module specification

This module will address the critical issue of how current thinking on sustainability will impact on Aviation businesses and organisation. The need to create more sustainable organisations and businesses is fundamental to current and future organisational development strategies, and it is necessary for students to understand the growing influence of the sustainability agenda on industry. This influence takes on many forms, from government policies and international agreements to the measuring the impacts of organisational practices on the ecology and communities. It is clear that in the future, organisations, businesses, communities and individuals will be expected to understand and take responsibility for their economic, environmental and social impacts. This module will examine the current and future challenges, it will equip students with knowledge to deal with the challenge of creating sustainable forms of business that operate within ecological and socio-economic limits.

It will explore the sustainability context, and how business practices will need to evolve to reflect the realities of operating within a globalised trading system that is striving to apply sustainability principles. This is an important area of increasing scrutiny for airlines and airports.

• Definitions and history of the “Sustainability” concept LO1

• Corporate sustainability LO1

• Economic sustainability LO1

• Social responsibility LO1

• Corporate Social Responsibility LO1

• Environmental sustainability. LO1

• Principles and criteria for sustainability: who decides? LO2

• Measuring sustainability: Challenges and realities LO2

• International Policy frameworks and the role of governments LO2

• CSR and the Industry response to the sustainability challenge LO2

The module will be delivered through a weekly series of lectures and seminars. Teaching will have a blended learning approach. Lectures will deliver information and present academic problems appropriate to the topic under consideration. Full use will be made of online opportunities including web-based simulation/ case study discussion points. Seminars will provide students with opportunities for discussion and activities in small groups and at whole class level, presentations, short writing exercises and reflection, usually on the topics covered in the lecture of the same week.

Learning materials and opportunities will be made available on Weblearn, which will also be an important means of communication between students and between students and tutors, especially via a blog maintained by each student. Students will be expected to read and reflect upon the work covered so far through the module. Progress will be facilitated via weekly debates and discussion, where students will not only consider their own responses but also read those of their peers in the seminar.

Lectures will also (Where possible) be given by guest speakers from industry.

1. An analysis of complex data and theoretical concepts to demonstrate an understanding of the context of sustainability and related core theories to enable students to assess sustainability and evaluate its complex inter-relationships.

2. Develop a systematic understanding and substantive investigation of Aviation sustainability, measurement and corporate governance in the 21st century, reviewing and analysing industry competitors.

Describe There will be two in-course assignments which will be weighted as follows:

1. Individual essay of 2,000 words with a weighting of 40%

2. A Group Assignment where each group will work as a publishing team to produce a trade publication that looks at sustainability issues within the aviation sector. Students will work to a commissioning brief that outlines specific themes to be covered. Each student is then responsible for a specific section of the publication but they work together to ensure consistency in terms of layout and design. Weighting 60%

Key Aviation Texts:

Ancell, D. (2016) Clipped Wings, Routledge
Bows, A. (2014) Aviation and Climate Change, Routledge
Flouris, T. (2016) Risk Management and Corporate Sustainability in Aviation, Routledge
Gossling, S. (2009) Climate Change and Aviation, Routledge
Palmer, W. (2014) Will Sustainability Fly? Routledge
Upham, p. (2003) Towards Sustainable Aviation, Routledge

Key Generic Texts:
• Idowu, S O (ed.) Key Initiatives in Corporate Social Responsibility, Springer 2015
• Visser, W, CSR 2.0 Transforming Corporate Sustainability, Springer 2014
• Idowu, S O et al (Eds.) Sustainable Business Models: Principles, Promise and Practice Springer (2017)
• Aluchna, M and Idowu, S O (Eds.) The Dynamics of Corporate Social Responsibility Springer (2017)
• Mitra, N and Schmidpeter, R Corporate Social Responsibility in India: Cases and Developments After the Legal Mandate, Springer
• Camilleri, M A (2017), Corporate Sustainability, Social Responsibility and Environmental Management: An Introduction to Theory and Practice, Springer International, Switzerland.
• Idowu, S O and Cheruiyot, T K (Eds.) Sustainable Development: Critical Sectors and Deprived Communities, Springer, 2017.
• O’Riordan, L (2017) Managing Stakeholder Relationships: Corporate Approaches to Responsible Management, Springer International, Switzerland.

Key Environmental Texts

Baldwin, R. (1999) Developing the Future Aviation System, Ashgate Publishing, Aldershot
Clark, P. (2010) Stormy Skies, Ashgate Publishing, Aldershot
Daley, B. (2010) Air Transport and the Environment, Ashgate Publishing, Aldershot
Hoppe, E. (2011) Ethical Issues in Aviation, Ashgate Publishing, Aldershot
Janic, M. (2007) The Sustainability of Air Transportation, Ashgate Publishing, Aldershot
Lumpé, M. (2008) Leadership and Organization in the Aviation Industry, Ashgate Publishing, Aldershot,
Taneja, N. (2008) Flying Ahead of the Airplane, Ashgate Publishing, Aldershot
Taneja, N. (2010)Looking Beyond the Runway, Ashgate Publishing, 2010
Taneja, N. (2008) Fasten Your Seatbelt: The Passenger is Flying the Plane, Ashgate Publishing, Aldershot, 2008

Journals

• Journal of Business Ethics
• International Journal of Corporate Social Responsibility
• Business & Society
• Corporate Governance: International Journal of Business in Society
• Social Responsibility Journal
• Business Ethics: A European Business Review
• International Journal of Social Entrepreneurship & Innovation
• Society & Business Review