A Principle-Attribute Matrix for Environmentally Sustainable Management Education and Its Application

Abstract

The environmental threats humanity faces have led businesses to increasingly commit to improve their environmental performance and to increasing attempts to address environmental issues in management education. This article presents a matrix of (a) principles that can underlie and (b) attributes that can be generated by environmentally focused management education and uses the matrix to identify topics, assignments, and assessment mechanisms that can be incorporated into environmental management education. Particular focus is given to skills related to facilitating organizational change. Environmental change—related course projects are suggested as particularly helpful in the development of these attributes, and use of service learning applied to campus sustainability issues is suggested as offering significant opportunities for engaging students in change-oriented projects. Observations related to implementing such projects based on the author's experience with them are offered. The article's concepts and ideas can provide guidance to instructors wishing to incorporate environmental sustainability into their management courses; an application with respect to human resources is included.

Cotton and sustainability

“…Sustainable development is defined as the "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own need" (Brundtland Commission, 1987, p. 8). Organizational responsibility focuses on the belief that all organizations have a responsibility to strive to become sustainable (Rands, 2009). Finally, personal responsibility addresses the idea that individuals have a responsibility to contribute to sustainable development (Rands, 2009).…”

“…Organizational responsibility focuses on the belief that all organizations have a responsibility to strive to become sustainable (Rands, 2009). Finally, personal responsibility addresses the idea that individuals have a responsibility to contribute to sustainable development (Rands, 2009). For each principle, PAM suggests that successful teaching should impact students' knowledge, skills, and attitudes.…”

Exploring the Energy-Saving and Carbon Reduction Literacy of Restaurant Employees

“…Prior studies emphasized and suggested that environmental education fosters awareness, understanding, and concern that motivate students to take action in their personal and organizational lives to facilitate environmentally sustainable behaviors (e.g., Rands, 2009). The results of the current study indicated that ESCR literacy contents include 43 items in eight categories: knowledge of issues; concept of industrial ecology; ESCR attitude; value; beliefs; locus of control; ESCR sensitivity; and ESCR action strategies.…”

Sustainable Development in Damascus University: A Survey of Internal Stakeholder Views

“…For the education aspects of a sustainable campus, Rands asserted that campuses should emphasize the awareness of students on sustainability, and further suggested that campuses cultivate their knowledge, attitude and technology on SD [37]. Lüdeke-Freund and Burandt proposed a novel learning system based on three organizational learning models that shift the paradigm from what to learn and to how to learn [38].…”