Course

Sustainable Business Practices (MSB325)

It is long since the notion of sustainability was confined to environmental policies and non-governmental organizations. Core business trends and strategies are increasingly related to sustainability considerations. This is related to both natural and social resources: Natural resources may be scarce, and the processing, distribution, and consumption of these resources may produce externalities that harm businesses operations. Social resources are also critical for businesses. They come in many forms; as employees and potential employees, as strategic partners, as suppliers, as customers, as the general public, or as a property of a network covering one or more of these actors.

This course gives a thorough introduction into the literature on sustainable business strategies and practices. This is a cross-disciplinary field related to topics like market analysis, institutional theory, resource economics, and business strategy. Is economic growth constrained by scarce resources or by environmental policies? How do we utilise network resources in a sustainable manner? What is the best way to measure growth and how do we approach new technology in a green circular economy? What characterizes the relationship between governments and businesses in such economies? These are questions we will explore in this course.


Course description for study year 2021-2022. Please note that changes may occur.

See course description and exam/assesment information for this semester (2024-2025)

Semesters

Facts

Course code

MSB325

Credits (ECTS)

10

Semester tution start

Autumn

Language of instruction

English

Number of semesters

1

Exam semester

Autumn

Time table

View course schedule

Literature

The syllabus can be found in Leganto

Content

The course will cover the following topics:
  1. How to determine sustainable business practices?
  2. Key features of the modern business entity and business model
  3. Race to the bottom and a level playing field
  4. Life Cycle Cost (LCC) and externality costs
  5. Transaction costs, and supply chain management
  6. Leading sustainable business practice

Learning outcome

Knowledge:

Upon completion of the course, students will have acquired a thorough understanding of:

  • Definitions of "corporate social responsibility" and "sustainability", "exergy", and "entropy".
  • The historic development of the business enterprise and early examples of sustainability debates.
  • Drivers and barriers of sustainable business strategies.
  • The multilevel relationship between governments and businesses.
  • The main alternatives and implications with regard to life cycle costs and externality costs.
  • Current examples of sustainable business practices.

Skills:

Upon completion of the course, students will:

  • Understand the academic debate on the "race to the bottom" and the "level playing field".
  • Have thorough knowledge of examples of a circular economy, and of business cases explaining dilemmas and challenges related to sustainable business leadership.
  • Experience in analysing and discussing sustainable business strategies.

Required prerequisite knowledge

None

Exam

Form of assessment Weight Duration Marks Aid Exam system Withdrawal deadline Exam date
Group assignment 3/5 Letter grades — 02.11.2021 —
Presentation of group assignment 2/5 Letter grades — — —


Written assignment, including an oral presentation, by groups of 2-4 persons.

Students will be offered brief digital supervisions as part of their work on the assignment. No resit.

Coursework requirements

Seminar presentation, A sketch of the assignment, 15 minutes presentation in a group session at one of the seminars

Course teacher(s)

Course coordinator:

Thomas Laudal

Study Program Director:

Ingeborg Foldøy Solli

Course teacher:

Arvind Upadhyay

Course teacher:

Ali Türkyilmaz

Course teacher:

Farheen Naz

Method of work

The course will be delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars and written assignment. The seminars will include student presentations and discussions. Each student will be required to give at least one seminar presentation. All students are expected to read the required literature ahead of the seminars and to participate actively in discussions. Seminars will include dilemmas based on case stories. Students will submit a written assignment and an oral presentation based on the assignment.

Estimated student workload in hours:

1. Lecture 26

2. Seminar/exercise 26

3. Supervision 40

4. Student's self studies 120

5. Written assignment 60

TOTAL 272

Open for

All master study programs at the University of Stavanger.

Course assessment

Students will have the opportunity to give feedback on the course first in an early dialogue, and then in a written course evaluation at the end of the course.

