Too Little Fit, Too Much Demand: A Task–Technology Perspective on Sustainability in Engineering Management

The increasing regulatory demands for sustainability pose a significant challenge for engineering management in aligning corporate strategies with practical implementation. This paper investigates how multinational organizations operationalize sustainability directives, specifically focusing on the integration of environmental product declarations within existing engineering practices and information systems. Employing a 13-month ethnographic case study within the global product lifecycle management (PLM) unit of a large multinational enterprise, we apply task–technology fit (TTF) theory to evaluate the effectiveness of current digital infrastructures, including PLM, enterprise resource planning, and product configuration systems. Our findings highlight a critical misalignment between regulatory sustainability requirements and technological capabilities. Engineering managers often rely on manual processes, because of fragmented data systems and limited automation, and this results in inefficiencies and compliance risks. Sustainability is predominantly perceived through customer-driven performance metrics focused on resource efficiency at the deployment stage, rather than holistic lifecycle considerations or comprehensive regulatory adherence. Key barriers identified include poor data traceability, disconnected systems, and inadequate corporate prioritization, fostering reactive rather than proactive sustainability management. We recommend enhancing the interoperability and automation of digital systems to streamline sustainability reporting and compliance, and advocate closer alignment among corporate strategy, technological infrastructure, and engineering practices. This study contributes to the existing literature by elucidating the integration challenges that persist despite clear regulatory imperatives, and underscores the need for strategic investment in integrated technological solutions.