Opportunities and Challenges of Sustainable Development and Digital Revolution: the Italian case of Toolery
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.13135/2704-9906/5763Keywords:
Digital transformation, Agenda 2030, Sustainable development goals (SDGs), Start-up, Case study, Analysis, e-commerceAbstract
This article explores how Digital Transformation can provide support for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN's 2030 Agenda. The article aims to provide a case study of the use of technology in a low-tech sector, the construction industry, in order to make the costs of reducing the positive impacts on the environment and people sustainable from an economic point of view as well. The article produces practical implications by describing strengths, weaknesses opportunities and major challenges of digital technologies for designing sustainable business models.
References
Atos, (2018). Journey 2018 Your business technologists. Powering progress the 3rd digital revolution. https://atos.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/atos-ascent- journey-2018-whitepaper.pdf.
Baker M., (2014), Digital Transformation. Digital Edition, Buckingham Monographs.
Beier, G., Niehoff, S., Ziems, T., Xue, B., 2017. Sustainability aspects of a digitalized industryda comparative study from China and Germany. Int. J. Precis. Eng. Manuf.-Green Technol. 2017 (4), 227e234. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40684-017- 0028-8.
Bonomi Savignon A., (2020), Tendenze in atto nella trasformazione digitale della PA Italiana. Rilevazioni quali-quantitative e costruzione di un indice sintetico, McGraw-Hill Education, pp. 9-10, ISBN: 9788838699269.
Boudes, P. (2014). United Nations Conference on the Human Environment. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/United-Nations-Conference-on-the-Human-Environment.
Boyd D. &Crawford, K., (2012). Critical Questions for Big Data. Information, Communication & Society. 15. 1-18. 10.1080/1369118X.2012.678878.
Brundtland G.H., (1987), Our Common Future, WCED.
Cao, M. &Zhang, Q. (2011) Supply Chain Collaboration: Impact on Collaborative Advantage and Firm Performance. Journal of Operation Management, 29, 163-180. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jom.2010.12.008.
Del Río Castro G., Gonzalez Fernandez, Uruburu Colsa A., (2020). Unleashing the convergence amid digitalization and sustainability towards pursuing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): A holistic review. Journal of Cleaner Production 280 (2021) 122204, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.122204.
Ekanayake L.L., Ofori G., (2004). Building waste assessment score: design-based tool, Building and Environment, Volume 39, Issue 7, 2004, Pages 851-861, ISSN 0360-1323 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2004.01.007.
Epifani S., (2020). Digital Sustainability: Why Sustainability Cannot Disregard Digital Transformation, Digital Transformation Institute, ISBN: 978-88-944841-3-7.
EU, (1992). "Towards sustainability": the European Community Programme of policy and action in relation to the environment and sustainable development, Official Journal of European Comission.
EU, (2010., Europe 2020: A strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, Bruxelles, March.
European Commission, (2020), 2021 Commission work programme – from strategy to delivery, Brussels.
European Commission, (2020), EU Recovery Plan, NextGenerationEU, https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/recovery-plan-europe_it.
Gouvea, R., Kapelianis, D., Kassicieh, S., (2018). Assessing the nexus of Sustainability and information & communications technology. Technol. Forecast. Soc. Change 130, 39e44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2017.07.023. ISSN 0040- 1625.
Hinings, C. & Gegenhuber, Thomas & Greenwood, Royston. (2018). Digital innovation and transformation: An institutional perspective. Information and Organization. 10.1016/j.infoandorg.2018.02.004.
Holst, A., Lo€ffler, C.R., Philipps, S., 2017. In: Osburg, T., Lohrmann, C. (Eds.), How Digital Reframes the Business Case for Sustainability in Consumer Markets. New Opportunities through New Technologies. Springer, Heidelberg, pp. 105e116. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-54603-2, 2017.
Italian Government (2021), National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), NextGenerationItalia.
