Creating Social Value Through Problem-Based Learning: Using Podcasts in Business Education

This chapter presents how utilizing problem-based learning (PBL) enhanced by podcasts—audio files distributed periodically with varying thematic content—as an educational resource aids the development of undergraduate learners’ competencies such as critical thinking, ethics, sustainability awareness, and the ability to solve sustainability-related business challenges. To illustrate the functionality and benefits of using podcasts to teach social sustainability in business education, we provide a case example from Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú in which the podcast “Relatos de gestión” [“Management Stories”], based on a storytelling technique, has proven to connect the learners with social and environmental problems. This podcast series helped to activate learners’ emotions since listening to it enabled them to explore true stories from a first-hand perspective and the latter learning experience enhanced their agency to participate in creating sustainable business solutions. Moreover, learners significantly deepened their understanding of creating social and public value for businesses whose mission and strategies contribute to specific Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This chapter specifically focuses on the podcast episode developed to target SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), in which learners develop empathy with the problem; SDG 5 (Gender Equality), in which learners reflect on new opportunities for women; and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), in which learners analyze the new work conditions of women.