The increasing attention towards the environmental impact of IT (Information Technology) demands reorientation from IT hardware and service organisations. Consumers are more than ever sensitive about the environmental impact of products and services they buy. Environmental attributes therefore play an important role in the buying process. While the concept of Green IT has been primarily researc...

The social and environmental impacts of rapidly expanding coal and gas industries have generated high levels of public concern and there is increasing evidence of cumulative impacts. In the Bowen Basin of Queensland (Australia) water quality issues have triggered a collaborative response to coordinate monitoring efforts, integrate data and information and undertake regional analysis to inform l...

The need for sustainable development has become paramount, whereby there is a need to satisfy the needs of today, without compromising the needs of tomorrow with the aim of improving the quality of life now and in future. Environmental management systems need to be integrated into the overall management systems in order for society to develop in a sustainable manner. ISO 14001 has the effective...

Nine wineries and a water bottling plant situated in the Franschhoek Valley, South Africa, have decided to lead the way towards creating a safer and more sustainable environment in the Valley. As part of the Vignerons de Franschhoek ECO Association (VFEA), they adopted a multi-site approach and obtained, in December 2003, the first ISO 14001 multi-site certification in South Africa. This proact...

Organisational sociology has long accepted that mistakes of all kinds are a common, even normal, part of work. Medical work may be particularly prone to error because of its complexity and technological sophistication. The results can be tragic for individuals and families. This paper describes four intrinsic characteristics of organisations that are relevant to the level of risk and danger in ...

Compensation payments to farmers for the provision of agri-environmental services are a well-established policy scheme under the EU Common Agricultural Policy. However, in spite of the success in most EU countries in the uptake of the programme by farmers, the impact of the scheme on the long term commitment of farmers to change their practices remains poorly documented. To explore this issue, ...

Purpose – This paper seeks to examine the adoption of an environmental management system (EMS) in government departments involved in one Australian state and identify the key factors that contribute to successful adoption. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted with environmental coordinators involved in the EMS adoption. The external cons...

The importance of an Environmental Management System (EMS) for organisations is becoming widely known across all industrial sectors. EMS has brought both challenges and benefits for the organisations and these many-a-times are determined by the role played by the organisational stakeholders. Stakeholder is a broad term and can encompass a number of individual(s) or group(s) directly or indirect...

E-government has been recognized as a change agent for public sector reform. Through this change, the public sector organisation plans to increase operating efficiencies, build information-sharing partnerships and improve communication with other organisations, as well as with the public. Several studies have discussed how e-government will transform public sector organisations from traditional...

Organisational sociology has long accepted that mistakes of all kinds are a common, even normal, part of work. Medical work may be particularly prone to error because of its complexity and technological sophistication. The results can be tragic for individuals and families. This paper describes four intrinsic characteristics of organisations that are relevant to the level of risk and danger in ...