MSc Sustainable Business

This course explores the geographical dimensions of sustainable business. The objective is to analyse theories and cases relating to socio-environmental governance between multinational and local business, global, regional and national trade and environmental institutions; and the consequences that arise from these interactions for sustainability for different actors, especially accounting for middle/low-income countries. While the concept of sustainability has permeated through society as a necessity, it takes on different representations for actors, such as for large versus small business, businesses in the north versus the south. In today’s highly integrated world economy, businesses do not operate in a vacuum, but rather are part of broader value chains where the rules and the governance of sustainability are also shaped by global international institutions like the World Trade Organization, United Nations Framework on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the World Bank, and national and regional governments, civil society.  
This multi-actor rulemaking in turn effects the experiences of how businesses achieving sustainability. The emphasis of this course is on the challenges and opportunities that these international actors and new global/national sustainability rules and policies (e.g. industrial policy, environmental, social and trade) bring to business, bringing to the fore the potential of how different networks of actors can support sustainable development. 
 

The unit aims to introduce students to some of the biggest challenges and opportunities of sustainability in a global and local context. It examines the various ways in which sustainability has proliferated as a core value in business through global inter-connectedness of value chains. Deepening understandings of how global (international organizations such as the United Nations, WTO; multi-national corporations), regional (trading blocs, business associations) and local (national governments, small-medium enterprises) actors develop, react to, and alter sustainability rules and policies.  

This unit aims to:
- Explore theories underlying the complex relationship between various participants of value chains and the varied representations of sustainability that are developed
-Providing deeper insights into global, regional and local environmental governance to critically analyse the tensions, trade-offs and synergies of different dimensions of sustainability in a value chain context 
- Explore theories of green industrial policy and the pathways to successful green industrialisation of countries and/or sectors (especially considering southern perspectives)
- A comprehensive understanding of the real-world impacts of global, regional and local sustainability rules on greening business and developing policies (how sustainable transitions work in practice) 
- Creating awareness of key databases and research methods involved to measuring and mapping sustainability -related value capture and value creation for business in a world of value chains
 

Employability skills development is being supported within the unit through ILOs:
- To support discussion and debate skills, (KU4 : Evaluate the developments in the area of sustainability standards, fair trade and alternative trading systems), IS1 (Critically evaluate research on sustainability in value chains, and the interactions of global and national public and private actors and implications on sustainable business); IS2 (Evaluate of the role of multinational corporations and questions relating to sustainable value capture and upgrading); IS3 (Engage with and participation in key debates on southern understandings of sustainability); PS2 Develop practical understanding of key debates in sustainability at global and national levels through multi-actor perspectives and their implications for international sustainable development)
- Working in groups, team building and development, and recognising the views of others (TS2-Collaborate and develop effective team working dynamics; PS1- Apply problem-solving skills individually and collaboratively to produce high quality written work, presentations for academic, business and policy)
- Use library, electronic and online resources to research; analyse data (PS3- Locate suitable literature, synthesise and critically analyse information and data; TS1- Analyse and engage with key bodies of literatures to facilitate self-improvement in a professional context; TS4- Use software to analyse quantitative and qualitative data)
- Make oral presentations using appropriate media (TS3- Acquire Presentation skills and communicate arguments using digital media).

Syllabus (indicative curriculum content):
Overview of lectures: 
1. Analytical approaches to sustainability governance in and for business: Global Institutions, Trade and Industrial policy 
2. Globalisation and the environment: What are the business linkages?
3. Multilateral Trading System and Environmental Agreements and markets for sustainability
4. Green Industrial Policy and Business   
5. Value Chains and sustainability I: governance, strategies and deliberative alignment 
6. Value Chains and sustainability II: upgrading and norm building 
7. Global and national sustainability standards, certification and reporting  
8. Digital Sustainability for International Business  
9. Mapping and measuring sustainability in a value chain context
10. Panel (invited external guest speakers- to debate on a topic- policy, business, academia, INGO)

