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Business schools are embracing the SDGs – But is it enough? – How business schools are reporting on their engagement in the SDGs
Abstract
This paper explores the extent to which business schools are engaging in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and what that engagement looks like based on how schools have reported their engagement. The data was gathered from a study of over 1034 Sharing Information on Progress (SIP) reports submitted by business schools that are signatories to the United Nations backed Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) between May 1st 2015 and May 1st 2020. The evidence suggests that business schools have been slow to engage in the SDGs and many of the reported connections with the SDGs are weak and superficial. The paper outlines what approaches schools are taking, highlights what is missing and makes suggestions on the way forwards.
... Accordingly, BSs have a responsibility to jointly embrace ethical considerations, sustainability, and the needs and interests of different stakeholders in their curricula [9]. However, BSs have yet to achieve transformational change [9,57], as the current system of BS education does not always prepare students for these challenges, forcing them to grow through experience while they are working in industry, essentially learning by accident [58]. ...
... Although the students' awareness and attitudes toward SDG 8 are positive, transformational changes have not yet been achieved at ABS [9,57]. The economic dimension and the "business as usual" mentality continue to prevail as a management paradigm among the students at ABS. ...
... Similarly, this study collects perceptions and does not analyze actual performance or reporting. Therefore, under legitimacy theory, future research could analyze how BSs report on their progress toward the SDGs [57] and whether this reporting is consistent with their performance [34,36]. In addition, in terms of the theoretical lens, institutional theory may be used in future research instead of legitimacy theory by exploring the institutional forces that may affect the process of transitioning toward a sustainability teaching paradigm. ...
This paper aims to assess students’ perceptions regarding the extent of integration of the eighth principal Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 8) “promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment, and decent work for all” into an undergraduate business school (BS) course. We analyzed students’ perceptions with respect to three pedagogical themes: content/curriculum; knowledge and skills; and awareness and attitudes. Based on legitimacy theory, we conducted a survey of 124 students at a globally accredited business school that has been a pioneer in terms of integrating SDGs into business school education in the Middle East and particularly in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which we refer to as Alpha Business School (ABS). A Q-methodology approach was adopted by designing a concourse of 37 statements. Our research findings highlight that in response to institutional governmental pressure to implement the SDGs at all levels in the country, ABS has begun to integrate the SDGs into its practice, including undergraduate courses. However, after a more in-depth analysis, the findings suggest that traditional learning methods and a “business as usual” mentality continue to prevail as a management paradigm among students and that, therefore, ABS has only embedded SDG 8 symbolically without undergoing a full substantive change. In conclusion, further work is needed to incorporate the SDGs into all dimensions of the business school’s activities and to promote new methodologies, skills, and competencies. This paper is helpful for accounting educators and curriculum setters in the process of revamping accounting curricula to reflect the importance of sustainability education. The results of this study have professional, academic, and policy-making implications.
... Different from 10 years ago, this analysis found that some schools report on students' involvement in the sustainability task force. This effort of engaging students at the strategic level could help to foster the transformation because students are the main target group of most of the activities at HEIs (Weybrecht, 2022). The function of this task force also varies from school to school. ...
... These findings are in line with other studies about students' roles (Warwick et al., 2017;Borges et al., 2017a) and show the efforts of business schools in putting students in the center. Besides being a useful source of information and ideas, students are the main target of most activities on campus and in educational programs (Weybrecht, 2022). Still, business schools could benefit from involving students more strongly at a strategic level in decision-making and planning. ...
... As in 2010, about only 34% of the business schools mention that they integrate sustainability into their curriculum through core courses of undergraduate and postgraduate programs, although a mandatory course is important to let all future managers perceive sustainability problems and act to address them. Also other studies (Rasche et al., 2013;Weybrecht, 2022) on SIP reports have found that elective modules are popular ways that business schools integrate sustainability into their curricula. ...
Purpose
This paper aims to present the progress of the implementation of sustainability in business schools in line with the United Nations Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) and its principles of responsible management education.
Design/methodology/approach
By analyzing the content of the Sharing of Information on Progress reports from PRME signatories, this study identified significant developments in the strategies business school use to implement sustainability. However, it seems that a framework that business schools can apply to accomplish that goal is still lacking. This paper proposes a framework that addresses four components of the integration process and stresses the important role of stakeholders. The authors discuss the results from 2021 in comparison to the results of a previous analysis of the first 100 signatories from 2010 and analyze the findings in relation to the developed framework.
Findings
This study shows that business schools have improved their sustainability engagement in many areas (e.g. education offerings and teaching methods, campus practices and engaging stakeholders). However, less attention has been paid to other aspects, such as reviewing and assessing, capability development or communication, which could slow the transformation process. The authors discuss further implications of the findings for enhancing the PRME signatories’ ability to implement the underrecognized aspects.
Originality/value
While the analysis focuses on the status and progress of the integration of PRME within business schools during the past decade, the framework may enable higher education institutions to analyze their potential to implement change and plan future transformation strategies.
... The goals are structured to be interdependent; the achievement of some is closely intertwined with the achievement of others. Since the goals were first announced in 2015, industry actors and academics have made efforts, albeit with varying levels of intensity, to align their work with the SDGs [51], [52], [70], [71]. ...
... During the last several years, a body of literature has evolved on different facets of management education, including curriculum design [7], [47], eLearning [31], employment and research [22], contributing practical insights for universities [2], teachers [44], massive open online course (MOOC) providers [31], and students [71]. Management schools that are signatories to the PRME have also taken the initiative to present sharinginformation-on-progress reports; these have become the basis for evaluating the contribution of B-schools to the 2030 Agenda [3], [37], [57], [70]. In addition to research on PRME, which naturally includes references to sustainability, scholars have also explored the various benefits and complexities of integrating SDGs into management education and have suggested potential paths of integration [15], [24], [24], [26]. ...
... For instance, Cavalcanti-Bandos et al. [8] observed that some B-schools seem to lack a commitment to integrating the SDGs even though the university as a whole may have clearly and emphatically communicated its emphasis on sustainability. Similarly, Weybrecht [70] contended that such actions by B-schools and the SDGs they impact are weak or superficial, indicating a possibility of "greenwashing"-that is, a school may mislead stakeholders by making it seem that it is doing its part to implement the SDGs, whereas in reality it is not committed to concrete action in this direction. Shifting focus to constraints experienced by schools in integrating the SDGs, Ramboarisata and Gendron [50] noted that the efforts to pursue RME face several multilevel and multiactor barriers, which can only be overcome through comprehensive policy intervention by B-schools and by rating and accreditation agencies. ...
Business schools (B-schools) are vital to achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda by creating awareness of sustainability among the next generation of leaders. Mindful of their responsibility, schools around the world have initiated efforts to integrate the SDGs into different aspects of their operations. However, the pace has been slow, with schools in some parts of the world lagging in even initiating the process, indicating that additional efforts are required to enhance their commitment. The academic literature in the area has also been growing but is in a very nascent stage, requiring fresh inputs and renewed focus for momentum. This article responds by invigorating theory and practice using a multimethod approach that includes 1) a review of the extant literature to present the state-of-the-art literature and identify research gaps that suggest future research directions, 2) a qualitative study assessing the current state of SDG integration, and 3) an evaluation of the relevant parts of the reports on principles of responsible management education by signatory schools to develop a set of parameters for the measurement of SDG integration. The findings of this article offer important implications for both internal and external stakeholders. For internal stakeholders, i.e., the B-school management, we offer a set of five broad parameters broken down into 39 indicators to benchmark and calibrate the related outcomes. For external stakeholders, i.e., the regulatory bodies, we offer insights for policy intervention and formulation of systematic sustainability-reporting protocols to guide B-schools.
