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Integrating Sustainability in Teaching Business Strategy: Sharing Experiences of Adaptation and Delivery of an Action and Experiential Learning Type Sustainability Module

Innovation in Responsible Management Education

ISBN: 978-1-83549-465-3, eISBN: 978-1-83549-464-6

Publication date: 25 September 2024

Abstract

There has been considerable discussion about the poor outcomes of irresponsible management, which are often discussed as being the result of “shortcomings” of contemporary capitalism: runaway self-interest, quarterly focus, elite orientation, volume orientation, and one-pattern capitalism (Kim, 2022). In order to address such shortcomings in business education, particularly with strategy-related modules that were taught with a focus on creating “shareholder value,” the Sustainable Decisions and Organisations (SDO) module was designed by academics as the capstone module for the master of business administration (MBA) program and delivered with the aim of developing capabilities of students to be leaders and future generators of sustainable value for business and society at large. The students participating in the module are shown how a “stakeholder” approach to developing business strategy can lead to more sustainability-oriented value creation. The module addresses how companies can contribute to “sustainability” by aligning their economic/financial, societal, and ecological impacts with limited resources through strategy. This contribution discusses the implementation of this module and demonstrates how students are provided learning opportunities around how sustainability-related issues can be embedded into a business organization's strategy to enhance the organization's performance while addressing risks by working with stakeholders to create value and thus be able to contribute to relevant UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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Acknowledgements

Acknowledgment

I would like to place on record my thanks to Professors Jeremy Moon, Prof Wendy Chapple who first designed and delivered the Sustainable Decisions and Organisations (SDO) Module while they were at the Nottingham University Business School (NUBS), University of Nottingham. In addition to some industry experts, Mr Thomas Thomas (Honorary Professor at NUBS) was one of the key contributors in the development of this module. I had the privilege doing the convenor of SDO in Malaysia about a decade ago when I did some adaptations, including incorporating some experiential learning flavor.

Citation

Mohan, A.V. (2024), "Integrating Sustainability in Teaching Business Strategy: Sharing Experiences of Adaptation and Delivery of an Action and Experiential Learning Type Sustainability Module", Obexer, R., Wieser, D., Baumgartner, C., Fröhlich, E., Rosenbloom, A. and Zehrer, A. (Ed.) Innovation in Responsible Management Education, Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 165-184. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83549-464-620241010

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited