework
provides a guide for researchers; academia and
practitioner interested in Green IT/IS in IT
Governance. The framework can be utilized as
a road map to build the beliefs and norms of
practitioners, stack holders and end users about
the environment which is essential to
implement and adopt a sustainable practice of
IT Governance in their organisations.
The five components in the framework
influence the adoption of Green IT/IS in
organisations. The proposed framework for
green IT/IS adoption and implementation
considers the attributes that influence the
components of Green IT/IS, which are shown in
figure 2 as Motivating Forces, Business
Strategies,
Technologies
&
Systems,
Organization and Employee in context to the
practice of Green IT/IS in organizations.
Thus the proposed framework could assist
practitioners in having a positive impact, with
the potential to reduce global production. The
framework can assist decision makers in IT
Governance in reducing energy consumption
and waste associated with the use of hardware,
software and tends to have a direct and positive
impact.
Hence, the framework can support IT
Governance practitioners in reducing energy
consumption
and
pollution.
Therefore
practitioner can utilize the framework as a
guide in developing IT products and services to
improve energy efficiency and reduce waste in
their organisations.

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Figure 2. A Framework for the adoption and implementation of Green IT/IS in IT Governance

The framework is based on 3 environmental

initiatives
namely;
Environmental
Sustainability
Initiatives,
Environmental
Orientation and Environmental Impact. The
outcomes of Green IT/IS practice to the
environment are defined by the action of the
practitioners and the management in IT
Governance. Thus the framework also assists in
understanding the backgrounds of Green IT/IS
adoption and also integrates them within the
outcome of the adoption
4.1 Environmental Sustainability Initiatives
Environmental sustainability initiatives aims to
assist organizations practicing Green IT/IS
initiatives to reduce deployment and
implementing costs and minimize the
ecological impacts of corporate processes in IT
Governance. It involves motivating forces,
business strategies and lastly technology &
system.
1. Motivating Forces
Motivational Forces controls how a firm
conducts its business relation to adoption Green
IT/IS based on standard set mostly by

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government or industries. These standards and

Regulation are dedicated to sustain external
groups and would include responding to
pressure from government, regulatory bodies,
and staffs of organizations. Furthermore, these
regulations also refer to additional measures
targeting the long term sustainability, avoiding
fines and penalties and also conserving the
environment when mitigating risk. However,
government regulation and policies are put in to
place to ensure managers and practitioners
respond to environmental issues and
incorporate it into their business strategy, which
is usually required, but also in the form of
guidelines. Government regulations may apply
to the state, the entire territory, or district-wide.
Another type of standard is the Industry based
standard which includes compulsory formal
rules.
2. Business Strategies
Mainly involves description of the organization
in terms of its scope, size and management
structure. This phase involves how the
organization implements their business
strategies. The strategy used by the
organization to accomplish its objectives is very
important in the adoption Green IT/IS practices.
Business strategy mainly aims to support
organizations in reducing their operating costs

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Proceedings of Third International Conference on Green Computing, Technology and Innovation (ICGCTI2015), Serdang, Malaysia, 2015

in product development. Thus green IT/IS can

be used as a strategic decisions tool. Business
strategy is the most prominent drivers of green
IT/IS and its aimed to reduce costs and carbon
emissions,
and
achieve
sustainable
development.
3. Technologies & Systems
Technologies and system defines the features of
technology which would affect Green IT/IS
adoption and implementation. Therefore
Technology
and
Systems
refers
to
Infrastructure that enable sustainable-related
businesses, these technology and systems are
utilized by IT professionals and practitioners
processing the knowledge and skills to
implement green IT/IS practices in IT
Governance.
4.2 Environmental Orientation
Involves the actions of the organisation and the
employee;
1. Organization
Green IT/IS practices is able to redesign how
practitioners in the organization advancing their
future eco-sustainability procedures and
practices, especially those facilitated by
information systems. The management works
together to realize the social, economic as well
as environmental benefits of accomplishing the
aims and objectives of the organisation. The
management must provide training successions
and campaigns to inform the employee on how
techniques such as telematics can improve
Green IT/IS and why commitment of the
organization is essential in implementing Green
IT/IS.
2. Employee
These are IT/IS managers and professionals
(system
designers
and
developers),
environmental stewards and top management.
The employees commitment is mandatory in It
Governance in planning, implementing,
validating, deploying and maintaining the

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organisations system with eco sustainability

considerations in mind. Thus the employees
collaboration is based on their shared interest
and stakes in fulfilling the objectives or
requirements of the organization, this can be
seen as part of the environmental
ethics/stewards in the organization.
4.3 Environmental Impact
Organisations follow several practices in
pursuing based on the three phases of ecosustainability practices namely; pollution
prevention,
product
stewardship
and
sustainable development which have impact on
the environment and as such provide a
foundation to explore and categorize
organizational Green IT/IS practices.
1. Pollution Prevention Practice

Mostly concerns the mitigation and control of

contaminating emissions and wastes during and
after development and procedures. In IT
Governance pollution prevention practice
involves innovation and use of IS to decrease
pollution produced by business processes. In
mitigating pollution, thus practitioners use IS
technology such as innovative carbon and
energy assessment and control application or
telematics systems to reduce organizations
carbon footprint.
2. Service Steward Practice