... According to research by (Weybrecht, 2022), while business schools have been increasing their awareness of the SDGs since 2015, their approaches have been haphazard and inconsistent. Many business schools still use traditional management or business education approaches which discourage critical thinking or self-directed learning (Ndubuka & Rey-Marmonier, 2019), failing to utilise more transformational learning approaches such as experiential learning, critical reflection, collaborative or problem-based learning. ...
... By focussing on the SDGs as part of their commitment to TBL (Ferro et al., 2019), organisations will be better placed to manage risks, meet customer demands and improve supply chains for sustainable access to necessary resources (Ghosh & Rajan, 2019). By understanding the important role businesses play in accomplishing the SDGs, it is also meaningful to consider the pivotal role to be played by universities in this context (Weybrecht, 2022). Universities have a critical task in preparing business graduates to have the resources, skills, and awareness to confront problems, and maximise opportunities, related to sustainable development and the realisation of the SDGs by 2030 (Cole & Snider, 2019;Mori Junior et al., 2019). ...
... The guide recommended that universities were responsible for ensuring that students, including those from developing countries, had the skills, information, training and impetus to provide real solutions regarding the implementation of the SDGs (SDSN, 2017). While a number of universities have played an active role in supporting the SDGs, greater work needs to be done regarding the embedding of sustainability, particularly into their business curriculum (Driscoll et al., 2017;Ferrer-Estévez & Chalmeta, 2021;Weybrecht, 2022). While many business schools provide courses featuring ethics and sustainability, they are generally not part of the mainstream education requirements (Voola et al., 2018). ...
Universities have an important role in ensuring that business school graduates can address issues regarding sustainable development and the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. While business schools have been progressively growing understanding of the SDGs, many have an unclear conception of their importance to business or how to effectively embed them into their curriculum. This paper explores the outcomes of one university in applying the SDGs as a learning framework for understanding global sustainability. Qualitative methodology was used to explore student perceptions regarding the efficacy of industry collaboration and Experiential Education Project-based Learning (EEPBL) methods, to integrate learning of SDGs into a university course. Through thematic analysis of 375 reflective essays and 18 semi-structured interviews, students reported an enhanced awareness and knowledge of SDGs, acquisition of key employability skills and development of new global perspectives. They found value in industry collaboration and EEPBL for acquiring a comprehensive understanding of the SDGs in a business context, and many developed an appreciation of their own agency for sustainability action in the future. This research can be presented as an example of one approach to both teaching students about the SDGs and embedding sustainability into their business curriculum.
... posmatrati na tri , kao: organizaciju, upravljanje i je aspekt savremenih organizacija i institucija. se definisati kao proces usmeravanja i koordinacije resursa i aktivnosti ka postizanju unutar organizacije (Weybrecht, 2022 Abstract A business process can be defined as a series of tasks or a series of activities carried out by a group of stakeholders with the aim of achieving an organizational goal. The business process is realized by the action of people or systems in an organized, predefined way. ...
... Effective management is essential to the success of any organization and requires the use of various management techniques and practices. (Weybrecht, 2022) This includes allocating resources, setting goals and objectives, monitoring and evaluating performance, and making strategic decisions to increase productivity and efficiency. In terms of bureaucracy, management is responsible for organizing and streamlining administrative tasks and processes to ensure the smooth functioning of the organization. ...
A business process can be defined as a series of tasks or a series of activities carried out by a group of stakeholders with the aim of achieving an organizational goal. The business process is realized by the action of people or systems in an organized, predefined way. Effective realization of business goals directly affects the success and growth of a business organization. The human factor is an indispensable element of the business system. Of course, the degree of participation depends on the automation, but the human brain is still a constant in the equation that is still impossible to replace. The business process organization is managed by people who have earned their place in the business process hierarchy with their professionalism and education. We classify them in that, middle and lower management. In the paper, we will deal with the way of management organization.
... According to Weybrecht (2022), business schools have been slow to engage with the SDGs, and many of the reported connections with the SDGs are weak and superficial. Although there is agreement that business schools should implement these goals, the 'what' and 'how' of such undertakings have yet to be decided (FT, 2019). ...
... The SDGs are an action plan for global peace and prosperity through sustainable development. Business schools have responded to the call for action by adopting the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME; Storey et al., 2017) and have undertaken efforts to implement these principles at the school level (Russo et al., 2023;Weybrecht, 2022). Nonetheless, documentation of incorporating SDGs into the course curriculum has been scarce in the extant literature (Fang & O'Toole, 2023). ...
The role and importance of sustainability are increasing multi-fold, and responsible organizations across the globe are aligning with the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Integrating the UN SDGs into marketing education, especially curriculum, has received scant attention in the marketing education literature, even though 880 business schools have become Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) signatories. This exploratory study attempts to address the gap. It describes an instructor’s attempt to integrate two SDGs, 8 and 12, into a marketing elective course, BoP & Rural Markets, using an experiential rural market project. The students were asked to use the lens of SDG 8 and 12 to understand the rural marketplace and its stakeholders during their field visit. This article describes the rural market project, spread across four experiential learning stages, and assesses its impact on sensitizing the students about SDGs. The whole experience, with its challenges and potential areas for improvement, is shared, and some lessons for marketing educators are identified. Finally, this article highlights some limitations of the approach and pinpoints directions for future work. In sum, this experiential project, a unique pedagogical intervention, helped increase the participants’ awareness and encouraged them to come up with possible recommendations for the issues around the two SDGs.
... The 17 SDGs provide measurable targets and a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for the people and the planet, now and into the future (United Nations, 2015). In the context of business education, the practical focus on the SDG supports educators to align PRME to teaching and research that contributes to the realisation of the goals (Weybrecht, 2022). ...
... Extant literature confirms that institutional support for PRME is limited. The role of advocating for and embedding PRME into curriculum often falls to self-selecting passionate individuals or small groups of academics, which means PRME is weakly or superficially embedded and a 'bolt on' part of the teaching curriculum (Weybrecht, 2022). However, a small group of articles indicated that (2022) Institutional support for PRME Being a PRME champion has a positive role and influence on embedding PRME. ...
... Contrarily, it is also observed that sustainability debate, at least within business school, has been contained relatively within the scholarly community, thereby leading only to academic discussion and insights. These are related to why business schools should pursue RME or how can business schools support UN PRME agenda, such as United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) (Weybrecht, 2022;Amann et al., 2011;Muff et al., 2013;Perry and Win, 2013). As a result, whereas the research addressing the implementation of sustainability has reached scholarly consensus, which remains normative and critical in nature. ...