IUCN/UNEP/WWF, (1980). World Conservation Strategy: Living Resource Conservation for Sustainable Development. International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.
IUCN/UNEP/WWF, (1991). Caring for the Earth. A Strategy for Sustainable Living. Gland, Switzerland.
Lafratta P., (2004), Innovative tools for sustainable development. Vision 2000, Iso 14000, Emas, SA 8000, Ohsas, Lca: the winning integration, FrancoAngeli.
Laszlo, C., Sherman, D., Whalen, J., Ellison, J. (2005). Expanding the value horizon how stakeholder value Contributes to competitive advantage. Green Leaf Publishing, JCC.Vandenbrande, W. (2019). Quality for a sustainable future. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, https://doi.org/10.1080/14783363.2019.1588724.
Meadows, D.H., Meadows D.L., Randers J., William W. Behrens III, (1972), The Limits to Growth, A report for the club of Rome's project on the predicament of mankind, Universe Books, ISBN 0-87663-165-0.
Newman D., (2017). How Digital Transformation Aligns with Corporate Social Responsibility, Forbes.
Norman W., MacDonald C., (2004). Getting to the Bottom of 'Triple Bottom Line, Business Ethics Quarterly 14(2) (April).
Osburg, T., Lohrmann, C. (Eds.), (2017). Sustainability in a Digital World. New Opportunities through New Technologies. Springer, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/ 10.1007/978-3-319-54603-2, 2017.
Petrini F., (2012) The energy crisis of 1973. Multinational oil companies and the end of the (black) golden age; Contemporary. Journal of history of the 19th and 20th centuries., n. 3, pp. 445-471.
Sachs, J.D., Schmidt-Traub, G., Mazzucato, M., et al., (2019b). Six transformations to achieve the sustainable development goals. Nat Sustain 2, 805e814. https:// doi.org/10.1038/s41893-019-0352-9.
Sebastiani R. (2014) "Corporate sustainability and business competitiveness. Sustainable development as an opportunity for a new way of doing business"., FrancoAngeli.
Seele, P., Lock, I., (2017). Game-changing potential of digitalization for Sustainability: possibilities, perils, and pathways. Sustain. Sci. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625- 017-0426-4.
Srivastava, M., Franklin, A., & Martinette, L. (2013). Building a Sustainable Competitive Advantage. Journal of Technology Management &Amp; Innovation, 8(2), 47–60. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-27242013000200004.
Stolterman E., &Fors A. C., (2004) Information Technology and the Good Life, in Information Systems Research: Relevant Theory and Informed Practice, p. 689, ISBN 1-4020-8094-8.
Sumo R., Valk, W.V.D, Bode C., (2016). Fostering incremental and radical innovation through performance-based contracting in buyer-supplier relationships. International Journal of Operations & Production Management. 36. 1482-1503. 10.1108/IJOPM-05-2015-0305.
TWI2050 - The World in 2050 (2019). The Digital Revolution and Sustainable Development: Opportunities and Challenges. Report prepared by The World in 2050 initiative. International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Laxenburg, Austria. www.twi2050.org.
UN (2015a), Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (A/RES/70/1). New York, USA: United Nations.
UN (2015a), Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (A/RES/70/1). New York, USA: United Nations.
UN, (2002). Report of the world summit of sustainable development. Plan of implementation of World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg, South Africa, 26 August–4 September.
UN, (2012). Report of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 20-22 June.
UNCED, (1992). Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro, 3-14 June, United Nations publication, Sales No. E.93.I.8 and corrigenda.
UNDP, (2015). The Millennium Development Goals Report.
Vial G., (2019) Understanding digital transformation: A review and a research agenda, The Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 28 (2), pp. 118-144.
Walker, J., Pekmezovic, A., Walker, G., (2019). Sustainable Development Goals: Harnessing Business to Achieve the SDGs through Finance, Technology and Law Reform. Wiley, ISBN 978-1-119-54181-3. September 2019.
