Upon successful completion of this course the student should be able to:
We start this course by describing the major challenges in society today, including the degradation of the earth’s ecosystem and the increasing threat of climate change. The introductory part of the course ends with an in-depth discussion of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Then we ask the question: How did we end up here? We trace the historical roots of capitalism and provide the students with the knowledge to better understand current sustainability challenges in economics and business. Going forward, how can businesses be a force for good? What is the moral responsibility of business? Is business ethics important for a sustainable future? In latter part of the course, the main goal is to investigate how businesses and governments can solve these global challenges. Key topics are corporate social responsibility, circular economy, sustainable business models, responsible investments, environmental and ecological economics, green growth, and regulations.
To help the students to master the material there will be a mix of lectures and seminars. Students must be prepared to work in groups. Estimated workload is 405 hours.
1 semester
15
Spring
Kristiansand
School of Business and Law