NBS8650 : Introduction to Sustainability Management
- Offered for Year: 2025/26
- Module Leader(s): Prof. Cristina Neesham
- Lecturer: Dr Patricia Prado, Dr Paul Richter
- Owning School: Newcastle University Business School
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 10 |
| ECTS Credits: | 5.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
This module aims to provide broad knowledge about global sustainability as a key condition for addressing grand social and environmental challenges facing human society today – in particular, climate change, mass migration, and chronic scarcity of natural resources. Focusing on how business and globalisation affect and are affected by these challenges, students will be empowered to use insights from ecological economics, innovation and entrepreneurship studies, and the broader social sciences to examine the role of social norms, institutional-regulatory regimes, and interdependent individual and group behaviours in generating global-systemic social and environmental problems. The module also explores strategies for developing and managing sustainability solutions that can be delivered by and for business throughout the world, including transitions to sustainable business models.
Outline Of Syllabus
The module will cover topics including: the evolution of modern concepts and theories of sustainability; rethinking human-society-nature relationships; markets, organisations, externalities and the natural environment; globalisation and global-systemic social and environmental challenges; the role of international business in sustainable development and the SDGs; planetary boundaries, sustainability transitions, and principles of sustainability management; sustainability management drivers and strategies for sustainable business models; and entrepreneurship and innovation for transformative change towards global sustainability.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 10 | 1:00 | 10:00 | PIP lectures |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 30:00 | 30:00 | N/A |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 1 | 20:00 | 20:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 4 | 2:00 | 8:00 | PIP sessions |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 30:00 | 30:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Scheduled on-line contact time | 2 | 1:00 | 2:00 | online assessment surgery and module talk |
| Total | 100:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The lectures and seminars introduce the concepts and theories, as well as the real-world issues to which these need to be applied. The seminars will focus on problem-solving and policy development in specific contexts.
Online sessions are to support assessment preparation.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Case study | 1 | A | 100 | Case Analysis Report, 2000 words |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prob solv exercises | 1 | M | Feedback is provided during seminars on activities related to the core material that supports the final assessment. |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The Case Analysis Report tests the students’ knowledge and skills in (i) defining and addressing global sustainability problems from the perspective of international business organisations in interaction with their stakeholder networks; and (ii) developing viable sustainability management strategies for an environmentally responsible business.
The Case Analysis Report tests the students’ knowledge and skills in (i) defining and addressing global sustainability problems from the perspective of a business (organisation) in interaction with its stakeholder networks; and (ii) developing viable sustainability management and innovation strategies for a socially and environmentally responsible business.
RESIT INFORMATION: If students are eligible to a second attempt resit will be an assignment and the resit calculation will be based 100% on the submission.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- NBS8650's Timetable