Information Technology and Sustainability: Evidence from an Emerging Economy

Jiban Khuntia, Terence JV Saldanha, Sunil Mithas, V Sambamurthy
Production and Operations Management,Issue 10.1111/poms.12822,
Research in operations management and information systems suggests that information technology (IT) can play an important role in managing operations that support environmentally sustainable (green) growth. Yet, few studies have empirically assessed the efficacy of green IT investments and initiatives, particularly in emerging economies such as India. This study examines the performance consequences of green IT investment and implementation in terms of energy conservation and profit impact. We analyze an archival dataset constructed from a survey of nearly 300 organizations in India, matched partially with objective data from a secondary source. We find that green IT investment is positively associated with a higher profit impact and that this association is partially mediated by a reduction in IT equipment energy consumption. In addition, we find that operationsoriented green IT implementation is