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Beyond the Curriculum: Integrating Sustainability into Business Schools

Author

Listed:
  • Mollie Painter-Morland

    (Nottingham Trent University
    IEDC-Bled School of Management)

  • Ehsan Sabet

    (Nottingham Trent University)

  • Petra Molthan-Hill

    (Nottingham Business School)

  • Helen Goworek

    (University of Leicester)

  • Sander Leeuw

    (Nottingham Trent University
    VU University)

Abstract

This paper evaluates the ways in which European business schools are implementing sustainability and ethics into their curricula. Drawing on data gathered by a recent large study that the Academy of Business in Society conducted in cooperation with EFMD, we map the approaches that schools are currently employing by drawing on and expanding Rusinko’s (Acad Manag Learn Educ 9(3):507–519 2010) and Godemann et al.’s (2011) matrice of integrating sustainability in business and management schools. We show that most schools adopt one or more of the four approaches outlined by Godemann et al. (2011). However, we also argue that a fifth dimension needs to be added as the existing matrices do not capture the systemic nature of such curricular initiatives and how these are influenced by internal factors within the business school and external factors beyond. We suggest calling this fifth dimension ‘Systemic Institutional Integration’ and demonstrate that any business school which aims to integrate sustainability further into the curricula cannot succeed without the following: (1) Systemic thinking and systemic leadership, (2) Connectedness to business, the natural environment and society and (3) Institutional capacity building. Utilising further literature and the answers provided by the deans and faculty, we discuss each factor in turn and suggest paths towards the successful systemic institutional integration of sustainability and ethics into management education.

Suggested Citation

  • Mollie Painter-Morland & Ehsan Sabet & Petra Molthan-Hill & Helen Goworek & Sander Leeuw, 2016. "Beyond the Curriculum: Integrating Sustainability into Business Schools," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 139(4), pages 737-754, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:139:y:2016:i:4:d:10.1007_s10551-015-2896-6
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-015-2896-6
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Anna-Maija Lämsä & Meri Vehkaperä & Tuomas Puttonen & Hanna-Leena Pesonen, 2008. "Effect of Business Education on Women and Men Students’ Attitudes on Corporate Responsibility in Society," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 82(1), pages 45-58, September.
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    3. Laura Hartman & Patricia Werhane, 2009. "A Modular Approach to Business Ethics Integration: At the Intersection of the Stand-Alone and the Integrated Approaches," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 90(3), pages 295-300, December.
    4. World Commission on Environment and Development,, 1987. "Our Common Future," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780192820808.
    5. Thomas Birtch & Flora Chiang, 2014. "The Influence of Business School’s Ethical Climate on Students’ Unethical Behavior," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 123(2), pages 283-294, August.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Qiong Jia & Liyuan Wei & Xiaotong Li, 2019. "Visualizing Sustainability Research in Business and Management (1990–2019) and Emerging Topics: A Large-Scale Bibliometric Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-37, October.
    3. Thomas, Manoj T., 2018. "Developing a capstone course on ecological and social sustainability in business education," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 61(6), pages 949-958.
    4. Mohammed Abdullatif Almulla & Waleed Mugahed Al-Rahmi, 2023. "Integrated Social Cognitive Theory with Learning Input Factors: The Effects of Problem-Solving Skills and Critical Thinking Skills on Learning Performance Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-26, February.
    5. Karianne Kalshoven & Scott Taylor, 2018. "Leadership: Philosophical Perspectives and Qualitative Analysis of Ethics—Looking Back, Looking Forward, Looking Around," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 148(1), pages 1-3, March.
    6. Claus Dierksmeier, 2020. "From Jensen to Jensen: Mechanistic Management Education or Humanistic Management Learning?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 166(1), pages 73-87, September.
    7. Dirk C. Moosmayer & Sandra Waddock & Long Wang & Matthias P. Hühn & Claus Dierksmeier & Christopher Gohl, 2019. "Leaving the Road to Abilene: A Pragmatic Approach to Addressing the Normative Paradox of Responsible Management Education," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 157(4), pages 913-932, July.
    8. Miguel Angel Pena-Cerezo & Miren Artaraz-Minon & Jorge Tejedor-Nunez, 2019. "Analysis of the Consciousness of University Undergraduates for Sustainable Consumption," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-20, August.
    9. John G. Cullen, 2020. "Varieties of Responsible Management Learning: A Review, Typology and Research Agenda," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 162(4), pages 759-773, April.
    10. Metzger, Matthew L. & Duening, Thomas N., 2021. "Exploring the use of virtues to facilitate identity construction among management students," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 109-117.
    11. Berina Jaganjac & Line M. Abrahamsen & Torunn S. Olsen & John A. Hunnes, 2024. "Is It Time to Reclaim the ‘Ethics’ in Business Ethics Education?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 190(1), pages 1-22, February.
    12. Laura F. Sasse-Werhahn & Claudius Bachmann & André Habisch, 2020. "Managing Tensions in Corporate Sustainability Through a Practical Wisdom Lens," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 163(1), pages 53-66, April.
    13. Vanini, Ute & Bochert, Saskia, 2024. "Integration of sustainability issues into management accounting textbooks," Journal of Accounting Education, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).

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