Sustainability and Information Systems in the Context of Smart Business: A Systematic Review

This is a well-written and insightful paper, which emphasizes the intersectionality between information systems and sustainability. It is interesting to catalogue and track the progress of using of business intelligence and technological innovations across the board of several sectors. The writing style is succinct and eloquent which made the review of literature effective. 

Thanks, Appreciated.

Please clarify which UN SDGs are particularly addressed in the paper. There are 16 Goals, so it would be great to include a sub-section within section 3.3 or create a separate section which establishes this vital relationship. I leave this decision to the authors to determine how to add this part.

We appreciate the valuable suggestion of adding an extra subsection highlighting the SDGs. We have added a new subsection in section 3.3 that clearly outlines the specific UN SDGs addressed in the paper.

3.3.4. Alignment with UN SDGs

This section highlights the direct relation of the previous sections with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Our findings on social integration align with SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) by focusing on the transformative role of information technology in public participation and citizen engagement that contributes to making cities durable, and sustainable. Additionally, aligned with SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) highlighting citizen centricity, it advocates tailoring public services and resources to meet users' diverse needs by ensuring that all citizens have equitable access to resources.

Concerning the environmental protection section, the study discusses SDGs 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and 13 (Climate Action) by utilizing IoT, and its application to develop a smart supply chain to reduce environmental impact and pollution, through resource optimization.

For the cross-cutting themes section, studies identified multiple interlinked SDGs facilitated by various technologies involving Industry 4.0, IOT, Blockchain, supply chain, smart cities, etc. These goals include SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

It would be helpful to create a table which reports/suggests areas for future research based on your review.

 Thank you for your valuable suggestion of including a table of future research areas. However, our current future work section already addresses key areas for further investigation, including expanding the review scope, exploring emerging technologies, developing standardized metrics, and integrating sustainability goals with information systems. Adding a table might lead to redundancy and divert the focus from the critical insights we've already outlined.

We also added a new dimension to fulfil the request to the review to enhance out future work..

Our future research will focus on expanding the scope of this review by including more recent studies and exploring emerging technologies that can further enhance the intersection of information systems and sustainability. It would focus on secure information systems, investigating the long-term impacts of implementing these technologies on sustainability goals, and observing case studies from a broader range of sectors can provide deeper insights. There is a need to develop standardized metrics and frameworks to measure how effective information systems are at achieving specific SDGs. Working with academics, businesses, and government officials is essential to create new ideas and ensure that new technology helps the world stay sustainable. Finally, addressing challenges related to data privacy, security, and ethical considerations will be necessary for advancing the integration of information systems for sustainable development.

Additionally, integration of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning into our topic to investigate how those technologies can optimize resource allocation, denergy consumption, and waste management in sustainable practices. This could include projecting analytics for sustainability estimation and forecasting.

Comments

Assigned to

Response

The introduction is confusing; it talks about sustainable software and software sustainability but doesn’t clearly define these concepts. The scope of the literature review is also unclear.

Dr. Aws

We have used a notified term to avoid confusion, we decided to use software sustainability across the introduction.

The scope of LR is to cover up the review the focus on the studies that have attempted to utilize suitability in the information systems usages and technologies thus it was categorized into different taxonomies. thus, we looked into information systems for smart business sustainability in different sectors, then into how information system types that support sustainability..etc

It is not described what search strings were used; this is important for transparency. Furthermore, the exclusion criteria mention the context of smart sectors (?) while earlier in the text the reference is to the context of intelligent business

Afnan

We acknowledge that the search string was unclear. We have paraphrased the search strings and criteria used in the methodology section to ensure transparency and clarity.

2.2. Search Strategy and Search String

The search was conducted on the 7th of October 2023 with the following search string: "Sustainability" AND "Information Systems" AND "Smart Business", used to select the studies from the aforementioned databases.

