HSUHK | CCCO

MGT1024 Leadership and Sustainability

Common Core Curriculum Office (CCCO) > MGT1024 Leadership and Sustainability
Department
Management
Semester
AY2020/21 Sem 2, AY2021/22 Sem 1, AY2021/22 Sem 2, AY2022/23 Sem 2, AY2023/24 Sem 1
Method
Lecture 2 hours + Tutorial 1 hour
Cluster
2 (Social Sciences)

Prerequisite

GEN1000 Perspectives on General Education / Subject to Instructor’s Discretion

Exclusion

Nil

Module Description

The general education course is proposed to help develop responsible graduates who appreciate the importance of good sustainability practices and can explain the necessary leadership decision-making and behavioural processes to accomplish them. Good sustainability practices prioritise environmental protection, sound governance, quality and safe product and service offerings, and proactive stakeholder engagement.

With the aim of stimulating students’ intrinsic motivation and their engagement in meaningful learning processes, pedagogical methods adopted include service-learning projects and case studies. Through these methods students will have opportunities to critique existing practices and to envisage alternatives, while also appreciating leading-edge sustainability practices.

In the process, students will (i) analyse related issues through social, political, and economic lenses, (ii) develop appropriate values for ethical and responsible management and (iii) develop relevant skills to become future change agents in tackling social and environmental issues.

Module Intended Learning Outcomes (MILO)

Upon completion of this module, students should be able to:
a. Develop leadership and followership skills required to implement changes in addressing social and environmental issues.
b. Sharpen problem solving skills when challenged to provide solutions that can provide long-term value and sustainability.
c. Use critical thinking skills and environmental management knowledge to critique sustainability reporting published by a business organisation by identifying strengths and weaknesses.
d. Facilitate self-leadership development and deepen a strong sense of responsibility, ethical conduct and care for communities.

Module Content

1. Introduce key ideas, principles and practices of social, environmental and economic sustainability, and illustrate how businesses can adopt them. These include respect for common pool resources, environmental management systems, equal opportunity, stakeholder theory, shared value creation, Carroll’s “pyramid” of corporate responsibilities, and ethical theories that foster concern for the common good.

2. Outline the common certification approaches and reporting tools implemented in sustainability practices. These include: ISO14001 – environmental management standard; ISO50001 – energy management; and ISO26000 – corporate social responsibility; Global Reporting Initiative; and BCorp.

3. Explain some core service leadership and followership skills that can be practiced in the public service, business and social sectors to drive and support sustainability.

4. Introduce, and guide analysis and discussion of case illustrations of functional and dysfunctional corporate sustainability practices.

5. Facilitate creative and critical thinking to analyse sustainability related challenges, design stakeholder-friendly solutions and develop a programme of change for a community organization.

Assessment Methods

  1. Class participation (5%)
  2. Case Study Group Presentation (15%)
  3. Service-learning Project (30 %)
  4. Tests (35%)
  5. Individual Leadership Self-development Plan (15%)

Texts & References

  1. Stanwick, P. A. & Stanwick, S. D. 2021. Corporate Sustainability Leadership. Abington, Oxon: Routledge.
  2. Epstein, M. J. & Buhovac, A. R. 2014. Making Sustainability Work: Best Practices in Managing and Measuring Corporate Social, Environmental, and Economic Impacts. (2nd edition). Oakland, US: Routledge. (In HSU library, e-book).
  3. Ritz, A. & Rimanoczy, I. (eds). 2021. Sustainability Mindset and Transformative Leadership: A Multidisciplinary Perspective. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan. (In HSU library, e-book).
  4. Farache, F., Grigore, G., Stancu, A. & McQueen, D. (eds). 2020. Values and Corporate Responsibility: CSR and Sustainable Development. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan. (In HSU library, e-book).
  5. Friedman, J. 2020. Managing Sustainability: First Steps to First Class. New York: Business Expert Press. (In HSU library, e-book).
  6. Jonker, J. & Faber, N. 2020. Organizing for Sustainability: A Guide to Developing New Business Models. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan. (In HSU library, ebook).
  7. Todnem, R. & Burnes, B. (eds). 2013. Organizational Change, Leadership and Ethics: Leading Organizations towards Sustainability. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. (In HSU library, e-book).
  8. Steffen, S. L., Rezmovits, J., Trevenna, S. & Rappaport, S. (eds). 2018. Evolving Leadership for Collective Wellbeing: Lessons for Implementing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Bingley, UK: Emerald Publishing. (In HSU library, e-book).
  9. Pitelis, C., Keenan, J. & Pryce, V. 2011. Green Business, Green Values, and Sustainability. Taylor & Francis Group, ProQuest Ebook Central. (In HSU library, e-book).
  10. Sörensson, A., Tesfaye, B., Lundström, A., Grigore, G., & Stancu, A. (eds). 2021. Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability during the Coronavirus Crisis: International Case Studies. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan. (In HSU library, e-book).
  11. Quaddus, M.A. & Siddique, M. A. B. (eds). 2011. Handbook of Corporate Sustainability: Frameworks, Strategies and Tools. Cheltenham, UK; Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar. (In HSU library, e-book).
  12. Stringer, L. 2010. The Green Workplace: Sustainable Strategies That Benefit Employees, the Environment, and the Bottom Line. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. (in HSU library, print version).