Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-tj2md Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-16T04:03:51.969Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Sustainability in the undergraduate and postgraduate business curriculum of a regional university: A critical perspective

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 February 2015

Tania von der Heidt  and
Geoff Lamberton
Tania von der Heidt
Affiliation:
School of Commerce and Management, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW, Australia
Geoff Lamberton
Affiliation:
School of Commerce and Management, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW, Australia
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The challenge to embed sustainability in the formal curriculum has been greatest for the business studies curriculum. Schools of business have been perceived as key socialising agencies for the intelligentsia of advanced capitalist societies, whereas the students of sustainability need to be helped to critique the dominant capitalist paradigm and consider its alternatives. Drawing on a critical perspective of education for sustainability, this paper presents a detailed examination of the sustainability curriculum at a regional university in Australia. The paper contributes to the discussion needed to understand what sustainability skills are required by managers and how tertiary education programs may need to change to develop these skills. In this way the nature of the role that business schools should be playing in leading and managing change towards sustainability is further informed.

Keywords

sustainabilitysustainable developmentcritical curriculum theorisingeducation for sustainability
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Management & Organization , Volume 17 , Issue 5: Educating for Sustainability and CSR: What is the role of business schools? , September 2011 , pp. 670 - 690
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. (2007). AACSB assurance of learning standards: An interpretation. Accessed 04 22, 2010, from http://www.aacsb.edu/accreditation/papers/AOLPaper-final-11-20-07.pdf/Google Scholar
Australian Learning and Teaching Council. (2010). Sustainability website. Accessed 05 28, 2010, from http://www.altc.edu.au/2010May-sustainability-websiteGoogle Scholar
Barlett, P. F. (2008). Reason and reenchantment. Current Anthropology, 49(6), 1077–1098.Google Scholar
Bates, C., Silverblatt, R., & Kleban, J. (2009). Creating a new green management course. The Business Review, Cambridge, 12(1), 60–66.Google Scholar
Bates, C., Silverblatt, R., & Kleban, J. (2010). Updating a business environment management track. The Business Review, Cambridge, 15(2), 43–49.Google Scholar
Bath, D., Smith, C., Stein, S., & Swann, R. (2004). Beyond mapping and embedding graduate attributes: Bringing together quality assurance and action learning to create a validated and living curriculum. Higher Education Research & Development, 23(3), 313–328.Google Scholar
Bonini, S., & Oppenheim, J. (2008). Cultivating the green consumer. Stanford Social Innovation Review, 6(4), 56–61.Google Scholar
Bridges, C. M., & Wilhelm, W. B. (2008). Going beyond green: The ‘why and how’ of integrating sustainability into the marketing curriculum. Journal of Marketing Education, 30(1), 33–46.Google Scholar
Brundtland, G. H. (1987). Our common future: The world commission on environment and development. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Cobb, J. B. J. (1998). Notes from ‘Sustainability and the Liberal Arts' Conference’. Sustainability and the Liberal Arts Conference. Conway, AR.Google Scholar
Crebert, G., Bates, M., Bell, B., Patrick, C.-J., & Cragnolini, V. (2004). Developing generic skills and university, during work placement and in employment: Graduate perceptions. Higher Education Research & Development, 23(2), 147–165.Google Scholar
Darby, J., Ford, P., Goodyear, P., Graves, J., Harwood, D., Heseltine, R., et al. (1996). Managing change in higher education. Buckingham, UK: Society for Research in into Higher Education & University Press.Google Scholar
Dean, A. M., & Cowley, K. (2009). Creating a foundation for generic skills by embedding information literacy in commencing student assessment tasks. Paper presented to Australian and New Zealand Marketing Academy, Melbourne. Accessed April 18, 2010, from http://www.duplication.net.au/ANZMAC09/Papers.html/Google Scholar
Department of Education Employment and Work Relations. (2008). Higher education statistics. Accessed April 29, 2010, from http://www.deewr.gov.au/HigherEducation/Publications?HESTatistics/Publications/Pages/2008FullYear.aspx/Google Scholar
Department of the Environment Water Heritage and the Arts. (2009). Living sustainably: The Australian government's national action plan for education for sustainability. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia.Google Scholar
DesJardins, J. (2007). Business ethics and the environment: Imagining a sustainable future. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.Google Scholar
Down, L. (2006). Addressing the challenges of mainstreaming education for sustainable development in higher education. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 7(4), 390–399.Google Scholar
Dunphy, D., Griffiths, A., & Benn, S. (2007). Organisational change for corporate sustainability. New York, London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Elsayed, K., & Paton, D. (2010). The impact of financial performance on environmental policy: Does firm life cycle matter? Business Strategy and the Environment, 18(6), 397–407.Google Scholar
