Green IT at Wipro - Management Information Systems - Assignment Example

Green IT at Wipro Name Institution Date Management Information Systems Section A Answer 1 Wipro Company embarked on several strategies to reduce the power consumption. This was done through undertaking the green projects that also aimed at making the environment safe. E-waste management was one of the initiatives where the company ensured that the e-wastes were recycled. This promotes a safe environment as e-waste is quite harzardous to the environment (Dyché, 2000). The company also introduced eco friendly computers and laptops for the purposes of reducing e-waste. These computers were manufactured without the use of hazardous materials like PVC and heavy metals. However, in the course of carrying out the initiative, the company was faced with various challenges. Answer 2 The project required a lot of financial resources which was quite challenging for the company. The datacenter cooling system had to be re-designed so as to fit in the new system. This was quite costly to the company and it required a lot of financial investments. The company was had to put a lot of measures in place to ensure the success of the project. The company was able to reduce the number of its servers by more than two thirds. This also saw the reduction in the power consumption to a great extent. This reduced the cost of operations by the company as the consumption of power reduced. It is therefore important for the companies to adopt the green initiative as it has a lot of benefits in the information technology sector (Venkateshwaran, 2010). Answer 3 Other companies can learn a lot from the experience of Wipro. The cost of setting up a green project may be huge but its benefits are much more. Other companies can follow the example of Wipro and reduce the use of harzodous materials during the manufacture of electronics like computer. This will go a long way in protecting the environment and also save on the power consumption (Soden, 2000). This lesson is quite beneficial as the other companies will be able to reduce their cost of operations. The power consumption will also be low and thus saving the power for other needs. The relationship between the customers and the companies can also be improved as the initiative involves the customers and it fully satisfies their needs (Chaudhuri, 2004). Answer 4 The green computing should be drive by the IT vendors as opposed to the corporate customers. This is because the IT vendors have the capacity to control the amount of hazardous materials they use during the manufacture of the electronics. Once this is done at the manufacturing stage, then it becomes easy to eliminate the hazardous wastes (Kimberly, 2005). The customers will purchase the products that are already safe if the IT vendors initiate the process. Due to the cost implications, it is also reasonable for the IT vendors to drive the process as some of the costs cannot be met by the corporate customers (King, 2011). This will ensure that the environment is fully protected and so are the consumers. Section B. Answer 1 IT increases the carbon emission through various means. The increase in the production of IT related items in the recent past has greatly contributed to carbon emission. The materials used in the manufacture of IT electronics and gadgets contribute to the emission of carbon. This takes place when the items are disposed after their use. The methods of disposal are usually poor as many users do not understand the importance of proper e-waste disposal (Wilmoth, 2006). The biggest culprits in the IT industry are the customers who do not know how to dispose the e-waste properly. This leads to massive carbon emissions which are very harmful to the environment and the ecosystem. Answer 2 The carbon accounting tool used by Wipro is very important in terms of ensuring that the practices of the company are environmentally friendly (Wipro, 2012). It enables the company to manage the emission of green house gases and identify any risk associated with it. The carbon accounting tool also ensures that the company complies with the regulations of the government regarding the emission of green house gases. It is important to follow the government regulations so as to avoid any legal problem and also ensure the safety of the workers. This is an important social responsibility by the company and it shows the commitment of the company towards making the environment better. For the purposes of participating in the green house gases market for trading, the company utilizes its carbon accounting tools. To make the carbon accounting tools efficient for the company, it measures its operations against other external policies. The Kyoto protocol is used by the company for the purpose of coming up with the guidelines of implementing its strategies. Other models are also used during the implementation of the strategies. This accounting tool can be used by other organizations for the purpose of reducing operational costs and increasing the efficiency of operations (US Environmental Protection Agency, 2010). The amount of carbon emissions can also be reduced using these tools. Other companies can also obtain carbon credits if they adopt the carbon accounting tools used by the company. Answer 3 A carbon credit is a permit that allows the users to emit one tonne of carbon. The carbon credit is usually awarded to groups, countries or companies that have managed to reduce their green house gases below the emission quota (Grubb, 2003). This credit is usually awarded by environmental groups after verifying the details of the carbon emission. This credit can assist Wipro to reduce its energy costs to a large extent. This is because the reduction in emissions means that the power used during the processes has to be reduced. Carbon credit can also be used by the company in terms of building its profile and hence a greater recognition from the customers (Averyt, 2007). Answer 4 Other major IT vendors have also taken various initiatives to regarding the emission of carbon. IBM which is also a leading company in the IT sector is concerned about the green initiatives (IBM, 2012). The strategies used by the company are thus very important for the purpose of protecting the environment. Any activity that has negative impacts on the environment is not undertaken by the company. The measures have greatly increased the efficiency of operations within the company. Microsoft on the other hand is also keen in implementing the green strategies for the purpose of saving the energy (Radhakrishnan, 2012). The green initiatives by Microsoft are similar to the one undertaken by Wipro. It is mainly focused on the data center. Microsoft has been able to reduce its power demands through the use of the green initiative. The company is also committed on the issues regarding the use of power and carbon emission. It participates in activities that are aimed at reducing the green house gases. HP is also a major vendor in the IT sector and it has put in place various strategies to reduce the carbon emissions. The company equates prosperity of business to a good environment (HP, 2012). It mainly utilizes three areas when implementing the green initiative. This includes the efficiency in the data center, power management software and the use of energy efficient infrastructure. All the measures portray a sign of commitment by the company to green initiatives. The management of e-wastes is also important for the company and it has put in place various initiatives to ensure that e-waste disposal is done safely. References King, D., et al. (2011), Copenhagen and Cancun: International climate change negotiations: Key lessons and next steps, Oxford, UK: Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of Oxford, p. 12. Kimberly, M. (2005). The greenhouse effect and climate change. The environment: a revolution in attitudes. Detroit: Thomson Gale.  Soden, B. et al. (2000). Water Vapor Feedback and Global Warming. Annual Review of Energy and the Environment 25: 441–475. HP, (2012). HP green business initiative technology. Retrieved on 12 September 2012 from, Wipro, (2012). Carbon accounting tool. Retrieved on 12 September 2012 from, IBM, (2012). Energy and environment. Retrieved on 12 September 2012 from, IBM, (2012). Driving performance through sustainability. Retrieved on 12 September 2012 from, Radhakrishnan, A. (2012). Microsoft touts green initiatives in data center strategy. Retrieved on 12 September 2012 from, US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (2010). Climate Change Indicators in the United States. EPA. Figure 2. Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Sector, 1990-2005. Averyt, M. (2007). Couplings Between Changes in the Climate System and Biogeochemistry: Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University Press. Grubb, M. (2003). "The economics of the Kyoto protocol". World Economics 4 (3). Wilmoth, B. (2006). Environmental issues: essential primary sources. Thomson Gale. Dyché, J. (2000), Turning Data Into Information With Data Warehousing, Addison Wesley, ISBN 978-0-201-65780-7. Venkateshwaran, N. (2010), Computer Integrated Manufacturing, PHI Learning, Chaudhuri, P. (2004), Computer Organization and Design, PHI Learning.  Read More