The use of information systems in Argentina as a means to improve corporate efficiency

This thesis studies which is the present situation in Argentina in relation to the use of IT in the business world within the framework of current environmental issues, which considers the impact generated by anthropogenic carbon emissions. In this way, surveys are conducted in different enterprises in Argentina in order to analyze the current situation regarding these issues, both in terms of which is the way people inside them think, and what is the degree of implementation and appreciation of different IT tools available to deal with these. In order to do so, firstly, it studies throughout specialized bibliography research, on the one hand, which is IT’s own environmental impact and the means through which it could be reduced, and on the other hand, in which ways could IT contribute by reducing the emissions generated by other industrial processes and business practices. It poses that the potential reduction achieved through the implementation of tools that use this technology is vastly superior to the emissions generated by its own activity, outlining a future scenario which contains a window of opportunity regarding businesses which offer IT solutions with the objective of achieving a better energetic and material efficiency in business activities, tending to a low carbon economy. Around 100 set of answers were received, from where a reality is observed in which, although in general terms managerial classes agree on the fact that environmental issues are strategically important and should be taken into account, there’s not much action supporting this belief. On the other hand, although some common tools are already being used in several companies among different areas, there’s still potential for further implementation resulting in cost reduction, higher efficiency, and new improved business practices. Some relevant cases are also posted. Thus, the necessary conditions that should be provided in a political, economical and social framework arise, in order to face a transitional period towards a sustainable low carbon economy in a proactive and effective way, attenuating the potential negative effects generated by a possible disruption of the paradigms in which business activities develop nowadays. Future research lines are also identified as well as necessary analyses which need to be done in order to capitalize business opportunities.