Ferraro, C., & Sands, S. (2009). ‘Greentailing’: A key to thriving in recession?'. Paper presented to Australian and New Zealand Marketing Academy, Melbourne. Accessed http://www.duplication.net.au/ANZMAC09/Papers.html/Google Scholar
Franklin, D. (2008). Just good business. The Economist, 01 17, Special Edition, pp. 3–6. Accessed May 10, 2010, from http://www.economist.com/node/10491077?story_id=E1_TDQJTDSSGoogle Scholar
Gladwin, T., Kennelly, J., & Krause, T. S. (1995). Shifting paradigms for sustainable development: Implications for management theory. Academy of Management Review, 20(4), 874–907.Google Scholar
Glasser, H., Calder, W., & Fadeeva, Z. (2005). Definition: Research in higher education for sustainability. Halifax, NS: Halifax Consultation.Google Scholar
Greenspoon, J. S. (2008). Sustainability in the graduate business curriculum: Implications for business schools. Master of Arts thesis. Toronto: University of Toronto.Google Scholar
Hamschmidt, J., & Dyllick, T. (2006). ISO 14001: Profitable? Yes? But is it eco-effective? In Shaltegger, S. & Wagner, M. (Eds.), Managing the business case for sustainability (pp. 554–568). Sheffield: Greenleaf Publishing.Google Scholar
Hargroves, K., & Smith, M. (2005). The natural advantage of nations. London: Earthscan.Google Scholar
Hatfield-Dodds, S., Turner, G., Schandl, H., & Doss, T. (2008). Growing the green collar economy: Skills and labour challenges in reducing our greenhouse emissions and national environmental footprint. Canberra: Report to the Dusseldorp Skills Forum.Google Scholar
Hunting, S. A., May, J., & Tilbury, D. (2006). Education about and for sustainability in Australian business schools: Embedding sustainability in MBA Programs – Stage 2. Sydney: Australian Research Institute in Education for Sustainability for the Australian Government Department of the Environmental and Water Resources. Accessed 04 27, 2010, from http://www.aries.mq.edu.au/projects/MBA2/Google Scholar
Hunting, S. A., & Tilbury, D. (2006). Shifting toward sustainability: Six insights into successful organisational change for sustainability. Sydney: Australian Research Institute in Education for Sustainability for the Australian Government Department of the Environment and Heritage. Accessed 04 27, 2010, from http://www.aries.mq.edu.au/Google Scholar
IPCC. (2007). Synthesis Report. Geneva: IPCC. Accessed 09 14, 2010, from http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/publications_ipcc_fourth_assessment_report_synthesis_report.htmGoogle Scholar
Ithaca College. (2004). Ithaca College to produce business leaders who are equally about profits, society and the environment. PR Newswire, 3 March.Google Scholar
James, R. (2002). Academic standards and the assessment of student learning: Some current issues in Australian higher education. University of Melbourne: Centre for the Study of Higher Education.Google Scholar
Johansen, I. (2007). Exploring the principle of equal emission rights. Ethics of Climate Change (Norwegian Academy of Technological Sciences), 1–53. Accessed 10 07, 2010, from http://www.euro-case.org/documents/ethics-climate.pdfGoogle Scholar
Jones, J. (2002). Generic attributes: An agenda for reform or control. In Changing identities: Proceedings of the language and academic skills conference. Wollongong, NSW: University of Wollongong.Google Scholar
Kearins, K., & Springett, D. (2003). Educating for sustainability: Developing critical skills. Journal of Management Education, 27, 188–204.Google Scholar
Kemp, R., Parto, S., & Gibson, R. B. (2005). Governance for sustainable development: Moving from theory to practice. International Journal of Sustainable Development, 8(1–2), 12–30.Google Scholar
Kiuchi, T., & Shireman, B. (2002). What we learned in the rainforest: Business lessons from nature – Innovation, growth, profit and sustainability at 20 of the world's top companies. San Fransisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers.Google Scholar
Levy, D. L. (1995). The environmental practices and performance of transnational corporations. Transnational Corporations, 4(1), 44–67.Google Scholar
Lizzio, A., & Wilson, K. (2004). First-year students' perceptions of capability. Studies in Higher Education, 29(1), 109–128.Google Scholar
Lovins, A., Lovins, L. H., & Hawken, P. (1999). Road map for natural capitalism. Harvard Business Review, 77(3), 145–158.Google Scholar
Lubin, D. A., & Esty, D. C. (2010). The sustainability imperative. Harvard Business Review, 88(5), 43–50.Google Scholar
Martin, A., & Steele, F. (2010). Sustainability in key professions: Accounting. Canberra: Australian Research Institute in Education for Sustainability. Accessed http://www.aries.mq.edu.au/Google Scholar
Mawhinney, M. (2002). Sustainable development: Understanding the green debates. Oxford: Blackwell Science.Google Scholar
McDonough, W., & Braungart, M. (2002). Cradle to cradle: Remaking the way we make things. New York: North Point.Google Scholar
McKeown, R. (2002). Education for sustainable development toolkit. Waste Management Research and Education Institution. Knoxville: Univeristy of Tennessee. Accessed 04 22, 2010, from http://www.esdtoolkit.org/Google Scholar
Munier, N. (2005). Introduction to sustainability: Road to a better future. Dordrecht, NL: Springer.Google Scholar
Munn, T. (2003). Effective assessment: Do students learn what we are teaching? Adelaide: University of South Australia.Google Scholar
Nidumolu, R., Prahalad, C. K., & Rangaswami, M. R. (2009). ‘Why sustainability is now the key driver of innovation. Harvard Business Review, 87(9), 57–64.Google Scholar
