Action Research as an Approach to Integrating Sustainability Into MBA Programs

Abstract

This article reports on an exploratory project that employed an action research approach to integrating sustainability into core subjects in the MBA program at an Australian university. It documents the change methodology used, the theoretical basis for this choice, and the project outcomes. It then identifies some key enabling factors and barriers to successful integration of sustainability themes into the MBA. The article also draws on theories of organizational change to illustrate the strengths and limitations of the approach used in this study compared to other possible approaches. Key success factors included active faculty participation from the redesign process to evaluation and collaboration between multiple stakeholders.

Treading paths to sustainability: an analysis of the postgraduate curriculum in Business Administration

“…It is noticed that the programs, even in a rudimentary way, already notice the need to insert concepts as points Clugston (2004) and Tilbury (2004), but this integration does not take place in an integrated manner throughout the course restricted to a discipline, collaborating with studies of Benn and Dunphy (2009) or even to a specific research area.…”

“…Many authors have commented on the difficulties that exist in including this topic in MBA programs, such as: (1) the issue of the interdisciplinary nature of the theme, which complicates the effective implementation of the subject (Jacobi et al 2011); (2) a more systematic vision which considers learning based on a more concrete participation by the various stakeholders involved (Jacobi et al 2011); (3) an introduction of new forms of teaching and learning (Gonçalves-Dias et al 2013); (4) obstacles to the creation of a new curriculum (Leal Filho 2011), among others. The authors Benn and Dunphy (2009) further this analysis in claiming that in sustainability education in business schools, the theme of sustainability is not systematically integrated, being restricted to only one elective class during the course.…”

Teaching Sustainability through Traditional Wisdom:A Conceptual Framework for Business Studies

“…The emphasis on sustainability agenda continued and became focused after a decade and a half when the UN 34 emphasized on the need of business schools to introduce business sustainability in their graduate programme of management and recommended them to 'develop the capabilities of students to be future generators of sustainable value for business and society at large and to work for an inclusive and sustainable global economy'. Benn and Dunphy 35 elucidated that stand-alone courses or short programmes on sustainability are effective ways to integrate sustainability into the curriculum of the graduate programme in management and discussed mindsets and multi-disciplinarity as the top roadblocks in achieving this. Stubbs and Cocklin 15 describe an integrative structure that helps management students to comprehend and integrate the various facets of sustainability and also propose that the business students are always exposed to neoclassical economic approach throughout the curriculum which lays emphasis upon utility and economic growth and needs to be changed.…”

Education for sustainability in business schools by practicing social learning

“…However, the understanding of the theme sustainability is generally limited to the efficiency of resources and the technical issues involved in environmental protection. The balance between its global, social, cultural and ethical dimensions is often unknown (Richter and Schumacher 2011;Benn and Dunphy 2009).…”

“…Thus, associated with the growing recognition that the natural environment and society should be a legitimate concern of organizations (Stead and Stead 2010), and also with the great increase of academic publications in the area (Benn and Dunphy 2009), some movements are gaining strength and legitimizing the presence of the so-called Education for Sustainability (EfS) at different levels of education.…”