Literature

Book

Mainstreaming corporate sustainability : using proven tools to promote business success Farver, Suzanne,, Plantation, FL :, J Ross Publishing, xix, 303 pages ;, [2019], isbn:9781604271706, https://bibsys-ur.userservices.exlibrisgroup.com/view/uresolver/47BIBSYS_UBIS/openurl-UIS?ctx_enc=info:ofi/enc:UTF-8&ctx_id=10_1&ctx_tim=2021-06-08T23:34:47IST&ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&url_ctx_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rfr_id=info:sid/primo.exlibrisgroup.com-econis&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:book&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Mainstreaming%20corporate%20sustainability&rft.au=Farver,%20Suzanne&rft.date=2019&rft.isbn=9781604271706&rft_id=info:doi/&rft.edition=Second%20edition&rft.pub=J.%20Ross%20Publishing&rft.place=Plantation,%20FL&rft_id=info:bibcode/&rft_id=info:hdl/&rft_id=info:lccn/&rft_id=info:oclcnum/&rft_id=info:pmid/&rft_id=info:eric/&rft_dat=%3ceconis%3e167850615X%3c/econis%3e,language=eng,view=UBIS&svc_dat=getit&user_ip=10.16.56.56&req.skin=primoView online

Article

Circular Economy: The Concept and its Limitations Korhonen, Jouni ; Honkasalo, Antero ; Seppälä, Jyri, AMSTERDAM, Elsevier B.V, 37-46, Ecological economics, 143, 2018-01, 37-46, https://bibsys-ur.userservices.exlibrisgroup.com/view/uresolver/47BIBSYS_UBIS/openurl-UIS?ctx_enc=info:ofi/enc:UTF-8&ctx_id=10_1&ctx_tim=2021-06-08T23:37:16IST&ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&url_ctx_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rfr_id=info:sid/primo.exlibrisgroup.com-gale_webof&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Circular%20Economy:%20The%20Concept%20and%20its%20Limitations&rft.jtitle=Ecological%20economics&rft.au=Korhonen,%20Jouni&rft.date=2018-01&rft.volume=143&rft.spage=37&rft.epage=46&rft.pages=37-46&rft.issn=0921-8009&rft.eissn=1873-6106&rft_id=info:doi/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2017.06.041&rft.pub=Elsevier%20B.V&rft.place=AMSTERDAM&rft.stitle=ECOL%20ECON&rft_id=info:bibcode/&rft_id=info:hdl/&rft_id=info:lccn/&rft_id=info:oclcnum/&rft_id=info:pmid/&rft_id=info:eric/&rft_dat=%3cgale_webof%3eA523032463%3c/gale_webof%3e%3curl%3e%3c/url%3e,language=eng,view=UBIS&svc_dat=viewit&user_ip=10.16.56.56&req.skin=primo&rft_galeid=A523032463View online

Article

Measuring shared value in multinational corporations Laudal, Thomas, 917-933, Social responsibility journal, 4, 14, 2018-10, 917-933, https://bibsys-ur.userservices.exlibrisgroup.com/view/uresolver/47BIBSYS_UBIS/openurl-UIS?ctx_enc=info:ofi/enc:UTF-8&ctx_id=10_1&ctx_tim=2021-06-08T23:38:50IST&ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&url_ctx_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rfr_id=info:sid/primo.exlibrisgroup.com-crossref&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Measuring%20shared%20value%20in%20multinational%20corporations&rft.jtitle=Social%20responsibility%20journal&rft.au=Laudal,%20Thomas&rft.date=2018-10&rft.volume=14&rft.issue=4&rft.spage=917&rft.epage=933&rft.pages=917-933&rft.issn=1747-1117&rft.eissn=1758-857X&rft_id=info:doi/10.1108/SRJ-08-2017-0169&rft_id=info:bibcode/&rft_id=info:hdl/&rft_id=info:lccn/&rft_id=info:oclcnum/&rft_id=info:pmid/&rft_id=info:eric/&rft_dat=%3ccrossref%3e10_1108_SRJ_08_2017_0169%3c/crossref%3e%3curl%3e%3c/url%3e,language=eng,view=UBIS&svc_dat=viewit&user_ip=10.16.56.56&req.skin=primoView online

Book Extract

The value of everything : making and taking in the global economy Mazzucato, Mariana, London, Penguin Books, XIX, 358 sider, 2019, isbn:978-0-141-98076-8, Excerpt: 9 pages

Book Extract

The visible hand : the managerial revolution in American business Chandler, Alfred D., Cambridge, Mass., Belknap Press, XVI, 608 s., c1977, isbn:0674940512; 0674940520, Excerpt: 11 pages.

