An Exploration of Current Managers’ Attitudes in Gulf Co-Operation Council Countries Regarding the Adoption of Green IT

Abstract

In recent years, GCC countries have introduced various plans and projects for revenue diversification, as the largest source of revenue for these countries to date is oil. This new direction taken by GCC countries has been welcomed by large foreign companies willing to invest in this region. However, large-scale foreign companies have established certain standards in terms of using sustainable products, reflecting society’s increasing awareness of sustainability. This chapter will examine how managers in GCC countries are currently incorporating Green IT practices in their business strategies. First, the researcher explains what is meant by ‘GCC’ countries and explores their current situation regarding the issue of sustainability. The researcher then explores the factors which are used to measure the prevailing attitudes derived from the data collected from interviews with 17 high positioned managers in the GCC countries. NVivo application was used as the primary tool for data analysis. The interview questions touched on several themes: governance, social and cultural, Green IT, and green management. However, the scope of this chapter is limited to discussing and addressing the current managers’ attitude of GCC organisations toward the Green IT concept and its adoption. The interview data indicated that there are different considerations and deliberations about numerous and various aspects of the Green IT issue. For instance, social media is a powerful tool that can be used by organisations to transform people’s attitudes and increase their awareness of sustainability. This revolution is much needed in the GCC countries, as are new regulations for the disposal of waste. The adoption of Green IT will raise public and industry awareness of sustainability in GCC countries. Employees could be given guidelines for adopting and integrating sustainability in the workplace, and encouraged to incorporate social responsibility (CSR) in their organisations, supported by GCC governments.