Patterson, B. M. (2009). Management of sustainability: Assessor's report & composite of good practice (F227). In The ACU Commonwealth university management benchmarking preworkshop report (pp. 48–63). London: The Association of Commonwealth Universities.Google Scholar
Polonsky, M. J., Morrish, S., & Miles, M. (2009). Green marketing in the top publicly traded Australian organisations. Melbourne: Paper presented to Australian and New Zealand Marketing Academy. Acccesed http://www.duplication.net.au/ANZMAC09/Papers.html/Google Scholar
Porter, M., & Kramer, M. (2006). Strategy and society: The link between competitive advantage and corporate social responsibility. Harvard Business Review, 84(12), 78–93.Google Scholar
Reynolds, P., & Cavanagh, R. (2009). Sustainable education: Principles and practices. Paper presented to Annual Conference of the Australian Association for Research in Education, Canberra.Google Scholar
Roffe, I. (2010). Sustainability of curriculum development for enterprise education. Education and Training, 52(2), 140–164.Google Scholar
Rusinko, C. A. (2005). Using quality management as a bridge in educating for sustainability in a business school. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 6(4), 340–350.Google Scholar
Schaltegger, S., & Wagner, M. (2006). Managing the business case for sustainability: The integration of social, environmental and economic performance. Sheffield: Greenleaf Publishing.Google Scholar
Schmuck, P., & Schultz, W. P. (2002). Psychology of sustainable development. Norwell, MA: Kluwer Academic Publishers.Google Scholar
Sharfman, M. P., & Fernando, C. S. (2008). Environmental risk management and the cost of capital. Strategic Management Journal, 29, 569–592.Google Scholar
Springett, D. (2005). Education for sustainability in the business studies curriculum: A call for a critical agenda. Business Strategy and the Environment, 14, 146–159.Google Scholar
Steketee, D. (2009). A million decisions. Journal of Management Education, 33(3), 391–401.Google Scholar
Stubbs, W., & Cocklin, C. (2008). An ecological modernist interpretation of sustainability: The case of Interface Inc. Business Strategy and the Environment, 17, 512–523.Google Scholar
The Association of Commonwealth Universities. (2009). The ACU commonwealth university management benchmarking programme for 2009. Pre-workshop Report.Google Scholar
Thomas, I., Sandri, O., & Hegarty, K. (2010). Green jobs in Australia: What are we talking about? School of Global Studies, Social Science and Planning, RMIT University. Accessed 05 16, 2010, from http://www.sustainabilitymatters.net.au/articles/28995-Green-jobs/Google Scholar
Thomas, J., & Benn, S. (2009). Education about and for sustainability in Australian business schools – Stage 3: An action research program. Canberra: Australian Research Institute in Education for Sustainability (ARIES) for the Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. Accessed April 27, 2010, from http://www.aries.com.au/Google Scholar
Tilbury, D., Crawley, C., & Berry, F. (2005). Education about and for sustainability in Australian business schools – Stage 1. Sydney: Australian Research Institute in Education for Sustainability and ARUP Sustainability for the Australian Government Department of the Environment and Heritage. Accessed April 27, 2010, from http://www.aries.mq.edu.au/projects/ed_sustainability/Google Scholar
Trelaven, L., & Voola, R. (2008). Integrating the development of graduate attributes through constructive alignment. Journal of Marketing Education, 30(2), 160–193.Google Scholar
United Nations Economic and Social Council. (2005). Strategy for education for sustainable development – adopted at the high level meeting. Vilnius: United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation. Accessed May 10, 2010, from http://www.unece.org/env/documents/2005/cep/ac.13/cep.ac.13.2005.3.rev.1.3.pdf/Google Scholar
United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation. (2005). Guidelines and recommendations for reorienting teacher education to address sustainability. Vilnius: United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation. Accessed 05 10, 2010, from http://www.unesco.org/education/desd/Google Scholar
United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation. (2007). The UN decade of education for sustainable development (DESD 2005-2014): The ?rst two years. Paris: United Nations Educational Scienti?c and Cultural Organisation. Accessed 05 10, 2010, from http://unesco.org/education/desd/Google Scholar
United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation. (2009). The Bonn declaration. Paper presented to UNESCO World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development, Bonn, 31 March to 2 April. Accesed May 10, 2010, from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0018/001873/187305e.pdf/Google Scholar
United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation. (2010). UNESCO strategy for the second half of the UN decade of education for sustainable development. Paris: United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation. Accessed May 10, 2010, from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0018/001873/187305e.pdf/Google Scholar
University Leaders for a Sustainable Future. (2007). Programs (Talloires declaration). Accessed June 26, 2010, from http://www.ulsf.org/Google Scholar
Wright, T. S. (2007). Developing research priorities with a cohort of higher education for sustainability experts. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 8(1), 34–43.Google Scholar