Digital technologies for a greener future: Management perspectives in Portuguese companies

• Autor(a) principal: Fonseca, António José Lourenço
• Data de Publicação: 2023
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10071/30679
• topic: Tecnologia digital -- Digital technology; Sustentabilidade ambiental -- Environmental sustainability; Portugal’s sustainability landscape; Panorama da sustentabilidade em Portugal

This research investigates the use of digital technologies by Portuguese companies to augment their environmental performance. The primary emphasis of this study pertains to the digital technologies that are most often used, with the aim of investigating their role in promoting environmental sustainability as a managerial approach. Using a qualitative research methodology, we used semi-structured interviews and questionnaires to gather data from senior executives with environmental sustainability and digital technologies related roles from several industries. In response to dynamic legislative standards, shifting customer demands, and the financial implications of technological advancements, many corporations are actively incorporating sustainability as a fundamental approach, rather than just adhering to certifications or sustainability frameworks. Persistent challenges are seen in several industries, such as retail and agriculture, mostly in the form of skills shortages and intricacies associated with the implementation of technology. It is observed that both the lack of automation and efficient analytical capabilities and the absence of universally accepted criteria for measuring sustainability are hindrances to progress in this area. The findings of this research provide practical and implementable recommendations for company sustainability initiatives. The presence of limitations, such as a limited sample size, underscores the need for further investigation. To address these limitations, future research endeavors may consider doing more comprehensive empirical analyses of industry-specific metrics.