210954 Sustainable Enterprise in Dynamic Systems
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Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 3 cp
Subject level:
Postgraduate
Result type: Grade and marksRequisite(s): 220788c Accounting Practices and Tools
The lower case 'c' after the subject code indicates that the subject is a corequisite. See definitions for details.
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses. See access conditions.
Anti-requisite(s): 21954 Sustainable Enterprise in Dynamic Systems
Description
This subject provides students with systems frameworks, tools and sustainable business models to analyse business opportunities arising from complex issues related to grand sustainability challenges. It equips students to systematically understand and analyse the dynamic interrelationships and interdependencies between business, society and the natural environment. Conceptualising business as a multi-scalar activity system, students are encouraged to explore new sustainable business models that generate value for the natural environment, society and the economy. Such sustainability transitions are positioned as opportunities for business to proactively engage with sustainability issues. Capabilities for leading transitions are identified and students reflect on how such approaches could be implemented within existing corporations and small-medium sized organisations.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| 1. | Analyse systemic and sustainable business models |
|---|---|
| 2. | Apply the principles and tools of complex systems thinking to sustainable business challenges and/or opportunities |
| 3. | Apply key concepts and techniques of voluntary reporting, sustainable business models and certification systems that could progress organisations towards social and environmental sustainability |
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
This subject introduces students to sustainable and systemic business models and provides analytical frameworks to understand and analyse business opportunities and challenges. It equips students to understand and analyse the dynamic interrelationships and interdependencies between business, society and the natural environment from a complexity/holistic point of view. Through these frameworks the subject enables students to develop sustainable business models that proactively address social and ecological issues. The subject explores new business models emerging in the sustainable economy, such as the Circular Economy, and the implications of these models for management in relation to business model innovation, developing sustainable supply networks and change transitions.
This subject is aligned with the following Graduate Attributes:
- Communication and collaboration
- Social responsibility and cultural awareness
Teaching and learning strategies
Orientation activities
Preparation for the Session - students are expected to undertake activities prior to the first week. These activities (approximately two hours in duration) include online readings, videos (database searching) and interaction with peers and are important in helping students prepare for the subject’s Assessment Tasks. This also provides students with an opportunity to meet and interact with peers.
Students will learn through independent learning activities, group work, peer review, and participation in collaborative online sessions through the learning management system.
Independent learning activities
Relevant readings, videos and activities will be made available online relevant to the topic of the week. Students are expected to come to the collaborative online sessions prepared. This will enhance the students’ ability to progress successfully throughout the subject and complete assessment items effectively. The online material aims to enhance students’ understanding of the topic or delve deeper into a more specific area. Information and links to all these learning activities can be accessed via Canvas as well as the subject outline.
Online collaborative sessions
The online collaborative sessions will provide opportunities for group activities and discussion, self-assessment, peer review and formative feedback from the subject facilitator. Online collaborative sessions will be conducted at a time that enables the majority of students to contribute.
Feedback
Feedback will be frequent and takes several forms including self-assessment and peer review. Formative feedback throughout the subject aims to increase student performance at summative assessments.
Content (topics)
- Sustainability principles such as complexity, resilience and adaptability within planetary boundaries.
- Drivers of sustainability - the dynamic business environment as nested in social and ecological systems at the global, national and organisational level.
- Sustainable and systemic business models
- Conceptualising sustainability transitions
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Sustainable business analysis (Individual)
| Objective(s): | This addresses subject learning objective(s): 1 and 2 |
|---|---|
| Weight: | 50% |
| Length: | 3,000 limit |
| Criteria: |
|
Assessment task 2: Sustainable business development report (Individual)
| Objective(s): | This addresses subject learning objective(s): 3 |
|---|---|
| Weight: | 50% |
| Length: | 15 slide limit |
| Criteria: |
|
Minimum requirements
Students must achieve at least 50% of the subject’s total marks.
Required texts
There is no required textbook. Resources will be made available through the learning management system as required.
References
Benn, S., Edwards, M., & Williams, T. (2021). Sustainability: A Key Idea for Business and Society. Routledge.
Benn, S., Edwards, M., & Williams, T. (2018). Organisational Change for Corporate Sustainability. Routledge.
Bocken, N., S. Short, P. Rana and S. Evans, "A literature and practice review to develop sustainable business model archetypes," Journal of Cleaner Production, 65, 42–56.
Markard, J., Raven, R., & Truffer, B. (2012). Sustainability transitions: An emerging field of research and its prospects. Research policy, 41(6): 955-967.
Reeves, M., Levin, S., & Ueda, D. (2016). The biology of corporate survival. Harvard Business Review, 94(1): 46-55.
Steffen, W., Richardson, K., Rockström, J., Cornell, S.E., Fetzer, I., Bennett, E.M., Biggs, R., Carpenter, S.R., de Vries, W., de Wit, C.A. and
Folke, C., (2015). Planetary boundaries: Guiding human development on a changing planet. Science, 347(6223): 736-46.
Zott, C., & Amit, R. (2010). Business model design: an activity system perspective. Long range planning, 43(2): 216-226.