... Miotto et al. (2020), in their analysis of top 50 business schools found that sustainability is used mainly to define the professional standards to train future leaders who will have social, economic and environmental positive impact. Similarly, Weybrecht (2022) analysis of 1,034 Sharing Information on Progress (SIP) reports submitted by business schools that are signatories of UN PRME suggests weak and superficial engagement with sustainability agenda. These discussions further reinforce the discussion within the literature that by large sustainability initiatives with business schools occur within small pockets and that schools should engage in multistakeholder networking claim to be realistic to enact change (Abdelgaffar, 2021). ...
Purpose
This study aims to clarify how higher educational institutions (HEI now onwards) can engage in organizational learning process to implementing sustainability initiatives. Through the case study of business school in France, it shows how sustainability integration is a longitudinal process, influenced by contextual factors which facilitate and impede the learning process. It aims to contribute to the literature of sustainability in higher education by bringing in insights from organizational learning theory.
Design/methodology/approach
This research uses the case study method to analyze the sustainability integration over the specific period. To do so, data was compiled by analyzing internal documents, publicly available sustainability reports. Further data was also complimented by the interviews, which gave intra-organizational level insights.
Findings
The case highlights that organizational learning for sustainability is stimulated by deans, faculty and institute of sustainability. It provides insights about how designing and implementing sustainability initiatives within an HEI is not a fixed goal; on the contrary, it is an ongoing learning process. However, this learning is also prone to barriers due to the ambiguous nature of sustainability.
Research limitations/implications
This research was conducted within a specific time, geographical and cultural context; hence, its result may lack generalization. Further comparative research is encouraged to explore similarity and differences within different HEI settings.
Practical implications
This research also gives potential insights for developing contextual awareness to prioritize, design and implement sustainability initiatives. Thus, it may be useful for the HEI administrators such as deans, sustainability managers and faculty members.
Social implications
This case emphasizes that HEI like business schools need to expand their relevance via social responsibility. This could be done so by encouraging leadership to engage with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Originality/value
This research uses organizational learning theory to understand determinants of sustainability design and implementation at French HEI. In doing so, this research contributes macro-level process of sustainability integration of an HEI.
... While universities have played a proactive role in supporting the SDGs, actively promoting and implementing these global goals, it is crucial to intensify efforts to integrate them, especially within the curricula of Accounting Courses, which require broader work (Ferrer-Estévez & Chalmeta, 2021;Weybrecht, 2022). Paradoxically, despite the growing awareness of the SDGs, it is notable that most HEIs have yet to incorporate these discussions into their curricula or create adequate learning environments for this purpose (Fang & O'Toole, 2023). ...
Objetivo: O estudo visa analisar como as Instituições de Ensino Superior (IES) brasileiras com as maiores notas no último Exame Nacional de Desempenho de Estudantes (ENADE 2018) estão integrando os Objetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável (ODS) nos Projetos Pedagógicos dos seus Cursos de Ciências Contábeis. Desenho/metodologia/abordagem: Foi realizada uma análise de conteúdo em 11 Projetos Pedagógicos de Cursos (PPCs), examinando 118 categorias relacionadas aos 17 ODS e suas metas. Resultados: O ODS 4 (Educação de Qualidade) e o ODS 9 (Indústria, Inovação e Infraestrutura) foram encontrados em todos os PPCs. O ODS 2 (Fome Zero e Agricultura Sustentável), ODS 10 (Redução das Desigualdades) e ODS 8 (Trabalho Decente e Crescimento Econômico) apareceram em 81,8%, 72,7% e 54,5% dos PPCs, respectivamente. Por outro lado, não foram encontrados resultados para os ODS 14 (Vida na Água), ODS 15 (Vida Terrestre) e ODS 17 (Parcerias e Meios de Implementação). Para os ODS 4 e 9, encontramos associações com as metas correspondentes 9.5, 9.b, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5 e 4.7. Originalidade/valor: Este estudo representa o primeiro esforço brasileiro para compreender as abordagens pedagógicas dos ODS em cursos de Ciências Contábeis nas Instituições de Ensino Superior no Brasil. Destaca-se pelo uso de métodos inovadores, ainda pouco explorados na pesquisa contábil, combinando abordagens qualitativas e análise de conteúdo com o suporte do software NVIVO.
... Local speakers help illustrate how individuals or organizations are prioritizing and promoting sustainability in the community. Some business programs invite alumni from the sustainability sector to give talks as guest speakers [27]. This can also be applied to natural and environmental sciences as well. ...
In 2015, the United Nations (UN) established 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to combat poverty, inequality, and climate change. Recently, integrating these goals into higher education curricula has emerged as essential for fostering positive environmental and civic engagement. Challenges persist, particularly the prioritization of social and economic concerns over eco-centered principles and ecopedagogy. Education must emphasize the politics of environmental issues, advocating sustainable practices that benefit both humans and nonhuman species. This article proposes ten simple rules for incorporating the SDGs into undergraduate courses in ecology, evolution, and environmental science. We conducted a literature review, analyzing 940 publications from 2014 to 2024 using ISI Web of Science and Google Scholar. We focused on fields like Green Sustainable Science and Technology and Environmental Education to identify the best practices for integrating SDGs. Our findings link pedagogical successes to the SDGs, facilitating effective educational strategies. For practical sustainability education, students must grasp the interplay between the environment and societal elements such as diversity, justice, and resilience. Connecting course topics to the SDGs offers a powerful framework for teaching undergraduates about complex environmental challenges. Our research highlights a novel approach to embedding SDGs in environmental education, promoting critical thinking and literacy across various settings.
... More than a problem, this represents an opportunity for business schools to focus and deepen their educational efforts towards sustainability by providing their students with the tools needed to contribute (Wersun et al., 2020). This finding is also consistent with a global observation that business schools have been relatively slow to engage in the SDGs and often superficially (Weybrecht, 2022). ...
Purpose
This study aims to investigate whether and how business schools in Australia and Canada advocate for education for sustainable development.
Design/methodology/approach
This exploratory study used a sequential mixed methods design, using a combination of qualitative content analysis and thematic analysis. During phase 1, sustainability reports developed by Australian and Canadian business schools (SIP reports), which are signatories to the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), were reviewed using qualitative content analysis methods. Following that, a thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with nine representatives from selected business schools from Australia and Canada were conducted to triangulate and interpret the findings from phase 1.
Findings
Australian and Canadian business schools incorporate sustainability into their teaching practices through mandatory courses designed around sustainability and its relationship with business and linking sustainability with other business-related courses by including relevant aspects of sustainability with course contents. Sustainability education in Australia and Canada is being addressed through a variety of degree and non-degree programs showing an increasing relevance for sustainability across business schools. However, results also show differences between the two countries, dependence on leadership, at times lack of support and infrastructure and not always clear strategies to place sustainability at the core of business education.
Originality/value
Despite previous attempts at examining sustainability practices across business schools, there is a dearth of research looking into a cross-country comparison of integrating sustainability in learning and teaching for business education.
... These sections also feature links to major social media platforms. Generally, from a communication perspective, universities appear to adopt different activist efforts to foster stakeholder engagement fully (Weybrecht, 2022). In contrast, corporate activism is primarily communicated on social media (Guha & Korschun, 2024), with rapid, lively, and sometimes aggressive communication (Cammarota et al., 2023). ...