Requires environmental impacts to be

considered all through IT Governance
processes in the organisation. Mainly involves
Service for design and development in IT
Governance. This practice is generally based on
the ethics of the management and practitioners.
In IT Governance, service stewardship practice
involves innovation and use of information
system such as innovative digital platforms,
conference and collaboration system that
improve the eco-friendly of product and service
implementation.
Utilization of diagnostic applications such as
the life cycle control program in the product

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Proceedings of Third International Conference on Green Computing, Technology and Innovation (ICGCTI2015), Serdang, Malaysia, 2015

and service policy can help practitioners attain

product/service ethics strategy. Moreover, the
development of product packaging supported
by computer aided design system can also be
categorized as the use of IS in the context of
service stewardship.

5. Employee- involves Attitude, behaviours,

ethics,
resources,
social-culture,
capabilities, values, beliefs, trend in society,
knowledge, environmental orientation,
experience, norms, commitment, awareness,
intention & sector.

3. Sustainable Development Practice

These attributes influences and determines how

the components are adopted and implemented
to achieve a sustainable environment in the
usage of IT infrastructures in IT Governance.
The attributes are to be considered in
implementing a Green IT/IS practice.

Involves the use of modern application or

systems to change business processes by
implementing and adopting practices that
enhance and preserve resources, non-polluting,
low waste and energy efficient processes.
Sustainable development practice in IT
Governance involves usage of information
system such as sustainable data and education
controlling systems that change business
operations. Compliance software can be used
by practitioners in product/service development
for supporting organizational decision making
and creation of knowledge for ecosustainability. This can be seen as a Green
sustainable development practice.

4.4 Green IT/IS Components and Attributes

Green IT/IS components and their attributes are
shown below;
1. Motivating Forces- is influenced by
Institutional pressure, public awareness,
task, opportunities, incentives, laws &
regulation, market pressure, media,
guidelines,
expectations,
activities,
communication, collaboration, industry
wide standard and future consequences.
2. Business Strategies- the attributes are
Initiatives, operations, procedure, regulating
market, process, routine & services.
3. Technologies
&
Systems- involves
Hardware,
software,
database
&
infrastructure.
4. Organization- mainly influenced by Policy,
firm size, leadership, economics/, revenue,
stakeholders,
structure,
financial
consideration/cost saving, culture & public
pressure.

ISBN: 978-1-941968-15-4 2015 SDIWC

5 DISCUSSIONS
IT Governance involves rules and regulation set
by management in organisation to ensure the
proper usage of IT infrastructure [6]. Green
IT/IS in IT governance categorizes the decision
rights and responsibility agenda to adopt
environmentally desirable behavior in the
development/sourcing, development, usage, and
disposal of IT. IT/IS can provide treatment to
environmental issues. Information system aids
the reuse of waste and energy.
Green IT/IS adoption in IT Governance can be
analyzed by measuring the extent to which the
enterprise implement pollution prevention to
reduce overall emissions, waste and hazardous
materials,
inspection
services
improve
environmental friendliness in their development
process. The use of Green IT/IS by
organizations has been extremely slow.
However, Green IT/IS implementation has the
potential to reduce energy consumption in a
number of ways. It can motivate practitioners in
organization to focus on the recycling of waste
or the utilization of collaboration tools,
telecommuting, and video conferencing to
reduce travel costs [5]. Therefore Green IT/ S
support services, systems, products, processes
using less energy, reuse and recycle materials,
reduce waste, water, and pollution, conserve
natural resources, and ultimately achieve
environmental sustainability.

47

Proceedings of Third International Conference on Green Computing, Technology and Innovation (ICGCTI2015), Serdang, Malaysia, 2015

6 CONCLUSION AND FUTURE WORKS

[3]

According to [4] Green IT/IS practices relating

to the greening of the entire organization
needed to consider aspects of organizational
behavior and greening IT IS. The proposed
framework can help practitioners and
organizations in the adoption of Green IT/IS in
IT Governance to assist practitioners in
achieving organisational objectives. This
framework creates a profounder understanding
of how Green IT/IS can support the
sustainability of the organization and identify
the components and attributes that affect Green
IT/IS use based on a comprehensive literature
review. This framework consists of (1)
environmental
sustainability
initiatives
involving the forces of motivation, business
strategy and technology and finally the system.
(2) Direction of the Environment, which
consists of the organization and employees and
(3) Environmental Impact involving pollution
prevention, product stewardship and sustainable
development. These components will affect the
use of Green IT/IS in IT Governance. The
framework can also help close the gap in
practices, issues related to implementing and
using Green IT/IS in organization, hence
serving as a guide for practitioners in adopting
Green IT / IS. In summary, the framework
suggest ways of adopting and implementing
Green IT/IS in IT Governance to overcome
adoption challenges and increase the
environmental orientation of practitioners in
their organisation. Future work will involve
research on Green IT/IS in relation to risk
mitigation and validation of the conceptual
model based on a survey. The survey will be
designed based on the components & attributes.

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

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[1]

ISBN: 978-1-941968-15-4 2015 SDIWC

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