Baker M., (2014), Digital Transformation. Digital Edition, Buckingham Monographs.
Beier, G., Niehoff, S., Ziems, T., Xue, B., 2017. Sustainability aspects of a digitalized industryda comparative study from China and Germany. Int. J. Precis. Eng. Manuf.-Green Technol. 2017 (4), 227e234. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40684-017- 0028-8.
Bonomi Savignon A., (2020), Tendenze in atto nella trasformazione digitale della PA Italiana. Rilevazioni quali-quantitative e costruzione di un indice sintetico, McGraw-Hill Education, pp. 9-10, ISBN: 9788838699269.
Boudes, P. (2014). United Nations Conference on the Human Environment. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/United-Nations-Conference-on-the-Human-Environment.
Boyd D. &Crawford, K., (2012). Critical Questions for Big Data. Information, Communication & Society. 15. 1-18. 10.1080/1369118X.2012.678878.
Brundtland G.H., (1987), Our Common Future, WCED.
Cao, M. &Zhang, Q. (2011) Supply Chain Collaboration: Impact on Collaborative Advantage and Firm Performance. Journal of Operation Management, 29, 163-180. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jom.2010.12.008.
Del Río Castro G., Gonzalez Fernandez, Uruburu Colsa A., (2020). Unleashing the convergence amid digitalization and sustainability towards pursuing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): A holistic review. Journal of Cleaner Production 280 (2021) 122204, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.122204.
Ekanayake L.L., Ofori G., (2004). Building waste assessment score: design-based tool, Building and Environment, Volume 39, Issue 7, 2004, Pages 851-861, ISSN 0360-1323 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2004.01.007.
Epifani S., (2020). Digital Sustainability: Why Sustainability Cannot Disregard Digital Transformation, Digital Transformation Institute, ISBN: 978-88-944841-3-7.
EU, (1992). "Towards sustainability": the European Community Programme of policy and action in relation to the environment and sustainable development, Official Journal of European Comission.
EU, (2010., Europe 2020: A strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, Bruxelles, March.
European Commission, (2020), 2021 Commission work programme – from strategy to delivery, Brussels.
European Commission, (2020), EU Recovery Plan, NextGenerationEU, https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/recovery-plan-europe_it.
Gouvea, R., Kapelianis, D., Kassicieh, S., (2018). Assessing the nexus of Sustainability and information & communications technology. Technol. Forecast. Soc. Change 130, 39e44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2017.07.023. ISSN 0040- 1625.
Hinings, C. & Gegenhuber, Thomas & Greenwood, Royston. (2018). Digital innovation and transformation: An institutional perspective. Information and Organization. 10.1016/j.infoandorg.2018.02.004.
Holst, A., Lo€ffler, C.R., Philipps, S., 2017. In: Osburg, T., Lohrmann, C. (Eds.), How Digital Reframes the Business Case for Sustainability in Consumer Markets. New Opportunities through New Technologies. Springer, Heidelberg, pp. 105e116. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-54603-2, 2017.
Italian Government (2021), National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), NextGenerationItalia.
IUCN/UNEP/WWF, (1980). World Conservation Strategy: Living Resource Conservation for Sustainable Development. International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.
IUCN/UNEP/WWF, (1991). Caring for the Earth. A Strategy for Sustainable Living. Gland, Switzerland.
Lafratta P., (2004), Innovative tools for sustainable development. Vision 2000, Iso 14000, Emas, SA 8000, Ohsas, Lca: the winning integration, FrancoAngeli.
Laszlo, C., Sherman, D., Whalen, J., Ellison, J. (2005). Expanding the value horizon how stakeholder value Contributes to competitive advantage. Green Leaf Publishing, JCC.Vandenbrande, W. (2019). Quality for a sustainable future. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, https://doi.org/10.1080/14783363.2019.1588724.