The unit will be delivered through weekly three-hour sessions typically composed of a two-hour lecture and one-hour seminar. Seminar activities include discussions (of papers, podcasts, videos), collaboration (group work, debates), investigation and practice (datasets on excel, analysis of documents), and simulation exercises of a case study. All the teaching will be performed synchronously. A high level of participation is required from all students throughout the unit. Wider reading around the themes of the lectures is expected. Formative feedback will be given during lectures and seminars. The course is supported by a dedicated Blackboard site.
There will be a total of 9 lectures (2 hours each) and 8 seminars (1 hour each), plus one panel discussion which includes guest speakers as the last lecture (3 hours).

KU1 Identify comprehensive knowledge of the main theoretical and analytical approaches relating to sustainability in value chains - Summative: Group Presentation
Formative: Discussions, simulated games

KU2 Describe the interactions between global institutions, national policymaking and business for sustainability in developed and developing countries - Summative: Reflective Essay
Formative: Discussions, simulated games

KU3 Examine the trade-offs and opportunities of how a sustainable business perspective can support or oppose inclusive growth - Summative: Group Presentation, Reflective Essay 
Formative: Discussions, simulated games

KU4 Evaluate the developments in the area of sustainability standards, fair trade and alternative trading systems- Summative: Group Presentation
Formative: Discussions, data analysis 
 

IS1 Critically evaluate research on sustainability in value chains, and the interactions of global and national public and private actors and implications on sustainable business - Summative: Reflective Essay Formative: Discussions, data analysis, simulated games

IS2 Evaluate  the role of multinational corporations and questions relating to sustainable value capture and upgrading Summative: Reflective Essay Formative: Discussions, data analysis

IS3 Engage with and participation in key debates on southern understandings of sustainability Summative: Group Presentation
Formative: Discussions
 

PS1 Apply problem-solving skills individually and collaboratively to produce high quality written work, presentations for academic, business and policy - Summative: Group Presentation, Reflective Essay Formative: Discussions, simulated games, data analysis

PS2 Develop practical understanding of key debates in sustainability at global and national levels through multi-actor perspectives and their implications for international sustainable development - Summative: Group Presentation, Reflective Essay Formative: Discussions, simulated games, data analysis

PS3 Locate suitable literature (physical and online resources), synthesise and critically analyse information and data Summative: Group Presentation, Reflective Essay Formative: Discussions, data analysis

TS1 Analyse and engage with key bodies of literatures to facilitate self-improvement in a professional context - Summative: Group Presentation Formative: Discussions, data analysis

TS2 Collaborate and develop effective team working dynamics - Summative: Group Presentation, Reflective Essay Formative: Discussions, simulated games, data analysis

TS3 Acquire presentation skills and communicate arguments using digital media - Summative: Group Presentation Formative: data analysis

TS4 Use software to analyse quantitative and qualitative data- Summative: Group Presentation, Reflective Essay Formative: data analysis
 

In class feedback from peers, course convenor/ seminar leader

Poster presentations take place in Week 25. Feedback is provided in part immediately after the presentation and through Blackboard within 2 working weeks

Due in April (week 33) with feedback provided through Blackboard within 3 working weeks