This study aims to conceptualize an emerging and still understudied phenomenon, defined as university activism. Academic institutions appear to be following the same path as activist businesses, thus, entering a complex yet highly intriguing political arena. Today, more than ever, with conflicts ongoing in various parts of the world and geopolitical tensions, the role of universities is becoming extremely central. Drawing on two structured and significant literature fields - namely, corporate activism and public engagement - this research employs a multiple case study approach, gathering and analyzing data from fifty high-ranked American universities using the Abductive
Grounded Theory approach. The results provide a comprehensive definition of university activism and identify its key explanatory factors. These are thoroughly discussed and synthesized into the explanatory framework of the “4 W of University Activism”, which delineates activist efforts, potentially involved actors, target audience, and where activism is communicated. Lastly, this study offers significant implications for scholars in directing future research on this novel topic, for universities in understanding and implementing activist strategies, and for policymakers in comprehending the potential of university activism and supporting its implementation.
... In today's world, businesses play a significant role in shaping social, economic, and environmental outcomes, which makes it crucial for future professionals to understand the principles of corporate sustainability and how they can be applied within organizations [16]. By integrating corporate sustainability into educational curricula, it is possible to instill a way of thinking that is capable of taking the long-term well-being of both the business and society as a whole into account [17]. Students who grasp the concepts of corporate sustainability gain a comprehensive understanding of the interconnections between economic growth, social progress, and environmental stewardship [15]. ...
This paper presents an innovative experience involving students and professors from diverse backgrounds and regions that was designed to integrate corporate sustainability (CS) knowledge into undergraduate programs. An action research approach was adopted, with the course running over one semester. The course involved 146 students with diverse academic backgrounds from universities across Brazil along with eight professors from Brazil, Chile, and South Africa. The proposed approach provides actionable insights into the integration of sustainability concepts in the higher educational setting, thereby contributing to the development of a more environmentally and socially conscious generation of professionals. The learning outcomes are discussed in the light of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Agenda, particularly SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy), SDG 9 (industry, innovation, and infrastructure), and SDG 13 (climate action). In addition, it is important to highlight that the dissemination of the course's key features can be useful for universities , professors, and researchers engaged in training future professionals capable of addressing real-world problems of innovation and sustainability. By employing an action research methodology and fostering collaboration among students and professors with diverse academic backgrounds and from different countries, including Brazil, Chile, and South Africa, this paper presents a multiregional and interdisciplinary perspective that sets it apart from conventional practices. The emphasis on providing actionable insights and its potential applicability for universities, professors, and researchers involved in training future professionals further underscore its distinctive contribution to education for sustainable development.
... Some universities have been putting SDG logos in their course outlines (e.g. [53,54]) to make it clear to students what SDG will be integrated into the course. Following a similar approach, universities can also take a top-down approach to require all course lectures to indicate clearly on the course outlines which GenAI can be used in each course and to what extent. ...
Since late November 2022, generative AI ChatGPT has drawn waves of attention in society, and its impacts certainly extend to the higher education setting. Although ChatGPT has not been officially released for registration in Hong Kong, the higher education setting has been responding differently. The article conducted a systematic review of local newspapers published between 1 December 2022 and 31 July 2023 to analyse how the eight public universities in Hong Kong responded. This article divided the timeline into three phases: procrastination, remediation, and adaptation. Recommendations are given to universities for making policies and management based on the findings, including making timely but temporary announcements at the university level and updating course outlines that explicitly stated to what extent GenAI can be used in each course. This study used Hong Kong to serves as a reference for universities that are still struggling with the usage of ChatGPT and GenAI technologies in the restricted access areas.
... For example, after general outreach and awareness-raising, reports in different countries often refer to the curriculum in relation to the SDGs. However, like in Spain, few of these reports (less than 2%) provide specific details about what is being implemented in practice [63]. This lack of specificity in the practical implementation of the SDGs in the classroom is not a challenge exclusive to the Spanish context, but a global phenomenon that underscores the existing gap between educational policies and concrete pedagogical practices. ...
This study analyses the relationship between the physical education (PE) curriculum in secondary education in Spain and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Physical education curriculum of compulsory secondary education, as well as the complementary materials, were analysed through document analysis. Although there is no explicit relationship, the analysis reveals links between curricular elements and SDGs targets, particularly with SDG 4 (Quality Education), 3 (Health and Well-being), and 5 (Gender Equality). Other SDGs, such as 10 (Reducing Inequalities) and 12 (Responsible Consumption), are less related. The social dimension of sustainable development is most closely linked to PE. A historical analysis of the treatment of sustainable development in PE curricula in Spain is also presented, examining how they have evolved over time. The manuscript helps clarify how teachers and researchers can mobilize competencies to address global challenges in students’ lives as individuals and world citizens, fostering commitment and social responsibility. Furthermore, this work highlights the importance of integrating the SDGs into education and how PE can be a key tool in this process.
... Nigerian universities and other organizations have created numerous entrepreneurial training programs; these programs are becoming increasingly well-known in Nigeria (Weybrecht, 2022;Sofoluwe et al., 2013;Egunsola et al., 2012). Most participants in these programs are students and prospective business owners who believe they need more information and abilities to launch and grow a company. ...
Purpose:Most graduates from Nigerian universities are trained to rely on white-collar employment for their living rather than being given entrepreneurial or self-reliant skills. Because of this, a sizeable percentage of Nigerian university graduates are still looking for rewarding jobs today. Although they theoretically understand becoming self-sufficient, they need more business acumen. It is, therefore, vital to equip these graduates with the abilities and information required to enable them to create employment rather than seek it. As a result, this study looked into the impact of entrepreneurial abilities on graduates' readiness to venture and accept risks.Methodology:The study's research tool was a thoughtfully created questionnaire with a descriptive design. The researcher employed both a descriptive study design and a causal research design. The population of the study consisted of 7,098 Covenant University graduates. The Yamane formula was used to determine the sample size for this investigation, which was 379. The study's random sample techniques were practical, clear-cut, and intended.Findings:The study's conclusions show a significant and favorable relationship between graduates' risk-taking propensity and entrepreneurial skills among Nigerian university students.Implication:The study finds that graduates' tendency to take risks and their intention to start their businesses are highly influenced by entrepreneurial education and the development of entrepreneurial skills through self-learning and taught courses.
... For this reason, existing literature contends that AoL subjects faculty to the unintended consequences that poor AoL performance may have deleterious ramifications on their job security, or career development prospects (Beerkens, 2018;Stoten and Kirkham, 2021). Furthermore, the instrumental nature of AoL in its focus on assessments has been critiqued for being reductionist in comparison to the wider conversations around the roles of higher education towards social capital enhancements, responsible citizenship, sustainable development and other self-actualisation goals as vessels of knowledge inquiry (Weybrecht, 2022). Despite these criticisms, AoL has remained a core feature of business education for accreditation and quality signalling purposes (Alajoutsijarvi et al., 2018). ...
