Examining Responsibility for Environmental Harm: Public Discourse and E-Waste Management Systems in a Developed Nation

Canadian e-waste management practices have not yet achieved high levels of environmental performance. Our methodology is based on information systems research, organization studies, and critical theory. We find evidence that – absent of strong environmental regulations – management systems designed by industry may become based on contradictory notions of responsibility (corporate, social, environmental, legal, fiscal). We posit that if such contradictions exist, the system will lack coherence, and will ultimately be unable to achieve high levels of environmental performance. Using a mixed-methods research design including critical discourse analysis and two-stage least squares regression – we offer an empirical method of environmental impact measurement - and, we conduct a comprehensive assessment of ewaste management practices in Canada in order to adequately observe and measure actual environmental benefit as impact on per capita CO2. Comments are provided with implications for further management and academic research.