The dark side of companies’ digital transformation: the carbon footprint of online activities
研究了消费者日常在线活动的碳足迹，发现即使关注可持续的消费者对此也知之甚少，教育后他们的反应呈现不同模式。
Purpose We aim to explore the negative side of the digital transformation of firms by focusing on the carbon footprint of consumers’ everyday behaviours online. Design/methodology/approach A multi-method approach was employed. We collected data from interviews with experts, a netnographic study of online users and in-depth interviews with sustainability-minded consumers before and after an intervention. Data were analysed by employing sequence analysis. Findings Findings suggest that even among sustainability-minded individuals, knowledge of the carbon footprint of online activities is very low. Upon being educated about it, however, consumers responded in a few different ways, which are showcased here. Originality/value We know very little about the social practices and consumer behaviour that influences the environmental outcome of digital actions. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this study is among the first to explore the mechanisms that affect consumer behaviour online and the role sustainability plays in shaping it.