Purpose
This paper aims to critically evaluate the evolution of Assurance of Learning (AoL) in business education and identify gaps and responsibilities in higher institution landscapes moving into the future. This comes amidst increasing structural reforms, an increasingly digitalised world, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic and wider scrutiny of graduate competencies for job readiness.
Design/methodology/approach
A systematic literature review comprising 27 journal articles published between 2018 and 2022 is the methodology used in this research. This approach is justified as it provides a recent synopsis of current trends on AoL and encompasses the changes over the course of the COVID-19-induced higher education landscapes.
Findings
The systematic literature review revealed a strong flavour for AoL measurement through the students' perspectives, with little emerging from faculty insights. Only six out of the 27 articles were framed in a non-English speaking background, revealing that most studies were still concentrated in a US or English environment. Also, while papers on AoL have increased in numbers from 2018 to 2022, there remains scant literature on AoL measurements related to the COVID-19 pandemic and recent digital technologies, and how these would have changed given the rapid shift to online or hybrid environments.
Originality/value
A comprehensive review of AoL literature from 2018 to 2022 is undertaken through Leximancer, which reveals conceptual and relational ties between core themes and concepts of interest. The findings inform business school leaders of the current state of AoL processes, by combining the views of students, faculty and managers.
... Parallel to promoting education for sustainability in universities [4][5][6] , several global movements over the past three decades have also been gradually transforming business schools in light of a variety of sustainability issues. For example, critical discourses have reflected the nature of management education [7] and business knowledge [8] , highlighting the crucial role of business schools in sustainable development [9,10] . As a result, management research has been shifting from the prevailing neoliberal technocentrism (viewing the environment as natural capital) to sustainability-oriented paradigms and approaches [11,12] . ...
This paper aims to reframe sustainability as an ethical aspect of the theory-practice gap in business and management education for sustainable development, which should be viewed as an integral part of knowledge produced and disseminated in business schools. The paper adopts a narrative approach to review the relevant literature on two streams of research, namely, the theory-practice gap and sustainability in reforming business schools. The synthesis and discussion of the existing literature suggest that while sustainability is frequently viewed with an ethical sentiment, the existing research overlooks its significance in bringing together knowledge and practice in business schools. This paper highlights the potential of sustainability as a theoretical lens in bridging the theory-practice gap in business schools; proposing to rethink the conceptual space that lies in ethics for further theoretical developments. The author urges business and management scholars to engage in burgeoning debates on business school reforms relating to the theory-practice gap and sustainability with an emphasis on ethics. The author contends that the neglected theoretical linkages between the theory-practice gap and sustainability provide fruitful directions for future research. Through a moral lens, business schools can move toward responsible management education for a more sustainable future.
... As a result, business graduates are not exposed to the SDGs in a way that connects them to 'business as usual'. According to research conducted by Weybrecht (2022), based on more than 1034 Sharing Information on Progress (SIP) reports submitted by business schools that are signatories to the United Nations backed Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), business schools have been slow to engage in the SDGs and many of the reported connections with the SDGs are weak and superficial. However, according to some authors (Lozano et al., 2015), this depends on strong linkages between the institution's commitment to sustainability, the implementation, and the signature of a declaration, charter, or initiative. ...
Business leaders play a key role in the implementation of actions leading to the achievement of the 17 SDGs. Likewise, higher education is emerging as the principal factor in developing a sense of moral responsibility amongst university business students, who will eventually become company managers and decision makers. The aim of this research is, thus, twofold. First, to analyse university business students’ perceptions of the role of business in achieving the SDGs; and second, to examine university business students’ perceptions of the relationship between greater commitment to achieving the SDGs and business benefits. The analysis was performed with a sample of 178 business-related university students. Amongst the potential contributions made by this study we can highlight the possibility of understanding future managers’ perceptions of the role of business in achieving the SDGs, as well as the benefits that companies could derive from greater commitment to achieving these SDGs and identifying areas for improvement in university education regarding sustainable development.
... For this next question we focus solely on the business schools that, not only were driven to become PRME signatoriesitself a marker of sustainability strategybut chose to record their strategies with respect to sustainable management education through publicly SIP reports. Recent work by Weybrecht (2022) suggests that PRME signatories have been slowly but steadily increasing their recorded commitment to the SDGs. Weybrecht observes that schools vary based on the importance they attach to the goals (i.e. ...
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore structural drivers and barriers that distinguish US business school Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRME) signatories from nonsignatory peer institutions, and identify structural drivers of PRME institution strategic integration of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into their ongoing responsible management education reports.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a case–control method to compare the US PRME signatory sample to a size-matched random sample of US business management programs/schools. This study uses conditional inference tree and correlation analyses to highlight distinctive structural characteristics associated with US PRME signatories and with their strategies to highlight sustainability through the SDGs.
Findings
There are significant and practically meaningful structural differences between US-based PRME signatories and US programs/schools that have not adopted the PRME principles. Further, PRME schools differentially integrate SDGs in their information sharing based on structural characteristics.
Practical implications
Understanding school/program characteristics that align with PRME and different sustainability strategies affords a better comprehension of where targeted resources might be most effective in broadening the appeal and adoption of PRME and subsequent sustainability strategy integration.
Originality/value
While previous work on PRME signatories has depended heavily on case studies of successful implementation and has examined the content of PRME activity by school, the present work compares the population of actual US signatories with a random sample of nonsignatories to determine leverage points for enacting broader PRME adoption. The study also examines the strategies that PRME schools use to integrate the UN SDGs and the structures that support such.
... We call for sexism reporting requirements from the three main business school accreditation bodies (AACSB, AMBA, and EQUIS) as well as national associations and rankings. Enablers to mobilize effective governance and strategies to resist sexism in the academy (Crimmins, 2019) are vital if business schools really are able to embed the UN's SDGs (Weybrecht, 2022) of decent work in their own cultures. Evidence-based implementation and evaluation of training workshops and gender plans to address sexism in the academy are vital to drive changes. ...
The legitimacy of business schools is based on rankings, revenues, branding, and opportunities to support staff and students "to make a difference in the world". Yet sexism in business schools is endemic. Drawing on Acker's inequality regimes framework and a thematic analysis of reports in Poets&Quants, EFMD's Global Focus and AACSB Internation-al's BizEd/AACSB Insights over a decade, this study explores how business schools are dealing (or not) with sexism. We propose a typology of four categories of sexism in business schools: belligerent, benevolent, ambivalent, and oblivious sexism. Our findings contribute to understandings of institutional theory and the institutional development of business schools as important sites of (sexist and gendered) knowledge production and dissemination and entrenched inequalities. We posit that media constructions of sexism may better inform individual decisions, organizational development , and governance about the imperative to eliminate sexist behaviors and discrimination. We argue that business schools need to gain substantive legitimacy as effective role models by reforming themselves. They must actively tackle institutional and cultural sexism from within. Implications for practice include the effective inclusion of mandatory sexism reporting in international business school accreditation
... The vision of the United Nation's Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) is to advance the Sustainable Development Goals and contribute to creating a fairer, more inclusive, and sustainable world through responsible management education, research, and practice. It is a voluntary initiative with more than 860 members worldwide which includes Deans and Presidents of business schools as well as top management of large corporations (Weybrecht, 2022). It brings together the UN and business and management schools1 F 2 around the world to inspire and champion responsible management education, research, and practice globally through the application of six principles: purpose, values, method, research, partnership, and dialogue (PRME, 2016). ...
