Green information systems use in social enterprise: the case of a community-led eco-localization website in the West Midlands region of the UK

Roya Gholami (), Alemayehu Molla, Suparna Goswami and Christopher Brewster
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Roya Gholami: University of Illinois at Springfield
Alemayehu Molla: University of Illinois at Springfield
Suparna Goswami: University of Illinois at Springfield
Christopher Brewster: University of Illinois at Springfield

Information Systems Frontiers, 2018, vol. 20, issue 6, No 12, 1345-1361

Abstract: Abstract This study examines the intention of environmentally-oriented social enterprises to continue using Green IS (an eco-localization website here) in Herefordshire located in the West Midlands region of the United Kingdom. The Herefordshire Greenlinks (HGL) Association is a local business community that operates primarily through the HGL Website in order to help local social enterprises find and trade local eco-friendly goods and services. It is an example of a “market-based” approach to solving social and environmental issues that is inspired by a bottom-up view of community development and eco-localization. Based on the theory of uses and gratification of media use and the new environmental paradigm, we propose a research model that outlines the various factors contributing to intention to continue using an eco-localization website. The research model and its associated hypotheses were empirically tested using a dataset generated from a survey of 83 small social enterprises. The results demonstrate the importance of three different types of gratification – content, social and performance gratification as well as users’ environmental concerns in determining the intention to continue using an eco-localization website. This study contributes to the Green IS literature by extending research to the social sector environment, and it also provides practical insight for designers of such community-led eco-localization websites.

Keywords: Green IS; Social enterprise; Uses and Gratifications theory; IS continuance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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DOI: 10.1007/s10796-016-9733-z

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