Delivered at:: Department of Strategic and International Management

Course type:: Compulsory course

When:: 2 year, 2 module

Instructor

Ivanova, Ekaterina

Full Syllabus

Abstract

At the time of BANI (Brittle, Anxious, Non-Linear and Incomprehensible) world the planetary ‘grand challenges’ such as climate catastrophe, inequality, pandemics, social impact of supply chain practices, shortage of resources and increasing political turbulence make flourishing businesses around the world devote substantial efforts to ethical and responsible business practices contributing to sustainable development. That is why modern purpose-driven businesses are expected to act as agents of world benefit, serving all stakeholders, in making our planet a better place for living by contributing to the 17 United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals in accordance with the environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria. For conscious business leaders wealth acquisition comes as a natural result of serving society. This course provides key frameworks and tools for integrating ethics, responsibility and sustainability into running a business with higher purpose, stakeholder orientation, conscious culture, responsible leadership and sustainable practices for a net zero economy. Designed with the application of the most innovative pedagogies focusing on experiential learning, the course aims to develop a new generation of responsible business leaders with a sustainability mindset that rests on a multi-disciplinary approach to learning and requires profound ecological awareness, development of systems thinking (knowing) combined with emotional (feeling) and spiritual (being) intelligence.

Learning Objectives

Develop a global citizenship mindset for ethics, responsibility and sustainability: a lens through which to analyze information in the contemporary world and make business decisions for the sake of a flourishing planet.
1) Knowing dimension: develop awareness and understanding of the contemporary challenges in the framework of the UN’s 17 SDGs and major theories on business ethics, responsibility and sustainability management;
2) Thinking dimension: develop systems and innovative thinking based on creativity, on both-and logic, long term thinking, applying principles of cyclical flow and interconnectedness;
3) Being dimension: learn about self and others by reflecting about values anchoring our identity, unexplored assumptions, habits of mind and creating/identifying your personal mission;
4) Engage in action to make a difference: inspire to change habits and shape a new lifestyle for themselves.

Expected Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this course, the students will be able to answer the following questions: 1) What does it take to become an responsible business leader? What is the current state of the planet? How did we get here? What are the shortcomings? What must we urgently address and focus on? • Students will explore ESG factors at different levels; use the framework of the 12 SM Principles and the 17 UN’s SDGs; be introduced to the major concepts on BE, CSR and sustainability.
Having successfully completed this course, the students will be able to answer the following questions: 2) What are the cognitive frames that shape our perception of the world? • Students will learn to identify in the current events and data the underlying cognitive frames, and develop a systems thinking perspective; • Students will practice tapping into their creative and intuitive resources to invent new solutions.
Having successfully completed this course, the students will be able to answer the following questions: 3) What are the anchors of the unsustainable planet? What are the anchors of our identity? What difference do we want to make in the world? • Students will be able to identify the underlying mental models and maps shaping events and their personal decision and interactions; • Students will be encouraged to practice new behavioral habits and shape a new lifestyle for themselves.
Having successfully completed this course, the students will be able to answer the following questions: 4) What is the difference you want to make today? Students will be engaged in a final individual passion project “E-Portfolio”. A passion project will become an experiential arena for reflecting, learning and gaining self-confidence on adopting a shift in the mindset and actions that will follow for making a difference and being change-makers for a better world.

Course Contents

Introduction into sustainable development
Concepts and reasons for sustainability management
Sustainability strategies and stakeholder perspectives
Experiential learning on sustainability management
Sustainability management in practice
Final presentations on the E-Portfolio project

Assessment Elements

Book world café and cinemalogia (group assignment)
In class moderated discussion
Case-study on sustainability management (group assignment)
In class facilitated group work on the case-study
Reflection papers (individual assignments)
Written reflection papers.
E-Portfolio: Using Contemplative Photography to Develop a Sustainability Mindset
Experiential learning project

Interim Assessment

2023/2024 2nd module
0.2 * Book world café and cinemalogia (group assignment) + 0.2 * Case-study on sustainability management (group assignment) + 0.4 * E-Portfolio: Using Contemplative Photography to Develop a Sustainability Mindset + 0.2 * Reflection papers (individual assignments)

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

Laszlo, C. (2003). The Sustainable Company : How to Create Lasting Value Through Social and Environmental Performance. Washington, DC: Island Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=118249
Principles of management : practicing ethics, responsibility, sustainability, Laasch, O., 2021
The Oxford Handbook of Corporate Social Responsibility [Электронный ресурс] / А.Crane, D.Matten, A.McWilliams, J.Moon, D.S.Siegel, eds.; БД oxfordhandbooks. - Oxford University Press; 2008. – Режим доступа: http://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199211593.001.0001/oxfordhb-9780199211593 – Загл. с экрана.
The power of and : responsible business without trade-offs, Freeman, R. E., 2020

Recommended Additional Bibliography

Heckman, L. (2009). Confessions of a Radical Industrialist: Profits, People, Purpose——Doing Business by Respecting the Earth. Library Journal, 134(17), 87. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=asn&AN=44668871

Master’s Programme 'Strategic Management: Investment and Consulting'

Study office

Research Seminar "Ethics, Responsibility, Sustainability"