Research on IS solutions for environmental sustainability have evolved and produced a modest, but firm body of knowledge. Despite this progressive understanding about the potential of digital technologies in enabling environmental sustainability, our academic practices seem widely unaffected by these insights. The way we do research or conduct teaching is rarely influenced by sustainability considerations. For example, before the pandemic we many of us belonged to a hypermobile group that travelled 5-6 times more than the average employee, let alone the around 80% of the less-privileged human population that have never flown. Our research is also often not aligned with environmental goals and sustainability considerations play a minor role. We research and apply digital technologies without sufficiently acknowledging the significant amounts of energy they consume. Similarly, our teaching often focuses on the effective development and use of information systems; however, rebound, second order, or spillover effects are barely covered. Based on these observations we raise the question: Are we practicing enough of what we preach? While recognizing several efforts of IS researchers, we can no longer ignore the ‘environmental elephant in the room’. In our panel report, we discuss the status-quo and ideas to improve the environmental and societal impact of our academic practices and present three ideas to move forward: Leverage virtualization and limit air travel, overhaul teaching curricula, and recalibrate incentives and evaluation regimes.
... We call for sexism reporting requirements from the three main business school accreditation bodies (AACSB, AMBA, and EQUIS) as well as national associations and rankings. Enablers to mobilize effective governance and strategies to resist sexism in the academy (Crimmins, 2019) are vital if business schools really are able to embed the UN's SDGs (Weybrecht, 2022) of decent work in their own cultures. Evidence-based implementation and evaluation of training workshops and gender plans to address sexism in the academy are vital to drive changes. ...
The legitimacy of business schools is based on rankings, revenues, branding, and opportunities to support staff and students ‘to make a difference in the world’. Yet sexism in business schools is endemic. Drawing on Acker’s inequality regimes framework and a thematic analysis of reports in Poets&Quants, EFMD’s Global Focus and AACSB International’s BizEd/AACSB Insights over a decade, this study explores how business schools are dealing (or not) with sexism. We propose a typology of four categories of sexism in business schools: belligerent, benevolent, ambivalent, and oblivious sexism. Our findings contribute to understandings of institutional theory and the institutional development of business schools as important sites of (sexist and gendered) knowledge production and dissemination and entrenched inequalities. We posit that media constructions of sexism may better inform individual decisions, organizational development, and governance about the imperative to eliminate sexist behaviours and discrimination. We argue that business schools need to gain substantive legitimacy as effective role models by reforming themselves. They must actively tackle institutional and cultural sexism from within. Implications for practice include effective inclusion of mandatory sexism reporting in international business school accreditation standards and rankings criteria as well as requirements for research funding.
... Taking such commitments seriously affects all aspects of business school value creation operations from physical infrastructure management or procurement, to employee and student commuting practices, and cafeteria meals, just to mention a few. Similarly, many schools have responded to the pressures to tackle the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by embedding them into all kinds of practices of the normal 'running' of business schools operations, including teaching and research practices, as well as business schools' administration (Weybrecht, 2021(Weybrecht, , 2022. For instance, Koç University collaborates with its holding companies, employees, dealers, and suppliers to solve social problems through each of their operations. ...
Based on action learning, we propose a new use of digital story telling (DST) in sustainability in management education (SiME). Using thematic analysis (TA), we analyze a set of 63 student generated DST films on the Anthropocene to propose an experiential learning framework based on five key learning domains: the Planetary Boundaries, scale issues (time and place), complex governance (levels of approach), social justice (humans and animals), and environmental justice. This innovative framework will help instructors introduce and conceptualize the Anthropocene to business students while promoting cognitive, behavioral, emotional, experiential, and creative learning needed to manage business sustainably while becoming less impactful key drivers and amplifiers of planetary change. Our proposed multi-modal/multi-dimensional framework aims to transform our current education system by offering a point of entry to educators and students on the Anthropocene, while encouraging teaching and research on issues of high societal and future relevance.
This review presents a bibliometric performance and systematic literature review of research publications related to the 17 United Nations (UN) sustainable development goals (SDGs) in business studies. The study employs the 2020 revised Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) framework to systematically evaluate and identify 583 articles sourced from esteemed academic databases, including Scopus and Web of Science, as well as seven reputable publishers and digital libraries, for subsequent analysis and synthesis. The identified 583 papers on SDGs, authored by 1610 scholars and published in 207 peer‐reviewed sources, are analyzed using VOSviewer and R Studio software. The analysis reveals the existence of nine independent clusters of SDGs business research: artificial intelligence and digitalization (red cluster), business collaboration (green cluster), corporate sustainability (blue cluster), circular economy and corporate social responsibility (yellow cluster), entrepreneurship and innovation (purple cluster), education for developing countries (aqua‐cluster), climate change and tourism (orange‐cluster), Africa perspectives (brown cluster), and sustainable investment (black cluster). This review highlights the foundation of the business studies debate linked to the advancement of the SDGs after the adoption by the United Nations. Key insights, future research directions and conclusion including implications are discussed.
This study investigates the implementation of the principles for responsible management education (PRME) to promote sustainability in business schools. PRME, an initiative by the United Nations, aims to advance sustainable practices in management education. The research explores the best practices employed by business schools to effectively integrate sustainability principles into their curriculum, research activities, and overall operations. The analysis of exemplary reporting reveals key themes and initiatives presented in assessed reports. Student organizations at the university foster diversity, empowerment, social responsibility, and impactful initiatives, creating an inclusive campus community. Partnerships with external stakeholders are crucial for sustainable development. Integrating business leadership, CSR, ethics, and sustainability courses equips students with skills for responsible practices. Research on sustainable development advances knowledge exchange. Initiatives targeting underrepresented groups promote diversity and education. Recommendations include supporting student organizations, strengthening partnerships, integrating relevant courses, funding research, promoting environmental sustainability, and enhancing communication for transparency and collaboration.
Inspired by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), the mission and vision of the International Business School Maastricht (IBSM) is to educate resilient business leaders with a global mind. Sustainability and internationalisation are core to this mission. At IBSM we found that our students and lecturers had difficulty in connecting the dots between these two educational initiatives and the various business disciplines. This paper describes the introduction of an innovative and radical pedagogy ‘Student in the Lead’ and how ethics, responsibility, and sustainability and international, intercultural, and global dimensions of learning are being positioned as a foundational lens for the core business disciplines of Marketing, Finance, Supply Chain Management, and Organisation and People. In addition, the paper reports on the first experiences of students and lecturers with Student in the Lead, which point towards their appreciation of the new pedagogy. Both students and coaches indicate they are still finding their way in what is expected of them and what the focus on the UNSDGs implies for them as International Business professionals. The paper concludes that the radical change trajectory is not only about developing new skills but also about sense making and transforming professional identities. The IBSM lecturers have to develop into reflective practioners who understand the fine line between coaching and their own positionality on the values underpinning ethical, responsible, and sustainable dimensions of business challenges and their international, global, and intercultural contexts and conditions. The IBSM experience also inspired the initiation of a new Eramus + Cooperation Partnership in Higher Education (2022–2025), titled “Innovating Business Education for Responsible Global Minds”.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has become an increasing focus of activities in universities, particularly affecting research and education and integrating the SDGs into the curricular schedule. Universities can contribute to the SDGs not only through education and research but also by boosting public participation in addressing SDGs and promoting cross-sectoral dialogue through social networks, since they are now considered essential communication tools to interact and build relationships with stakeholders. In this chapter, we apply big data techniques to analyze universities’ messages related to SDGs on Twitter to demonstrate how the content of these messages influences stakeholders’ engagement. Using a large sample of recent tweets from European universities, we draw conclusions that shed light on universities’ impact when disseminating information about SDGs.