• Altenburg, T., & Rodrik, D. (2017). Green industrial policy: Accelerating structural change towards wealthy green economies. Green Industrial Policy.
• Antweiler, W., Copeland, B. R., & Taylor, M. S. (2001). Is free trade good for the environment?. American economic review, 91(4), 877-908.
• Barrientos, S., Gereffi, G., & Rossi, A. (2010). Economic and social upgrading in global production networks: Developing a framework for analysis. International Labor Review, 150(3-4), 319-340.
• Brandi, C., Schwab, J., Berger, A., & Morin, J. F. (2020). Do environmental provisions in trade agreements make exports from developing countries greener?. World Development, 129, 104899.
• Bush, S. R., Oosterveer, P., Bailey, M., & Mol, A. P. J. (2015). Sustainability governance of chains and networks: a review and future outlook. Journal of Cleaner Production, 107, 8–19.
• Clapp, J., & Dauvergne, P. (2011). Paths to a green world: The political economy of the global environment. MIT press. (Read Chapter 5)
• Corbera, E., & Brown, K. (2010). Offsetting benefits? Analyzing access to forest carbon. Environment and Planning A, 42(7), 1739-1761
• Cosbey, A., Droege, S., Fischer, C., & Munnings, C. (2019). Developing guidance for implementing border carbon adjustments: Lessons, cautions, and research needs from the literature. Review of Environmental Economics and Policy, 13(1), 3-22.
• Dagne, T.W. (2010). The Debate on Environmentally Motivated Unilateral Trade Measures in the World Trade Organization: The Way Forward, Washington University Global Studies Law Review, 9(3), 427-456.
• DeMarchi, V., Maria, E. D., & Micelli, S. (2013). Environmental strategies, upgrading and competitive advantage in global value chains. Business strategy and the environment, 22(1), 62-72.
• Dinda, S. (2004). Environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis: a survey. Ecological economics, 49(4), 431-455.
• De Vries, G.J., Ferrarini, B., 2017. What Accounts for the Growth of Carbon Dioxide Emissions in Advanced and Emerging Economies? The Role of Consumption, Technology and Global Supply Chain Participation. Ecological Economics 132, 213–223. 
• Falkner, R. (2016). The Paris Agreement and the new logic of international climate politics. International Affairs, 92(5), 1107-1125
• Gereffi, G., Humphrey, J., & Sturgeon, T. (2005). The governance of global value chains. Review of international political economy, 12(1), 78-104.
• Hallegatte, S., Heal, G., Fay, M., & Treguer, D. (2012). From growth to green growth-a framework (No. w17841). National Bureau of Economic Research.
• Krauss, J. E., & Krishnan, A. (2022). Global decisions versus local realities: Sustainability standards, priorities and upgrading dynamics in agricultural global production networks. Global Networks, 22(1), 65-88.
• Muradian, R., O'Connor, M., & Martinez-Alier, J. (2002). Embodied pollution in trade: estimating the ‘environmental load displacement’ of industrialised countries. Ecological Economics, 41(1), 51-67.
• Newell, P., & Frynas, J. G. (2007). Beyond CSR? Business, poverty and social justice: an introduction. Third world quarterly, 28(4), 669-681.
• Ponte, S. (2019). Green Capital Accumulation: Business and Sustainability Management in a World of Global Value Chains. New Political Economy, 1-13.
• Schneider, L. and & Theuer, S. (2019) ‘Environmental integrity of international carbon market mechanisms under the Paris Agreement’ Climate Policy 19(3): 386–400 

ENHANCEMENT OF DIGITAL LITERACY  
Digital skills development is being supported through developing skills to use and engage with digital media, use of various software for qualitative and quantitative data analysis, and different way to utilize and filter online resources. This has been elaborated within the unit through ILOs:PS1 (Apply problem-solving skills individually and collaboratively to produce high quality written work, presentations (including online) for academic, business and policy); PS3 (Locate suitable literature (through physical and online resources), synthesise and critically analyse information and data); TS3 (Acquire presentation skills and communicate arguments using  digital media ); TS4 (Use software to analyse qualitative and quantitative data).

STATEMENT TO SUPPORT EQUALITY,DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION 
The core of this unit is based on inclusion of less represented voices from countries/companies/individuals from the global south. This unit provide several examples and case studies from southern small medium enterprises especially from Africa and South Asia. The unit also incorporates diverse course unit reading lists (including from BAME authors) and highlights the importance of diversity and inclusion in decision making on sustainability. The course will include a female guest lecturer, from an organization in Kenya; and the final lecture of the unit will be comprised of women-only panel from underrepresented ethnic groups.