Meadows, D.H., Meadows D.L., Randers J., William W. Behrens III, (1972), The Limits to Growth, A report for the club of Rome's project on the predicament of mankind, Universe Books, ISBN 0-87663-165-0.
Newman D., (2017). How Digital Transformation Aligns with Corporate Social Responsibility, Forbes.
Norman W., MacDonald C., (2004). Getting to the Bottom of 'Triple Bottom Line, Business Ethics Quarterly 14(2) (April).
Osburg, T., Lohrmann, C. (Eds.), (2017). Sustainability in a Digital World. New Opportunities through New Technologies. Springer, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/ 10.1007/978-3-319-54603-2, 2017.
Petrini F., (2012) The energy crisis of 1973. Multinational oil companies and the end of the (black) golden age; Contemporary. Journal of history of the 19th and 20th centuries., n. 3, pp. 445-471.
Sachs, J.D., Schmidt-Traub, G., Mazzucato, M., et al., (2019b). Six transformations to achieve the sustainable development goals. Nat Sustain 2, 805e814. https:// doi.org/10.1038/s41893-019-0352-9.
Sebastiani R. (2014) "Corporate sustainability and business competitiveness. Sustainable development as an opportunity for a new way of doing business"., FrancoAngeli.
Seele, P., Lock, I., (2017). Game-changing potential of digitalization for Sustainability: possibilities, perils, and pathways. Sustain. Sci. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625- 017-0426-4.
Srivastava, M., Franklin, A., & Martinette, L. (2013). Building a Sustainable Competitive Advantage. Journal of Technology Management &Amp; Innovation, 8(2), 47–60. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-27242013000200004.
Stolterman E., &Fors A. C., (2004) Information Technology and the Good Life, in Information Systems Research: Relevant Theory and Informed Practice, p. 689, ISBN 1-4020-8094-8.
Sumo R., Valk, W.V.D, Bode C., (2016). Fostering incremental and radical innovation through performance-based contracting in buyer-supplier relationships. International Journal of Operations & Production Management. 36. 1482-1503. 10.1108/IJOPM-05-2015-0305.
TWI2050 - The World in 2050 (2019). The Digital Revolution and Sustainable Development: Opportunities and Challenges. Report prepared by The World in 2050 initiative. International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Laxenburg, Austria. www.twi2050.org.
UN (2015a), Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (A/RES/70/1). New York, USA: United Nations.
UN (2015a), Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (A/RES/70/1). New York, USA: United Nations.
UN, (2002). Report of the world summit of sustainable development. Plan of implementation of World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg, South Africa, 26 August–4 September.
UN, (2012). Report of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 20-22 June.
UNCED, (1992). Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro, 3-14 June, United Nations publication, Sales No. E.93.I.8 and corrigenda.
UNDP, (2015). The Millennium Development Goals Report.
Vial G., (2019) Understanding digital transformation: A review and a research agenda, The Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 28 (2), pp. 118-144.
Walker, J., Pekmezovic, A., Walker, G., (2019). Sustainable Development Goals: Harnessing Business to Achieve the SDGs through Finance, Technology and Law Reform. Wiley, ISBN 978-1-119-54181-3. September 2019.
Downloads
Published
2021-07-01
How to Cite
Bosco, F., Fiorani, G., & Biagetti, A. (2021). Opportunities and Challenges of Sustainable Development and Digital Revolution: the Italian case of Toolery. European Journal of Social Impact and Circular Economy, 2(2), 29–39. https://doi.org/10.13135/2704-9906/5763
Issue
Section
Articoli
EJSICE has been approved for inclusion in DOAJ. The DOAJ listing of the journal is available at 
EJSICE is a member of 
EJSICE is indexed by 
EJSICE is listed in the ANVUR (Italian National Agency for the Evaluation of Universities and Research Institutes) as a scientific journal in both AREA 13 - Economic and statistical sciences and AREA 14 - Political and social sciences. 