The desire for a sustainable planet has triggered intensive efforts towards achieving sustainable development goals. Higher education institutions have continued to play a prominent role in this direction. Previous research has examined the roles of specific branches of business schools (e.g., Marketing education, Accounting Education, Entrepreneurship education etc.) in imparting sustainability-oriented knowledge that is necessary for sustainable behaviour. However, the sustainability literature is currently lacking a comprehensive presentation of the dimensions of contributions of business schools in stimulating sustainability consciousness among university students, especially in the context of developing countries. To close this gap, this study leverages the knowledge-attitude-behaviour model and the self-control theory in understanding, through a qualitative survey, the dimensions of sustainability consciousness in business students. By focusing on graduate students of a foremost state-owned business school in Nigeria, the study contributes to the scarce literature on the contributions of universities towards sustainable development.
Many of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals apply directly to Human resource management (HRM) within organisations, and most of them have indirect relevance. It is clear, however, that by 2030 the world will have failed to meet the Goals. Although the connection between the SDGs and HRM is not so apparent, it has been argued that the two are, or perhaps should be, related: but maybe there is failure there too. This conceptual paper uses extant research to argue that the reasons for this are inherent in our understanding of HRM, in the nature of the Goals themselves, and in the relationship between HRM and the SDGs. We argue that HRM fails to advance the likelihood of the Goals being met because of construct clarity problems. Nonetheless, we argue that the SDGs have value for HRM specialists in signalling the importance of the multiple stakeholders involved and in focusing attention on crucial aspects of the role of HRM within organisations.
Las escuelas de negocio se han posicionado como uno de los pilares centrales de formación especializada en el mundo, y América Latina no escapa a este fenómeno. Uno de los aspectos principales de su posicionamiento radica en las acreditaciones internacionales, cuyos lineamientos homogéneos pueden inducir a procesos de imitación y poca diferenciación, dejando de lado estrategias de adaptación a las necesidades de su contexto. Para esto, se estudian los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (ODS) como contexto, a través del análisis de contenido de 229 elementos estratégicos de 60 escuelas de negocio de América Latina, Europa, Asia, Norteamérica, Medio Orientey África y Oceanía, para identificar si existe diferenciación o isomorfismo por parte de las escuelas latinoamericanas en comparación con las de otras regiones. Igualmente, se establece un comparativo con la respuesta estratégica de las empresas frente a los ODS, para transmitir que las escuelas de negocio están alineadas con las acciones tomadas por las empresas. Se encontró que las escuelas de negocio latinoamericanas tienen un comportamiento similar en cuanto a la vinculación de los ODS en su estrategia con respecto a las escuelas de otras zonas del mundo. Por otra parte, la respuesta estratégica de las escuelas de negocio a estas necesidades no se articula con las acciones emprendidas por las empresas de la región, por lo que se interpreta que hay una doble desarticulación de las escuelas de negocio, abriendo un campo para generar diferenciación y posicionamiento en el corto y mediano plazo.
Purpose
This study aims to explore the social sustainability reporting (SR) of top European business schools to illustrate and discuss their practices and the associated challenges.
Design/methodology/approach
For the top 20 European business schools, content and thematic analyses were used to investigate reports concerning social sustainability and data from semi-structured interviews. Reports from the past three years (typology, framework, channels of communication and frequency) were analysed, including content on social issues in the past period and the challenges faced by managers regarding social SR.
Findings
Social SR in the top 20 European business schools is heterogeneous and the main challenges are the lack of specific frameworks and resources, the amount of data that must be collected and the complexity of measuring social impact. Diversity and equality, society issues, ethical integrity and human rights with respect to students, partners and organizations are the most relevant social contents.
Practical implications
Business schools need to debate ways of promoting social sustainability and to adapt procedures and technology to communicate their social sustainability strategies and impacts. It offers an improved understanding to regulatory institutions that can allow them to establish standards and a foundation for future research that can refine or generalize the findings of this study.
Social implications
Measuring and reporting social sustainability issues are relevant challenges for business schools that are working on social sustainability aspects.
Originality/value
The originality of this study lies in the discussion on current social SR practices at business schools, and their responsibilities regarding the development of a more sustainable society in a changing regulatory context.
Purpose
This paper aims to explore if, and how, business schools globally have been engaging their students in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), both inside and outside the classroom, since the SDGs were agreed upon in 2015 until mid-2020.
Design/methodology/approach
The data is collected from information submitted as part of reporting requirements to the United Nations Principle for Responsible Management Education over the time in question. This paper outlines the range of approaches being reported on which specifically relate to students and explicitly mention the SDGs.
Findings
The results show that although there are a growing number of innovative approaches that could become the basis for the way management education approaches the SDGs moving forward, the majority of schools are not engaging their students in the SDGs. Of those schools that are, most offer limited evidence of it being embedded into the core of what students are learning or of it being approached in an interdisciplinary way. Business graduates are not being exposed to the SDGs in a way that connects them to “business as usual”. This is a missed opportunity for the students, the universities and the global community, given the important influence that management education, and the business sector by extension, has the realisation of the goals.
Originality/value
The results can help inform and inspire higher education institutions to engage students in the SDGs. A methodology to measure the degree of engagement is presented, which can then be used as a tool to benchmark progress.
This chapter discusses the institutionalization of responsible management education (RME). We start by reviewing different types of institutional pressures that have shaped the diffusion of RME, and we also discuss the relevance of selected institutional entrepreneurs which have influenced the acceptance of RME as a legitimized social practice. The following section focuses on the current status of institutionalization by demonstrating that many schools only symbolically adopt RME and hence decouple their public commitments from actual implementation practices. We review different types of decoupling in the business school context and discuss what determines whether a school decouples or not. The final section takes a look into the future and outlines an agenda for forthcoming scholarly work in this area. This section also discusses in what ways educational and organizational practices can be improved to avoid decoupling and to therefore move more strongly towards substantive implementation of RME.
Purpose
– With more than 332 signatories, the United Nations Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) is probably the most solid initiative to inspire and champion responsible business education globally. The purpose of this paper is to examine the activities undertaken by the first intake of signatories – universities and business schools – with regard to each of the six principles (offering a systematic analysis and “distilled” categorization of those initiatives). It also aims to evaluate the difficulties and tensions that may be entailed in integrating PRME in both the strategic intent and daily operations of educational institutions, and how to overcome some of these. Finally, it aims to offer a critical reflection on the “non‐compliance and non regulatory/measurement” nature of PRME (the initiative assumes that signatories act on the basis of principled pragmatism), offering suggestions for improving the reporting mechanism on which the whole initiative is based.
