On completion of the course, the students will be able to

1. explain theories, concepts and models of sustainable development and socially and ecologically sustainable enterprises,
2. explain the major challenges and opportunities for building a sustainable enterprise in international and diverse environments,

3. identify business opportunities for different markets for sustainable products and services,
4. develop strategies for building socially and ecologically sustainable enterprises,

5. analyze the feasibility of socially and ecologically sustainable products, services and/or enterprises, and
6. reflect on the role of responsibility for enterprises in society with regards to social and ecological sustainability

This course introduces students to concepts in the fields of sustainable development and social and ecological sustainability. The course provides frameworks to create, scale and replicate sustainable enterprises as a means of eliminating poverty and/or ecological deterioration. The course pays particular attention to the regulatory and voluntary frameworks that sustainable enterprises are expected to relate to, in connection with these themes – at the local, regional and international level.

The content reflects the various aspects relevant in developing a sustainable enterprise including:

• sustainable development and sustainability – including human ecology,
• challenges of poverty, exclusion, environmental degradation and climate change,
• perspectives on economic growth and implications for sustainability
• regulatory and voluntary frameworks for enterprise development– including system thinking and triple bottom line,
• concepts and models describing sustainable organizations – including social enterprises and ecological enterprises,
• creation and development for different markets – including the bottom of the pyramid and the lifestyle of health and sustainability, and
• sustainable product design and business modelling for launching, scaling and replicating a sustainable enterprise.

Connection to Research and Practice

In “The Sustainable Enterprise - Social and Ecological Perspectives” we will be exploring and applying the latest scientific literature on some of the greatest challenges facing business, both large and small. Students will become aware of the connection between scientific research and business operations and management practices by studying the that linear economic activities, that is, those which are based on “take-make-consume-waste”, is now an unsustainable way to pursue economic growth. The linear economy of targeting ongoing economic growth has reached its “use by date”. Managers need to take up practices supportive of a circular economy of Reducing waste, Repairing products, Remanufacturing, Recycle up, Restoring nature and Reimagining the future of products and services. Sustainability is a major topic of research at JIBS being a key research domain for both MMTC and CeFEO research centers.

Lectures, seminars, guest lectures, tutoring, group projects, individual learning journal, seminar discussion, and presentations.

The teaching is conducted in English.

15 credits in Business Administration or Economics or equivalent.

The course is graded A, B, C, D, E, FX or F.

Assessment block 1:
Minor Group project 1: (ILOs: 1, 2 and 5) representing 1 credit
Written examination: (ILOs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6) representing 4 credits

Assessment block 2:
Major Group project 2: (ILOs: 1, 2 and 5) representing 3 credits
Learning journal: (ILOs: 6) representing 3 credits
Written examination: (ILOs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6) representing 4 credits
Registration of examination:

Name of the Test	Value	Grading
Minor group project (Assessment block 1)1	1 credit	A/B/C/D/E/FX/F
Written examination (Assessment block 1)1	4 credits	A/B/C/D/E/FX/F
Major group project (Assessment block 2)1	3 credits	A/B/C/D/E/FX/F
Learning journal (Assessment block 2)1	3 credits	A/B/C/D/E/FX/F
Written examination (Assessment block 2)1	4 credits	A/B/C/D/E/FX/F

¹ All parts of the compulsory examination in the course must be passed with a passing grade (A-E ) before a final grade can be set. The final grade of the course is determined by the sum total of points for all parts of the examination in the course (0-100 points). Grade is set in accordance to JIBS grading policy. (A-E or Pass)

It is the responsibility of the examiner to ensure that each course is evaluated. At the outset of the course, evaluators must be identified (elected) among the students. The course evaluation is carried out continuously as well as at the end of the course. On the completion of the course the course evaluators and course examiner discuss the course evaluation and possible improvements. A summary report is created and archived. The reports are followed up by programme directors and discussed in programme groups and with relevant others (depending on issue e.g. Associate Dean of Education, Associate Dean of faculty, Director of PhD Candidates, Dean and Director of Studies). The next time the course runs, students should be informed of any measures taken to improve the course based on the previous course evaluation.

JIBS students are expected to maintain a strong academic integrity. This implies to behave within the boundaries of academic rules and expectations relating to all types of teaching and examination.

Copying someone else’s work is a particularly serious offence and can lead to disciplinary action. When you copy someone else’s work, you are plagiarizing. You must not copy sections of work (such as paragraphs, diagrams, tables and words) from any other person, including another student or any other author. Cutting and pasting is a clear example of plagiarism. There is a workshop and online resources to assist you in not plagiarizing called the Interactive Anti-Plagiarism Guide. Other forms of breaking academic integrity include (but are not limited to) adding your name to a project you did not work on (or allowing someone to add their name), cheating on an examination, helping other students to cheat and submitting other students work as your own, and using non-allowed electronic equipment during an examination. All of these make you liable to disciplinary action.

Robért, Karl-Henrik et al. (2012) Sustainability Handbook: Planning strategically towards ssustainability, Lund: Studentliteratur.

Wiek, A., Withycombe, L., & Redman, C. L. (2011). Key competencies in sustainability: a reference framework for academic program development. Sustainability Science, 6(2), 203-218.

A reading list of articles will be made available at the start of the course.