BSc Management (Innovation, Strategy and Entrepreneurship) with Industrial / Professional Experience / Course details

Only available to students on: BSc Mgt/Mgt Specialism; IMABS, IM & ITMB.

The course aims to broaden and deepen your understanding of (1) key issues in the relationship between sustainability, business, and society, and (2) the range of conceptual approaches, frameworks and research topics relevant to the advanced study of sustainability.

The course will cover a range of theories and research-led case studies related to the following topics:
•    Sustainable consumption and behavioural change 
•    Sustainability transitions and the multi-level perspective 
•    Business model innovation and sustainable product service systems 
•    Reconfiguring production and consumption  
•    Corporate responses to climate change 
•    Industrial ecology and the circular economy 
•    Collaboration for sustainable innovation 
•    Sustainable business and ‘Green Recovery’ 

The course will be delivered through Lectures, which will include interactive group tasks and workshop discussions, plus students’ self-directed study.  Total study hours: 200 hours split between lectures, self-study and preparation for classes and end examination.
 

•    Demonstrate awareness of the ways in which the impact of business activities on society and the natural environment can be conceptualised
•    Understand the variety across approaches to implementing sustainable and responsible business practices 
•    Identify and develop strategies for managing environmental and social impact, across different organisations, sectors and geographical contexts
•    Appreciate the complexities associated with setting targets, monitoring, reporting and communicating with stakeholders in order to generate more sustainable societies 

•    Develop a critical awareness of the consequences of adopting different perspectives for conceptualising business sustainability 
•    Critically assess the challenges and opportunities associated with a range of strategies for improving sustainability and responsibility in business 
•    Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of context in constraining and enabling the implementation of sustainable business initiatives (organisational, sectorial, geographical, social and environmental) 
 

•    Design strategies for promoting sustainable and responsible business in practice 
•    Communicate the need for business to engage with environmental and social issues 
•    Collect, analyse and present evidence to support the case for action to improve and environmental and social sustainability
•    Enhance skills at report writing in a group context.

•    Appreciate the importance of taking personal and organisational responsibility to promote the adoption of sustainable and responsible business practices 
•    Critical analysis, research and data presentation skills 
•    Effective contribution to a team in order to develop solutions to unstructured problems

• Informal advice, discussion and feedback during lectures and office hours.
• Responses to questions and requests for feedback from students by email.
• Generic feedback posted on Blackboard regarding overall examination performance.
• Written and/or verbal comments on student group presentation and report.

There is no single text book for the course. Readings will include academic journal articles, industry reports and book chapters, including extracts from Kopnina, H., & Blewitt, J. (2018) Sustainable Business: Key issues, (second edition) Routledge: London. (which is available electronically in UoM library).
Links to required and additional reading materials will be available on Blackboard.
 

Jo Mylan leads lectures and workshops, with topical guest lectures to be confirmed.