Also, we have renamed Section 2.4 and Table 1 to 'Inclusion Criteria' to clearly emphasize the standards used for selecting studies. This renaming explicitly underscores that any study not adhering to these criteria will be excluded from our review.

It is not very clear what is meant by the ‘intersection of information systems and intelligent businesses. Information systems are part of every business including ‘intelligent businesses. What is the meaning of the term intersection here? This needs to be explained clearly it as it is the focus of the study.

Dr. Aws

The intersection wording has been deleted from the title as needed by the review and to also avoid confusion, we agree with the review on this. Thus we keep the title generic where we are doing a lecture review on how information system sustainability, usage, practices, technologies, sectors are employed in..etc

Section 3.1 is difficult to follow, and some terms are unclear.:

-        What is meant by ‘Sustainability Usage in Information Systems’? What is the taxonomy referred to in section 3? How were these  categories identified?

Afnan

We have revised Section 3 for greater clarity. Specifically, Section 3.1 has been renamed to 'Information Systems for Smart Business Sustainability Across Sectors' to better reflect its content and improve understanding-3.

3. TAXONOMY RESULTS

This section delves into the relationship between information systems and sustainability, by categorizing the reviewed literature into four distinct themes. These four categories are 3.1. Information Systems for Smart Business Sustainability Across Sectors, 3.2. Information System Types to Support Sustainability, 3.3. Sustainable Development Components, and 3.4. Information System Technology Employed for Sustainability. Each category explores different aspects of sustainability across various domains. Section 3.1 highlights the smart technologies and sustainability within six distinct sectors. Furthermore, the 3.2 section discusses different types of information systems, and how they support sustainability. Section 3.3 highlights the pillars of sustainability and discusses how the studies align with the UN SDGs. Lastly, the 3.4 section discusses the adopted technologies in the studies and what is their role in sustaining the smart business. We found that each category from the four can be further divided into subcategories to reflect the complete picture of this critical multidisciplinary topic.

3.1. Information Systems for Smart Business Sustainability Across Sectors

This section concerns information systems and their role in sustaining smart business in different sectors. Most of the categories seem to relate to businesses and Industry 4.0, which is no surprise when discussing the sustainability of smart technology in general (see Figure 2). The following sections detail how each category can be noted and discussed in the literature collected through our study

-        As the number of reviewed papers is relatively small it doesn't make sense to use statement such as ‘A noticeably large percentage’ especially if not giving the exact percentage. In fact, in a section 3.1.1. only four papers are mentioned.

Afnan

We appreciate the reviewer’s observation. We have revised the text in Section 3.1.1 and use more precise language that accurately reflects the small sample size.

3.1.1. Urban Planning and Improvement

One prevalent topic regarding smart technology in the literature is smart cities, which have emerged as a possible solution to the increasingly worsening urbanization problem worldwide [6]. With overpopulation and increasing urban migration, a smarter and more advanced way of managing cities has become necessary for communities and countries to progress. This category included 4 out of 32 studies.

A systematic review and analysis provided in [7]; to identify several themes and topics about smart cities, and to explore how research on smart cities has evolved by analyzing more than 100 literature sources. While [8] focused on reviewing China's promotion of smart cities and smart industrial parks as solutions for sustainable development and the transition into low-carbon emissions, by analyzing policy histories and national projects. This review revealed that China has rapidly developed national pilots and has seen opportunities for integrated systems, innovative decision tools, and smart governance frameworks.

Another study discusses the implementation specifics of sustainable smart technology in city management, such as [9], where the authors propose a model for energy sustainability in smart cities using Internet of Things (IoT) technology and a deep extreme learning machine (DELM). This study explores the use of DELM to create a predictive model for predicting the hourly electrical energy output of a combined cycle power plant. The model includes data acquisition, preprocessing, and an application layer using DELM for prediction. The performance was evaluated using statistical measures, and it shows that the DELM achieves a high prediction accuracy of 98.6%, which can help in optimizing city and efficiency.

