Sustainable Business

BMAN24372 Sustainable Business 20 Semester 2 Undergraduate Level 2 Jeremy Brice Unit coordinator Alliance Manchester Business School 1 FHEQ level (Framework for Higher Education Qualifications) ' Middle part of Bachelors ' European Credit Transfer & Accumulation System Rating : 10.0 An understanding of sustainability allows us to recognise why our ability to flourish now and in the future requires attention not just to economic prosperity but also to social well being and to conserving (and regenerating) the natural environment. There has never been a more important time to understand how government, industry and society can respond to this challenge.  <o:p></o:p><o:p></o:p>The Sustainable Business course unit examines the grand sustainability challenges facing contemporary business and society. It explores how business organisations can respond to these challenges, embrace opportunities and manage risks by changing what they are doing – both strategically and operationally – to gain or maintain a competitive advantage whilst improving their sustainability performance. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> An understanding of sustainability allows us to recognise why our ability to flourish now and in the future requires attention not just to economic prosperity but to social wellbeing and conserving (and regenerating) the natural environment. There has never been a more important time to understand how government, industry and society can respond to this challenge. The Sustainable Business course unit looks at the grand sustainability challenges facing business and society. It explores how business organisations can respond to these challenges, embrace opportunities and manage risks, by changing what they are doing - both strategically and operationally - to gain or maintain a competitive advantage whilst improving their sustainability performance. The course unit aims to motivate the students to integrate notions of sustainability into their business approach by combining a thorough understanding of the key issues surrounding sustainable development and climate change with knowledge of how business can respond to economic, environmental and social  opportunities and challenges by embedding sustainability into an organisation’s strategy and operations. Teaching on Sustainable Business is interactive and research-led. The course brings together high-level societal debates about the role of business in responding to sustainability challenges with organisation-level understanding of how businesses can embrace sustainability opportunities and manage risks. This equips students to engage in analysis and decision-making that situates business and sustainability in a wider societal context.  <o:p></o:p><o:p></o:p>The formative and summative assignments for this course also give students opportunities to acquire skills in identifying relevant literature; synthesising and critically analysing information acquired through this research; and formulating written arguments based on this analysis. In so doing, they will provide students with study, research and argumentation skills which are fundamental to many workplace activities (e.g. undertaking research and analytical projects, preparing internal or external communications and compiling reports for colleagues). In addition, by giving students opportunities to develop strategies for cultivating effective team dynamics and collaborating productively within diverse groups, the course unit (specifically summative assessment 1) will help to prepare them to operate successfully in professional environments which emphasise teamwork and where colleagues may have a range of views, values and backgrounds. <o:p></o:p> At the end of course, students will be able to:<ul><li>Explain the relationship between government, industry and science, consumers and the wider connection between political/economic/social trends and sustainable business.</li></ul> <ul><li>Identify and critically evaluate intra-organisational management tools and techniques which may be used to embed sustainability into the company’s operations and strategy.</li><li>Identify and critically evaluate inter-organisational management tools and techniques which may be used to embed sustainability beyond the boundaries of the company through the product value chain.   </li></ul> <ul><li>Communicate theory and evidence-based arguments through academic and business writing, presentations and digital media. </li></ul> <ul><li>Demonstrate research, analysis and collective organisational skills through individual and group assessments. </li></ul> Teaching on Sustainable Business has an emphasis on authentic mastery (not just knowing what you know, but applying what you know). The unit aims to enable students to be more effective in their future careers by applying general frameworks and theoretical concepts to the strategic and operational challenges facing the organisation. To give students some insight into the practicalities of the challenges, some lectures are delivered by practitioners demonstrating sustainable business in practice. The course is divided into two parts. Lectures in the first part address the sustainability challenges facing business and society and the response of - government, markets and civil society to them. In the second part, we focus on the role of business in realising sustainability goals, and examine how business organisations can create value by embracing opportunities and managing the risks associated with economic, social and environmental sustainability. During the course we will consider topics including:<ul><li>Sustainability, sustainable development and their relationship to economic growth</li><li>The role of government environmental policy</li><li>Global markets and the environment</li><li>Social sustainability and corporate social responsibility</li><li>Sustainability business models</li><li>Sustainability marketing and sustainable consumption</li><li>Innovating for sustainability</li><li>Digital platform organisation and sustainability</li><li>Sustainability transitions</li></ul> Teaching on Sustainable Business is high quality, interactive and research led. Lectures are punctuated by group tasks and activities. Assessment is based on both group collaboration and individual activity. 0 Other 100% Group presentation: 30% Individual essay: 70% Responses to student emails and questions from a member of staff.• Written and/or verbal comments on assessed coursework.• Written and/or verbal comments after students have given presentations.Students will receive detailed formative feedback on their presentation within 15 working days of their presentation. Written feedback on essays will be available on Canvas 15 days after submission. Only available to students on: BSc Mgt/Mgt Specialism; IMABS, IM and ITMB. Core for BSc Management with ISE Specialism and BSc Management with SEB Specialism.Pre-requisites - N/ACo-requisites - N/ADependent course units - N/A N  There is no single module textbook. However, all relevant readings will be posted on Canvas or can be obtained through links via the annotated lecture slides.<o:p></o:p> You will find the following books useful:<ul><li class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height:normal;margin:0cm 0cm 0cm 18.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;">Kopnina, H., Padfield, R. & Mylan, J. (2023) Sustainable Business: Key Issues (third edition). London: Routledge</li><li class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height:normal;margin:0cm 0cm 0cm 18.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;">Bansal, P. & Hoffman, A. J. (2012) The Oxford Handbook of Business and the Natural Environment. Oxford: Oxford University Press. (This book is available online to students on this course and can be accessed via the reading list) <o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height:normal;margin:0cm 0cm 0cm 18.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;">Elliott, J. (2013) An Introduction to Sustainable Development. Abingdon: Routledge. <o:p></o:p><o:p></o:p></li></ul>Additionally, the following provide useful overviews of some of the themes and issues which we discuss in the course: <o:p></o:p><o:p></o:p><ul><li class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height:normal;margin:0cm 0cm 0cm 18.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;">Benn, S., Edwards, M., and Williams, T., (2022) Sustainability: A Key Idea for Business and Society. Routledge. </li><li class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height:normal;margin:0cm 0cm 0cm 18.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;">Dresner, S. (2008) The Principles of Sustainability. Abingdon: Earthscan.</li><li class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height:normal;margin:0cm 0cm 0cm 18.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;">Evans, J. P. (2011) Environmental Governance. London: Routledge. </li><li class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height:normal;margin:0cm 0cm 0cm 18.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;">Jackson, T., (2009 & 2017) Prosperity without Growth. London: Routledge (1st or 2nd edition). </li><li class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height:normal;margin:0cm 0cm 0cm 18.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;">Martinez Alier, J. (2002). The Environmentalism of the Poor: A Study of Ecological Conflicts and Valuation. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar. </li><li class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height:normal;margin:0cm 0cm 0cm 18.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;">Raworth, K. (2017) Doughnut Economics: seven ways to think like a 21st century economist.</li></ul> Lectures 15 Seminars 15 0 170 Other staff involved: No university staff. Jeremy Brice leads lectures and seminars.Pre-requisites - N/ACo-requisites - N/ADependent course units: N/AProgramme Restrictions : BSc Management and Management (Specialisms), BSc International Management and BSc Information Technology Management for Business (No specialism).