Book Extract

The corporation : the pathological pursuit of profit and power Bakan, Joel, New York, Free Press, 228 s., 2004, isbn:978-0-7432-4746-7; 0743247442; 978-0-7432-4744-3; 9781845290795; 1845290798, Excerpt: 23 pages.

Book Extract

Determinants and impacts of corporate social responsibility : a market centric approach Laudal, Thomas, Stavanger, University of Stavanger Faculty of Social Sciences, XVIII, 289 s., 2011, isbn:9788276444469, Excerpt: 13 pages. https://uis.brage.unit.no/uis-xmlui/handle/11250/184954View online

Article

Sustainable Supply Chains: Governance Mechanisms to Greening Suppliers Gimenez, Cristina ; Sierra, Vicenta, Dordrecht, Springer, 189-203, Journal of business ethics, 1, 116, 2013-08-01, 189-203, https://bibsys-ur.userservices.exlibrisgroup.com/view/uresolver/47BIBSYS_UBIS/openurl-UIS?ctx_enc=info:ofi/enc:UTF-8&ctx_id=10_1&ctx_tim=2021-06-08T23:47:02IST&ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&url_ctx_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rfr_id=info:sid/primo.exlibrisgroup.com-gale_cross&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Sustainable%20Supply%20Chains:%20Governance%20Mechanisms%20to%20Greening%20Suppliers&rft.jtitle=Journal%20of%20business%20ethics&rft.au=Gimenez,%20Cristina&rft.date=2013-08-01&rft.volume=116&rft.issue=1&rft.spage=189&rft.epage=203&rft.pages=189-203&rft.issn=0167-4544&rft.eissn=1573-0697&rft_id=info:doi/10.1007/s10551-012-1458-4&rft.pub=Springer&rft.place=Dordrecht&rft.stitle=J%20Bus%20Ethics&rft_id=info:bibcode/&rft_id=info:hdl/&rft_id=info:lccn/&rft_id=info:oclcnum/&rft_id=info:pmid/&rft_id=info:eric/&rft_dat=%3cgale_cross%3eA342428075%3c/gale_cross%3e%3curl%3e%3c/url%3e,language=eng,view=UBIS&svc_dat=viewit&user_ip=10.16.56.56&req.skin=primo&rft_galeid=A342428075View online

Article

Sustainable Platform Economy: Connections with the Sustainable Development Goals Fuster Morell, Mayo ; Espelt, Ricard ; Renau Cano, Melissa, BASEL, MDPI, 7640-, Sustainability (Basel, Switzerland), 18, 12, 2020-09-01, 7640 https://bibsys-ur.userservices.exlibrisgroup.com/view/uresolver/47BIBSYS_UBIS/openurl-UIS?ctx_enc=info:ofi/enc:UTF-8&ctx_id=10_1&ctx_tim=2021-06-08T23:47:56IST&ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&url_ctx_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rfr_id=info:sid/primo.exlibrisgroup.com-webofscience_doaj_&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Sustainable%20Platform%20Economy:%20Connections%20with%20the%20Sustainable%20Development%20Goals&rft.jtitle=Sustainability%20(Basel,%20Switzerland)&rft.au=Fuster%20Morell,%20Mayo&rft.date=2020-09-01&rft.volume=12&rft.issue=18&rft.spage=7640&rft.pages=7640-&rft.issn=2071-1050&rft.eissn=2071-1050&rft_id=info:doi/10.3390/su12187640&rft.pub=MDPI&rft.place=BASEL&rft.stitle=SUSTAINABILITY-BASEL&rft_id=info:bibcode/&rft_id=info:hdl/&rft_id=info:lccn/&rft_id=info:oclcnum/&rft_id=info:pmid/&rft_id=info:eric/&rft_dat=%3cwebofscience_doaj_%3e000584312900001%3c/webofscience_doaj_%3e%3curl%3e%3c/url%3e,language=eng,view=UBIS&svc_dat=viewit&user_ip=10.16.56.56&req.skin=primoView online