Furthermore, [10], shed light on rural areas to promote sustainable development. This study provides an overview of the current adoption of smart technologies in rural regions, including energy management, farming, education, business, healthcare, and governance. It analyzes the characteristics of rural regions and the potential for smart technologies to enhance development by increasing agricultural production, improving access to education and healthcare, optimizing business operations, and addressing gaps in public services. However, more research that explicitly targets the rural context needs to be done.

-        The paragraph starting with ‘Another topic in this category that has been researched in the previous taxonomical category is rural areas. As shown in the previous category, rural areas are a target of sustainable modernization…..’  on page 6 is hard to follow and comprehend

Afnan

After careful consideration, we delete this study from the section to improve the paper's overall readability and coherence.

What is the taxonomy’? Figure 2 has 2 columns, is each column a category with subcategories?

Afnan

We have renamed Figure 2 to 'Sectoral Focus of Information Systems for Smart Business Sustainability' to better reflect its content. To clarify, Figure 2 does not represent a taxonomy with categories and subcategories. Instead, it highlights the six sectors that are the focus of Information Systems for Smart Business Sustainability, as identified in the reviewed studies.

Section 3.2 is  relatively easier to follow. However,  the authors should note the sources they used identify the types of information systems also it is necessary to show how papers were identified

Dr. Aws

 New references has bee added to show the source we used to come up with the type of information systems

The papers related to this were identified based on the SLR process, IC, EC, ..etc

Figures 2,3 need simplification.

Afnan

Done, we have simplified te figures to be me more simple and more readable as per to the reviewer request

This study lacks a clear research question or questions .  The literature review is nor guided by a research question  and its purpose is not clear.

Dr. Aws

 RQs have been added that guided us thought out the LR process.

RQ1: What are the current trends in the integration of information systems with sustainability practices in smart businesses?

RQ2: What IT technologies are being employed in information systems field to enhance sustainability?

Thus, section 3.3 is not  related to the previous two sections. It  highlights some interesting issues but it is not clear why the authors have included it,

Dr.Aws

Thanks for the comments, yes indeed in highlights some interesting facts…to clarify we have added this section so that the reader would be able to connect this title of the research, the LR we did with some of the global Sustainable Development Components.

Section city 3.4 should have been developed is papers not Acer review all the technologies which quite well known.

Dr.Aws

The point is not clear for us. This section is very important, it adds more value to the research to show how the well know technologies being utilize in sustainability era

Figures 4,5 need simplification.

Afnan

Done

Section 4, which provides bibliometric data should have been introduced earlier, before making inferences from the content of the papers in field. The statistics in Table 2 should have been presented more clearly., e.g., ‘annual growth’?

Dr. Aws

We can bring the section earlier however based on our decent experience with all SLR the bibliometric comes at the end of the study, in both case in reflects the same meaning of some statistical and bibliometric analysis.

Thanks for the comment on the annual growth, a clear paragraph has bee added to interpret the table as requested

Section 4 mislabeled

Dr. Aws

Done

Some discussion is provided in the last section. The paper overall would benefit from expanding the discussion highlighting the contribution and the significance of this study along with the implications for research practice and society

Dr. Aws

We have attempted to improve the discussion part at the end, we have improved in the inline discussion after even section, in fact a detailed review and discussion have been added after every section. Now how this outcome of the filed of information unsustainability would impact the research practices and society is part of the future work

The paper would benefit from editing for English language and clarity.

Dr.Aws

 Done.  English profession has been enhanced and we did online proof reading

Comments

Assigned to

Response

The title as showing in the review system is different from the  title in the manuscript. The title in the system still  uses the term intersection, which the authors say they have decided to remove.

