Abstract-CrossingBoundaries-Hasan


 * = Crossing Boundaries for Institutional Sustainability =

Abstract:
====One of the mantras of the green movement is to “think globally and act locally” and we, as IS professionals, should reflect on how we can best do this. I suggest that we have two options: one is to use our particular knowledge and skills to promote the sustainability of our own workplace and the other is to include issues of environmental responsibility in our teaching and research programs. It is probably the latter that can make the most impact globally as our students graduate take their place in the workforce. Sustainability issues, particularly those to do with the environment, cut across many of the traditional within our institutions and solving sustainability problems requires the combination of knowledge and skills from many different areas. This is something IS has always done so we are well placed to lead and enable sustainability programs. Unfortunately most of institutions are structured in ways that limit our ability to cooperate across departmental and other boundaries. We notice this when we try to develop multi-disciplinary courses on sustainability, to set up climate-change research teams across schools and faculties or to involve both administrative and academic/teaching staff on environmental projects. We can truly make a different not only if we set an example by supporting programs to create decent sustainable workplaces in our institutions but also if we promote sustainability through what we teach and what we research. However to do this we must create mechanisms that allow us to cooperate across the traditional workplace silos. I have many stories of the difficulties we have encountered here in this regard and anticipate that others will have similar ones. I can also describe the efforts we are making to create a [|network]of diverse members of our university (academics and others) who bring together different perspectives, knowledge and skill to challenges of sustainability. The field of Information Systems spans many of the traditional discipline boundaries and also those between academics, administrators, industry and community. I expect that between us we may have ideas and experiences that can be shared and leveraged to promote cooperation on sustainability programs within and possibly between institutions.==== My presentation with audio can be downloaded from [|my website] or if you prefer to read text here is a draft of my short paper. . || media type="custom" key="7452639"