module specification

This module focuses on the external and internal environmental factors that affect business

It enables the student to take up the opportunity to become familiar with the award winning practical achievements of the University in the area of environmental protection.

This will incorporate an introduction to the practices and achievements of the University’s Sustainability Department. It will lead to a one-day practical training to undertake an environmental audit, organised by the University Estate’s Department, followed by a Practical Audit exercise conducted on site among University employees. This will lead to the award of the Certificate in Environmental Auditing.

During the semester the students will be addressed by professional environmentalists and managers fully involved in changing their industries to meet and raise environmental standards.

Students will also have the opportunity to work with staff organising the ‘Green Week’ held in the spring at LMU, and are invited to listen to the attendant outside speakers.

Subsequently the students will be required to prepare a three thousand five hundred word proposal for a sustainability report.

The proposal may be a function of a work experience during the third semester after completion of the taught course work, or the result of independent research. Students will investigate a sector, an organisation, an industry or issue with the aim of making clear recommendations from the research carried out. Each student will agree a topic for the report with the module leader. This proposal cannot be the same as that which you intend to submit towards the Project Module.

The module aims to introduce students to the different challenges the dramatically worsening environmental conditions within which both business and social life is conducted and contemporary responses to them.

The aims of the module are:
1) To provide students with the practical skills necessary to undertake successful auditing of the working environment.

2) To develop environmental analysis techniques in relation to theory.

3) To foster a critical awareness and deep interest in Practical Sustainability and combine knowledge and analysis acquired in core modules to develop sustainability management skills.

4) To enable students to produce a professional business report  proposal and to provide an opportunity for critical self-reflection, studying and research skills and knowledge.

External and Internal  Environmental Factors that Affect Business 1

The impact of ‘green issues’ on contemporary business: industrial waste, sustainable development of raw materials and water and air emissions. Hazardous Waste Disposal, recycling and resale.

Environmental Influence on Business:  Technology and equipment and procedures to meet imposed standards.

Protective and proactive environmental measures. Sustainable Development of Raw Materials.  Air and/or water emissions, which include particle or chemical-filled smoke, ash and particles and chemicals that seep into ground water through run-off. 2

The module will be delivered by skilled academics, practical managers and outside environmental experts. These sessions will help the students understand the relation between changing conceptions and practices of environmental risk and business sustainability. This will enable them to reflect upon and develop the issues being examined for their Report Proposal. Students will need to use some of the 'directed learning’ hours allocation for individual preparation of research tasks.

The Learning process provides the option for module clients to undertake a placement (uncredited) in the final part of the course, which could act as the base for the student’s Project Proposal.

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate self-direction and originality in planning and delivering an environment audit proposal for their organisation to a professional standard and work independently in tackling and solving problems; Apply appropriate research methods to propose a detailed investigation in the subject; Demonstrate high order skills of analysis, evaluation and synthesis in dealing with a business environment challenge.
2. Discuss and critically evaluate findings generated by the practical experience in the module with reference to the existing literature; Make sound judgements in the absence of complete information, and communicate these findings clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences.

The module will be assessed through course work which will consist of an individual report proposal preceded by a 10-minute presentation.
The proposal / report will be 3,500 words, and the maximum number of presentation slides recommended is 10.
This proposal cannot be the proposal that you intend to submit towards the Project Module.

Students will receive detailed ongoing feedback on their work.  The proposal shall be drafted at an early date so that the supervisor is able to guide this process effectively.  This thus becomes an iterative process by which the student can be guided to produce their best work.

Summative feedback is provided in line with University regulations.

Core Text

Çalıyurt. K, Yükse.  Ü, eds. 2017 Sustainability and Management: An International Perspective, Routledge/Gower (emphasis on developing economies)

Other Texts

Andersson  K and Brynolf  S., 2016 Shipping and the Environment: Improving Environmental Performance in Marine Transportation     Mar 2016

CITB  2016 Health, Safety and Environment Test for Managers and Professionals: GT 200  

CITB 2016 Health, Safety and Environment Test for Operatives and Specialists: GT 100/16 2016 Paperback Apr 2016  

Holland. D., Sanchirico . J., Johnston R., Jogleka. D., 2010 Economic Analysis for Ecosystem-Based Management  Routledge  

Mehta.L., Ed. 2011 The Limits to Scarcity: Contesting the Politics of Allocation Routledge ( focuses on economic issues)

Pritwani, K 2016  Sustainability of Business in the Context of Environmental Management    The Energy and Resources Institute.  New Dehli

Schwab K. 2017 The Fourth Industrial Revolution   Jan 2017

Short  C A , 2017 The Recovery of Natural Environments in Architecture: Air, Comfort and Climate (Building Research and Information) Paperback –  Jan 2017

Weybrecht. G.: 2013 The Sustainable MBA: A Business Guide to Sustainability, 2/E. Wiley

Web sites for Organisation

Network for Business Sustainability (Ontario)
http://nbs.net/about/

and key items within

http://nbs.net/about/what-is-business-sustainability/

http://nbs.net/knowledge/business-models-for-shared-value/executive-guide/

Network for Business Innovation and Sustainability (USA)
http://nbis.org/