A1 Journal article (refereed)
Impact Investing in Information Technology Business (2022)

Okker, T. (2022). Impact Investing in Information Technology Business. Electronic Journal of Business Ethics and Organization Studies, 27(1), 16-28. http://ejbo.jyu.fi/pdf/ejbo_vol27_no1_pages_16-28.pdf

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Okker, Timo

Journal or series: Electronic Journal of Business Ethics and Organization Studies

eISSN: 1239-2685

Publication year: 2022

Volume: 27

Issue number: 1

Pages range: 16-28

Publisher: Jyväskylän yliopisto

Place of Publication: Jyväskylä

Publication country: Finland

Publication language: English

Persistent website address: http://ejbo.jyu.fi/pdf/ejbo_vol27_no1_pages_16-28.pdf

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/82175

Abstract

Impact investing is one of most prominent investing strategies that pursue to generate measurable environmental and social effects in addition to profits. Despite the growth of the impact investing market and plausible results of information technology (IT) solutions and services, impact investments in the IT markets have been scarce and there has been very little research of the phenomenon. This study presents a multivocal literature review (MLR) to narrow the gap between the practitioners and scholars and provides results for further research avenues. The study reviews 374 literature sources in total using pre-selected keywords which were analysed using thematic and content analysis. Results indicate that IT related impact investing is increasing frequently in practice, but there is paucity of research of the phenomenon. The results of the study also propose three main discourses in IT related impact investing. Current practices and research converge technology, business management and impact investing infrastructure discourses. In addition, the study displays the most prominent technology sectors in the field. The study proposes that impact investing is a prominent phenomenon among the practitioners, and especially IT start-ups are establishing significant solutions for social and environmental impact, whereas scholars are neglecting the phenomenon.

Keywords: information technology; startup companies; information technology sector; business

Free keywords: impact investing; multivocal literature review

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes

VIRTA submission year: 2022

JUFO rating: 1