{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7225388656","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-026-05203-4","title":"The hidden carbon cost of digital visibility: a socio-technical view of university sustainability and digital carbon performance","display_name":"The hidden carbon cost of digital visibility: a socio-technical view of university sustainability and digital carbon performance","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-11-06","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7225388656","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-026-05203-4"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.1007/s43621-026-05203-4","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-026-05203-4","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-026-05203-4","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4210179043","display_name":"Discover Sustainability","issn_l":"2662-9984","issn":["2662-9984"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":true,"is_core":true,"listed_in":["cwts-core","doaj","jufo-1","norway-1","poland-20","vabb-shw"],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310319965","host_organization_name":"Springer Nature","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310319965"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Springer Nature"],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by-nc-nd","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by-nc-nd","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Discover Sustainability","raw_type":"journal-article"},"volume":null,"type":"article","is_traditional":true,"indexed_in":["crossref","doaj"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"gold","oa_url":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-026-05203-4","any_repository_has_fulltext":false},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5029258124","display_name":"Ba\u015fak G\u00f6k","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8687-5961","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8687-5961"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I95634034","display_name":"Gazi University","ror":"https://ror.org/054xkpr46","country_code":"TR","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I95634034"]}],"countries":["TR"],"is_corresponding":true,"raw_author_name":"Ba\u015fak G\u00f6k","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Management Information Systems, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8687-5961","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Management Information Systems, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I95634034"]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":1,"institutions_distinct_count":1,"corresponding_author_ids":["https://openalex.org/A5029258124"],"corresponding_institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I95634034"],"apc_list":{"value":1390,"currency":"USD","value_usd":1390},"apc_paid":{"value":1390,"currency":"USD","value_usd":1390},"fwci":0.0,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":{"value":0.0,"is_in_top_1_percent":false,"is_in_top_10_percent":false},"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":null,"issue":null,"first_page":null,"last_page":null},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T12238","display_name":"Green IT and Sustainability","score":0.5586000084877014,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2208","display_name":"Electrical and Electronic Engineering"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/22","display_name":"Engineering"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T12238","display_name":"Green IT and Sustainability","score":0.5586000084877014,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2208","display_name":"Electrical and Electronic Engineering"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/22","display_name":"Engineering"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11835","display_name":"Sustainability in Higher Education","score":0.4390000104904175,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3304","display_name":"Education"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/33","display_name":"Social Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10435","display_name":"Environmental Impact and Sustainability","score":0.000699999975040555,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2305","display_name":"Environmental Engineering"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/23","display_name":"Environmental Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/digital-carbon-footprint","display_name":"digital carbon footprint","score":0.9210000038146973},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/campus-sustainability","display_name":"campus sustainability","score":0.9359999895095825},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/ui-greenmetric-world-university-ranking","display_name":"UI GreenMetric World University Ranking","score":0.7770000100135803},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/website-traffic","display_name":"website traffic","score":0.5540000200271606},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/climate-performance","display_name":"climate performance","score":0.7319999933242798},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/sociotechnical-systems","display_name":"socio-technical systems","score":0.6740000247955322},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/sustainable-development-goals","display_name":"Sustainable Development Goals","score":0.7950000166893005},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/online-visibility","display_name":"online visibility","score":0.4309999942779541},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/sustainability-rankings","display_name":"sustainability rankings","score":0.3190000057220459}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C66204764","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q219416","display_name":"Sustainability","level":2,"score":0.8712000250816345},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C9354725","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q286017","display_name":"Operationalization","level":2,"score":0.660099983215332},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C134560507","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q753291","display_name":"Environmental economics","level":1,"score":0.600600004196167},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C189430467","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7293293","display_name":"Ranking (information retrieval)","level":2,"score":0.5099999904632568},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C39389867","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q380767","display_name":"Corporate governance","level":2,"score":0.4918999969959259},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C107826830","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q929380","display_name":"Environmental resource management","level":1,"score":0.38659998774528503},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C144133560","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4830453","display_name":"Business","level":0,"score":0.3758000135421753},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C120912362","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q136822","display_name":"Higher education","level":2,"score":0.37119999527931213},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C132651083","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7942","display_name":"Climate change","level":2,"score":0.34369999170303345},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C126172416","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1774424","display_name":"Carbon