BUSINESS STRATEGIES FOR SUSTAINABILITY

概要

In the time of SDGs and ESG, sustainability is becoming an increasingly important area for corporate managers (and for public policymakers) to handle in global business operations. Climate change is an example of sustainability issues. What strategic and management vision to demonstrate towards global climate change is becoming a key strategic and managerial issue for the companies in the energy-intensive industry sectors. Human rights are another example of sustainability issue. For the companies operating in the developing countries (such as oil and gas, chemical, pulp and paper, and trading companies), poor strategy and management of human rights often addresses serious risk to their business in the global market. This course introduces concepts and practices of sustainability management. We will read several leading articles to understand how companies can cope with different sustainability issues such as human rights, the environment, product safety and labor relations. By reading them, we will explore how companies strategize and operationalize sustainability. We will also pay attention to the roles of different stakeholders surrounding them including customers, shareholders and employees as well as suppliers, financial institutions, governments and local communities. We will also review key theoretical approaches in sustainability management to gain a conception foundation on this subject.

目標

The objective of the course is to understand practices and theories of business strategies for sustainability. By the end of the course, the students are expected to answer the following questions: 1) What are the leading examples of business strategies for sustainability? 2) What are the drivers for the companies to formulate business strategies for sustainability? Are they external and/or internal drivers? Are there any pressures from the external environment for the companies to cope with sustainability issues such as regulatory, social, market and technological pressures? 3) How do investors consider the companies that have better sustainability strategy and management? Do they consider it as part of company’s intangible values? How do sustainability strategy and management relate to competitiveness of the companies in the global market?

授業外の学習

The students taking this course are expected to work on the following assignments outside of classroom. 1) To read the reading materials and answer questions assigned for each reading material individually (2 hours a week) 2) To meet with research project members, discuss and research on a selected research topic, and prepare for progress and final presentations with them (2 hours a week)

所要時間: At least 190 minutes per lecture.