Course Syllabus
Sustainable Business Strategy |
|
| Semester & Location: |
Spring 2020 - DIS Copenhagen |
| Type & Credits: |
Elective Course - 3 credits |
| Major Disciplines: |
Business, Environmental Studies, Sustainability |
| Faculty Member: |
Adrian Owen Mongan - adrian.mongan@outlook.com |
| Program Director: |
Susanne Goul Hovmand - sgh@dis.dk |
| Program Coordinator: |
Alex Berlin - ab@dis.dk |
| Program Assistant: |
Marissa Buffo - mbu@dis.dk |
| Time & Place: |
Mondays & Thursdays 10.05 - 11.25, F24-503 |
Course Description
This course is targeted toward both the business student and the sustainability/environmental studies student. It is also appropriate for anyone who wants to acquire practical skills within sustainability. By taking this course, you will learn how to make an impact. You will see how the best are doing it in corporations, consulting and start-ups. Furthermore, you will learn new skills that will increase your attractiveness to future employers. You will become tomorrow’s leaders in sustainability.
For businesses, sustainability is a powerful and defining idea: a sustainable company is one that creates profit for its shareholders while protecting the environment and improving the lives of those with whom it interacts.
Our planet is challenged by climate change, a growing energy crisis, and resource scarcity - along with economic re-structuring. The sheer scale of the challenge, along with the nature of emerging business opportunities (e.g. UN SDGs), mean that leading players are now adopting more transformative models – integrating sustainability principles into the heart of everything they do for long-term, sustainable business success (e.g. Unilever, CHR Hansen)
Furthermore, a new generation of start-up enterprises are being established for the specific purpose of meeting the great challenges of our time; they are building new, more sustainable business models that are disrupting markets for good (e.g. circular economy). These are exciting times.
Through this course, we will take a look at some for worlds most sustainable companies and how they have taken a fully integrated approach to deliver sustainable business success in a rapidly changing world. We will focus geographically on companies in Denmark – while also conducting comparative analysis to businesses all over the world.
We will have guest lectures from the worlds most sustainable company (CHR Hansen), the worlds most sustainable energy company (Ørsted), the largest financial services provider in Denmark (Danske Bank) and many others including up and coming Start-ups.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Understand the environmental, social, and economic drivers and risks impacting on companies – along with the major business opportunities for integrating sustainability factors within the core business strategy.
- Understand the latest big-impact topics, including how businesses can meet the Circular Economy challenge.
- Develop insights on sustainable business analysis, and strategy formulation.
- Understand and contrast the differences in strategies and context, between Europe and the United States.
- Enhance your critical thinking skills.
- Develop your professional writing and presentation skills.
- Enhance your career potential and capabilities – towards becoming an effective business leader and/or change agent, in supporting the necessary transition towards a sustainable economy.
Required Texts
Custom readings are available on the DIS Canvas system.
Faculty Member: Adrian Owen Mongan
Founder & CEO, Imeall – an international consultancy/think-tank focused on economics, strategy and sustainability. Adrian has worked with a wide range of businesses, large and small, in all sectors across Europe, North America and Asia.
Adrian also lectures at Copenhagen Business School and Birkerod International Gymnasium and delivers inspirational keynote speeches.
Adrian holds a Masters in Economics from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA, and an M.A. and B.A. in Economics from University College Dublin, Ireland. With DIS since 2018.
Contact
Adrian Owen Mongan - adrian.mongan@outlook.com
Course Format
This course is structured in four key parts to enable the student to navigate our unique journey:
Part 1: Sustainability on the Strategic Agenda
Part 2: Global Opportunity Explorer
Part 3: Company Engagement with Sustainability
Part 4: Tomorrow’s Leaders in Sustainability
This course is taught with varied class formats, including:
- Discussion Classes – Based on assigned readings, these classes will combine lecture with class discussion introduce new material, along with group exercises to test and embed learning.
- Student Group Sustainability Challenge Presentations – Students will collaborate in group projects culminating in team-based presentations.
In each class we will align with concepts on other sustainability courses, but will translate into our business focus – e.g. how to translate planetary boundaries into the business context.
- Key concepts will be woven through the whole course e.g. circular economy.
- Engaging with a range of different sectors at strategic points, through the whole course.
Grading
To be eligible for a passing grade in this class, you must complete all of the assigned work. This course has no exams. Instead, student evaluation focuses on your writing of assigned papers, your presentation of your white paper project, and your engagement in this class.
Grading is broken down as follows:
| 1. Company Presentation (Group ) | 10% (10 points) |
| 2. Global Opportunity Explorer (GEO) Assignment (Group) | 10% (10 points) |
| 3. GEO Sustainability Solution Status | 10% (10 points) |
| 4. GEO Sustainability Solution Final | 30% (30 points) |
| 5. Reflection & Impact | 20% (20 points) |
| 6. Participation | 20% (20 points) |
Points Grade
93-100 A
90-93 A-
87-90 B+
83-87 B
80-83 B-
77-80 C+
73-77 C
70-73 C-
67-70 D+
63-67 D
60-63 D-
59 and below F
Academic Regulations
Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on:
DIS - Study Abroad in Scandinavia - www.DISabroad.org
Policies
Arrival to Class/Lateness – Class will begin promptly at 10:05. Please arrive on time and ready to start class at 10:05. Late arrivals disrupt the flow of the class. Repeated lateness will reduce the student’s grade for Engagement/Participation.
Late Papers/Assignments – All papers and assignments have a fixed due date. If you are unable to meet a due date, you must contact Adrian in advance to discuss any issues.
Use of Cell Phones: Your cell phone should be stored away in your backpack or purse during class. Any use of your cell phone is disrespectful of your professor and fellow students.
Use of Laptops or Tablets: Only allowed for note taking, and real-time research within the class. Definitely no facebook, chat, or zoning-out.
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|