neutrality","level":3,"score":0.3328999876976013},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C164226766","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7293202","display_name":"Rank (graph theory)","level":2,"score":0.32839998602867126},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C552854447","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q131201","display_name":"Sustainable development","level":2,"score":0.31450000405311584},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C75027835","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1064746","display_name":"Green computing","level":3,"score":0.31439998745918274},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C52407799","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q594912","display_name":"Social sustainability","level":3,"score":0.3068000078201294},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C140205800","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5860","display_name":"Carbon fibers","level":3,"score":0.29989999532699585},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777682447","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3039637","display_name":"Environmental governance","level":3,"score":0.2978000044822693},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780936489","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q310667","display_name":"Carbon footprint","level":3,"score":0.2973000109195709},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C127413603","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11023","display_name":"Engineering","level":0,"score":0.29600000381469727},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780473208","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1668727","display_name":"Sustainability reporting","level":3,"score":0.28600001335144043},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C205266134","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7649559","display_name":"Sustainability organizations","level":3,"score":0.273499995470047},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C17744445","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q36442","display_name":"Political science","level":0,"score":0.26829999685287476},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C20908052","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q442321","display_name":"Sustainability science","level":4,"score":0.266400009393692},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780165032","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q16869822","display_name":"Energy consumption","level":2,"score":0.2648000121116638},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2993443034","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q188847","display_name":"Environmental research","level":2,"score":0.25920000672340393},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C115343472","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7942","display_name":"Global warming","level":3,"score":0.25870001316070557}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.1007/s43621-026-05203-4","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-026-05203-4","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-026-05203-4","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4210179043","display_name":"Discover Sustainability","issn_l":"2662-9984","issn":["2662-9984"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":true,"is_core":true,"listed_in":["cwts-core","doaj","jufo-1","norway-1","poland-20","vabb-shw"],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310319965","host_organization_name":"Springer Nature","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310319965"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Springer Nature"],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by-nc-nd","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by-nc-nd","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Discover Sustainability","raw_type":"journal-article"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"doi:10.1007/s43621-026-05203-4","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-026-05203-4","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-026-05203-4","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4210179043","display_name":"Discover Sustainability","issn_l":"2662-9984","issn":["2662-9984"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":true,"is_core":true,"listed_in":["cwts-core","doaj","jufo-1","norway-1","poland-20","vabb-shw"],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310319965","host_organization_name":"Springer Nature","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310319965"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Springer Nature"],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by-nc-nd","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by-nc-nd","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Discover Sustainability","raw_type":"journal-article"},"sustainable_development_goals":[{"id":"https://metadata.un.org/sdg/13","score":0.821399986743927,"display_name":"Climate action"}],"study_designs":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"pdf":false,"grobid_xml":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":0,"referenced_works":[],"related_works":["https://openalex.org/W7162783968","https://openalex.org/W4414490966","https://openalex.org/W7204894560","https://openalex.org/W4413132907","https://openalex.org/W7168428090","https://openalex.org/W7166854523","https://openalex.org/W7214645825","https://openalex.org/W4387335928","https://openalex.org/W7149017416","https://openalex.org/W3109678096"],"abstract_inverted_index":{"This":[0],"study":[1,148],"examines":[2],"whether":[3],"top-ranked":[4],"universities":[5],"in":[6,18,113,122,131,138],"the":[7,53,105],"2025":[8],"UI":[9],"GreenMetric":[10],"World":[11],"University":[12],"Rankings":[13],"demonstrate":[14],"comparable":[15],"environmental":[16,43,64],"performance":[17,25,79,91],"their":[19],"digital":[20,42,63,141],"operations.":[21],"Overall":[22],"campus":[23],"sustainability":[24,69,125,132,156],"showed":[26],"no":[27],"statistically":[28],"significant":[29],"association":[30],"with":[31,83,95],"website-based":[32],"carbon":[33,85,142],"metrics,":[34],"revealing":[35],"a":[36,47,110],"structural":[37],"disconnect":[38,51],"between":[39],"physical":[40],"and":[41,58,77,89,118,158],"accountability.":[44],"Interpreted":[45],"through":[46],"socio-technical":[48],"lens,":[49],"this":[50],"reflects":[52],"coupling":[54],"of":[55,67,140],"technical":[56],"infrastructure":[57],"social":[59],"interaction":[60],"that":[61,128],"shapes":[62],"impact":[65],"independently":[66],"campus-based":[68],"regimes.":[70],"Differentiated":[71],"patterns":[72],"emerged":[73],"across":[74,104],"sub-dimensions.":[75],"Energy":[76],"climate":[78],"were":[80,92],"negatively":[81],"associated":[82,94],"per-page":[84],"intensity,":[86],"whereas":[87],"education":[88,124],"research":[90],"positively":[93],"website":[96],"traffic":[97],"volume.":[98],"Green":[99],"hosting":[100],"adoption":[101],"remained":[102],"negligible":[103],"sample.":[106],"These":[107],"findings":[108],"expose":[109],"governance":[111],"gap":[112],"how":[114],"SDGs":[115],"7,":[116],"12,":[117],"13":[119],"are":[120],"operationalized":[121],"higher":[123],"assessment.":[126],"Universities":[127],"rank":[129],"highly":[130],"rankings":[133],"do":[134],"not":[135],"perform":[136],"similarly":[137],"terms":[139],"footprints":[143],"from":[144],"web":[145],"traffic.":[146],"The":[147],"provides":[149],"concrete":[150],"indicators":[151],"for":[152],"ranking":[153],"frameworks,":[154],"university":[155],"strategies,":[157],"national":[159],"policy":[160],"tools.":[161]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-11-08T12:12:28.789561","created_date":"2026-11-07T00:00:00"}
