Environmental Sustainability 2.0: Empirical Analysis of Environmental Erp Implementation

Abstract

We examined the implementation of a new and rapidly emerging class of enterprise software system for managing environmental resources such as energy and carbon emissions. Analysis of the implementation of an environmental enterprise resource planning (ERP) system at a leading global software and technology services company, SunGard Data Systems Inc., yielded three primary findings. First, we found that adoption of environmental ERP supported implementation of the corporate environmental sustainability strategy, and at the same time, may transform that very strategy. Second, we uncovered unique data sharing hurdles originating in the upstream energy information value chain. Finally, we identified the role of private equity as one important stakeholder that influences environmental ERP adoption. Overall, our analysis revealed that well-established IS phenomena have unique underlying mechanisms in the environmental sustainability context, inform understanding of cause and effect, and may ultimately enhance managerial practice and inform theoretical understanding.