Dr. Aws

Please note that we have changed the title, I will notify the journal to reflect the same

The authors state in the replies to the comments in Review Round 1 that they have decided to use ‘software sustainability’  and have mad rete relevant changes to the text. However . some sentences do not make sense now:

a.       Page 2:‘As many intertwined aspects affect software sustainability and software sustainability, this study explores both aspects and how they have been discussed in the literature. ‘

b.       Page 2: ‘A major issue is the confusion between software sustainability that reduces environmental impacts and software sustainability, which focuses on software systems' durability and long-term usability’

c.       Page 2:’ Additionally, this study aims to provide a detailed examination of software sustainability and software sustainability within the existing body of literature.’

d.       Page 3: ‘It thus outlines the two faces of what is often referred to as software sustainability and software sustainability to provide better contours for future research and practical application’

Afnan

Done.

Not clear how the SLP is related to software sustainability. After the introduction (in which  software satiability is discussed) , the term  NO LONGER used.

Dr.Aws

Please note that we are confused with these comments, what do you mean please by SLP, there no short name in our article called SLP

The research questions that have been added, talks about ‘sustainable practices’ and ‘sustainability’ ’.  These terms have not been defined so far.  Therefore, the research questions ae not clear.

Dr.Aws

We refined RQs to talk about sustainable and removed sustainable practices’

RQ1: What are the current trends in the integration of information systems with sustainability in smart businesses?

RQ2: What IT technologies are being employed in information systems field to enhance sustainability?

The search terms are sustainability , information systems and smart business. It is not well explained why. The title as in the manuscripts does link these three terms and this is OK. However,  there is a need to explain the link in more depth and to ‘unpack’ it for the reader so that the reader clearly  understands what the SLR is about.  The focus seems to be shifting and hard to grasp. 

Afnan

+

 Dr.Aws

The paper addresses the link between sustainability, information systems, and smart business across several sections. Section 3.1 outlines the role of information systems in fostering sustainable practices within smart business environments, while section 3.2 discusses how these systems align with the three pillars of sustainability—social, economic, and environmental. In section 3.3, we delve deeper into how the reviewed studies contribute to sustainability goals, specifically through the lens of the SDGs. Finally, section 3.4 examines the technologies employed (e.g., Blockchain, IoT) and their role in sustaining smart business. Together, these sections provide a comprehensive framework that clearly articulates the intersection of these three terms, and this systematic literature review (SLR) is structured to highlight how information systems are leveraged to achieve sustainability within smart business practices.

The study  lacks methodologically:  it Is  not clear how the themes  were determined , and how within  each theme, further categories  were  defined. What was the approach to the analysis,  deductive or inductive?

Afnan

A new section has been added.

Our methodology began by clearly defining the primary focus of our review: to examine the role of information systems in promoting sustainability across various sectors, particularly within smart businesses and in alignment with the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Additionally, we aimed to explore the specific information system technologies that contribute to sustainability. We developed a search string to identify studies aligned with these objectives. We then applied the PRISMA protocol, establishing inclusion criteria to ensure the selection of high-quality studies. This process led us to identify 32 relevant studies. We conducted a detailed analysis of these studies, focusing on shared themes and insights, to address the core objectives of our review.  We have added some details to the SLR phases for more clarification.

  Consider section 3.3.4: it talks about link between sections, not clear why? Links between  themes  or between categories  may be  of interests

Afnan

The main idea of section 3.3 is to demonstrate how the studies contribute to sustainability across various aspects, categorized under the sustainability pillars. Section 3.3.4 was added to explicitly link the discussed studies with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This section aims to provide readers with a clearer understanding of how these studies align with and contribute to the broader global sustainability objectives, thus enhancing the coherence and depth of the discussion. Also, we should point out that this section has been added upon a request from the first reviewer, and we welcomed this comment and added this section, to add extra value for this review.

Correct the sentence China has 11 more than China

Afnan

Done

Spell blockchain with a capital B when s used as a heading

Afnan

Done

Avoid starting the sentence with a numeral, as in ‘[63] emphasized using the Internet of Things (IoT)

Afnan

Done