Blog

What is the role of governments in climate change adaptation Konrad, K. A., Thum, M., https://blog.oup.com/2014/07/government-adaptation-climate-change/View online

Article

Managing a Complex Global Circular Economy Business Model: Opportunities and Challenges Hopkinson, Peter ; Zils, Markus ; Hawkins, Philip ; Roper, Stuart, Los Angeles, CA, SAGE Publications, 71-94, California management review, 3, 60, 2018-05, 71-94, https://bibsys-ur.userservices.exlibrisgroup.com/view/uresolver/47BIBSYS_UBIS/openurl-UIS?ctx_enc=info:ofi/enc:UTF-8&ctx_id=10_1&ctx_tim=2021-06-08T23:51:51IST&ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&url_ctx_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rfr_id=info:sid/primo.exlibrisgroup.com-gale_webof&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Managing%20a%20Complex%20Global%20Circular%20Economy%20Business%20Model:%20Opportunities%20and%20Challenges&rft.jtitle=California%20management%20review&rft.au=Hopkinson,%20Peter&rft.date=2018-05&rft.volume=60&rft.issue=3&rft.spage=71&rft.epage=94&rft.pages=71-94&rft.issn=0008-1256&rft.eissn=2162-8564&rft_id=info:doi/10.1177/0008125618764692&rft.pub=SAGE%20Publications&rft.place=Los%20Angeles,%20CA&rft.stitle=CALIF%20MANAGE%20REV&rft_id=info:bibcode/&rft_id=info:hdl/&rft_id=info:lccn/&rft_id=info:oclcnum/&rft_id=info:pmid/&rft_id=info:eric/&rft_dat=%3cgale_webof%3eA537806620%3c/gale_webof%3e%3curl%3e%3c/url%3e,language=eng,view=UBIS&svc_dat=viewit&user_ip=10.16.56.56&req.skin=primo&rft_galeid=A537806620View online

Article

Life Cycle Cost Analysis of Electrical Vehicles in Australia Kara, Sami ; Li, Wen ; Sadjiva, Nikkita, Elsevier B.V, 767-772, Procedia CIRP, 61, 2017, 767-772, https://bibsys-ur.userservices.exlibrisgroup.com/view/uresolver/47BIBSYS_UBIS/openurl-UIS?ctx_enc=info:ofi/enc:UTF-8&ctx_id=10_1&ctx_tim=2021-06-08T23:53:20IST&ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&url_ctx_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rfr_id=info:sid/primo.exlibrisgroup.com-elsevier_cross&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Life%20Cycle%20Cost%20Analysis%20of%20Electrical%20Vehicles%20in%20Australia&rft.jtitle=Procedia%20CIRP&rft.au=Kara,%20Sami&rft.date=2017&rft.volume=61&rft.spage=767&rft.epage=772&rft.pages=767-772&rft.issn=2212-8271&rft.eissn=2212-8271&rft_id=info:doi/10.1016/j.procir.2016.11.179&rft.pub=Elsevier%20B.V&rft_id=info:bibcode/&rft_id=info:hdl/&rft_id=info:lccn/&rft_id=info:oclcnum/&rft_id=info:pmid/&rft_id=info:eric/&rft_dat=%3celsevier_cross%3eS2212827116313397%3c/elsevier_cross%3e,language=eng,view=UBIS&svc_dat=getit&user_ip=10.16.56.56&req.skin=primoView online

Contact

Course coordinator:

Thomas Laudal

Study Program Director:

Ingeborg Foldøy Solli

Course teacher:

Arvind Upadhyay

Course teacher:

Ali Türkyilmaz

Course teacher:

Farheen Naz

Offered by

UiS Business School

UiS School of Business and Law

The course description is retrieved from FS (Felles studentsystem). Version 1