Design/methodology/approach
– The authors analyze the first 100 “Sharing Information on Progress” (SIP) reports uploaded to the PRME web site. These reports are the main mechanism established by the PRME Secretariat to build learning and accountability and allow signatories to communicate their progress. Elements from grounded theory and other qualitative analytical approaches were used to allow themes to emerge from within the (often messy and irregular) data from the reports. Graphical representations are also used.
Findings
– Activities undertaken by PRME signatories are portrayed for each of the six principles: principle 1 on purpose (capabilities of students); principle 2 on values (incorporated in curriculum and academic activities); principle 3 on learning approaches; principle 4 on research (with sustainable, social, environmental and economic value); principle 5 on partnership (interaction with business managers); and principle 6 on dialogue (among key stakeholders). Tensions regarding ideology, integration and implementation are also identified, as well as possible weaknesses, e.g. on integrity, quality and reporting policies, in the current “SIP” framework.
Originality/value
– This paper is the first scholarly work depicting comprehensively the activities of PRME signatories worldwide.
The Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRME) are being increasingly mainstreamed into business and management education to embed ethics, social responsibility, and sustainability issues in educational and operational practices. The purpose of this study is to analyze the Sharing Information Progress (SIP) reports of 38 third cycle PRME Champion group to explore their level of engagement with the PRME agenda. A PRME Integration Framework (PIF) is used to map, categorize, and compare a multitude of responsible management education (RME) integration components corresponding to six principles of PRME. Each component is supported with scholarly work to validate using PIF as a metrics to monitor progress towards a consistent level of RME integration and enhance the quality of future SIPs. The Framework offers a practical guide for business schools on their transformational journey to RME adoption. It allows flexibility to add new categories in response to future triple bottom line and humanitarian challenges. The study examines achievements, gaps, and challenges and suggests means of improving the RME adoption process and SIP reporting mechanism. Overall, content analysis of the SIP reports of the PRME Champion group conveys exemplar creative, innovative, and verifiable practices, yet some of the SIP reports suffer inconsistency, vagueness, and limited details of the RME implementation process and strategies. Future multi-stakeholder networking, collaboration, and shared resources could help realizing the full potentials of PRME.
The United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are an urgent call for action by all countries that provide a global framework for achieving global development while balancing social, economic, and environmental sustainability. SDGs are addressed to all actors in society, but both academia and professional recognize the particular importance of businesses. However, research is still needed to understand the role of companies as sustainable development agents. Relying on Scopus database consultation, the current research adopts an interdisciplinary systematic literature review to investigate, analyze, and present state‐of‐the‐art academic literature on the role of businesses in tackling SDGs. The final sample comprises 101 papers published between 2015 and 2020. It provides evidence that the main topics discussed by scholars are related to aspects of strategy execution. Recognizing different streams that are currently unexplored—despite strictly related to strategic business activities and to the sustainable development as a whole—the study provides many insights for future research on business and SDGs.
This study aims to offer a diagnostic of the “state-of-the-art” practices being reported throughout the Sharing Information Process (SIP) by the Champions Group, a group of schools that are signatories of the Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRME, a United Nations Global Compact initiative), committed to spearheading transformational change toward more socially and environmentally responsible leadership. The study also suggests an analytical model - based on qualitative research and documentary analysis of over 29 institutional reports from 18 business schools – to define the study sample, investigate data, identify patterns, organise and codify a large amount of information within all reports searched. The analytical model represents a framework in which the result is a collection of practices being reported, functioning as a useful guide and practical reference for higher educational institutions – signatory or otherwise – when promoting or advancing transformational change in their business model. The framework could also be valuable for Graduate Schools – or even Primary Schools to High Schools – considering the urgency of the 2030 Agenda, especially its 4.7 target, referred to as “An education for SD and global citizenship”.
Over 650 business schools worldwide have embraced the 2007 United Nations initiative, the Principles for Responsible Management Education. Proponents claim the initiative drives change and a fundamental rethinking of management education through questioning and the challenging of assumptions. Critical discussions of the Principles for Responsible Management Education have been slower to emerge, and this article contributes a necessary critique. We relate claims of questioning and social change to ideas of critical reflexivity, including those of Margaret Archer, who presents it as an open-ended process of deliberation, generating social transformation. In so doing, we ask whether the Principles for Responsible Management Education enables a critical reflexivity which might drive fundamental change in management education. Based on a critical discourse analysis of research data gathered in our UK business school, we answer this question in the negative, arguing that the Principles for Responsible Management Education, far from promoting critical reflexivity, operate as an ‘imaginary’ to inhibit critical reflexivity and to impose a particular agenda, limiting fundamental change. Rather it is resistance to the Principles for Responsible Management Education agenda and the availability of alternative imaginaries providing different meaning-making resources, which may contribute to a much needed rethinking of management education.
The subjectivity, complexity, and often competing interests of sustainable development have limited the effectiveness of integrating these important ideas into mainstream business strategy. With the adoption of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in January 2016, there are now global sustainability benchmarks that apply across diverse sectors and national contexts, allowing public and private organizations to orient and evaluate their activities, strategies, and business outcomes. However, it is not directly apparent where the advantage for business lies in pursuit of these actions within the prevailing economic paradigm, highlighting the need for new analytical frameworks and tools. Industrial ecology (IE) has been successfully used in engineering practice for decades and has been suggested as a method that can provide the concepts and methods necessary to bridge the gap between traditional business practice and sustainable development. To test this, literature bridging the fields of industrial ecology, business strategy, and sustainable development was collected and analyzed using the textual analysis software Leximancer™. The analysis showed that while the SDGs are primarily aimed at the national level, they also hold relevance for business through innovation, partnerships, and strategic positioning, inter alia. The analysis found that the integration of IE and business strategy is highly relevant for three of the SDGs, but captures elements of all 17 to varying degrees. IE has a strong focus on innovation and its potential in new markets, products, and business models. IE is also consciously aimed at the efficient use of energy and resources, ideas that are relevant to mitigating, adapting, and building resilience in a changing future, but are also relevant to traditional concepts of business strategy and competitive advantage. This paper shows that through the combination of IE and strategic management theory, commercial organizations can positively contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals while building competitive advantage.
The following paper is an exploration of what management education needs to consider in order to play this role, one that not only embeds sustainability and responsible management throughout, but that plays a crucial and active role on a global stage in moving the SDGs forward.
As well as UN Global Compact signatories are invited to adopt corporate social responsibility, the UN Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) encourage educational institutions to implement sustainability in their programs, promoting the development of globally responsible leaders. Aiming to collaborate to this network, this study investigates an example of how to implement the PRME and the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the school curricula by describing the methodology developed by Brazilian business school ISAE – Higher Institute of Administration and Economics. Structured from the perspective of transdisciplinary education, the subject of Sustainability in Organizations encourages research, provides discussions in the classroom and stimulates collective knowledge by integrating students to the corporate world – enabling the construction of knowledge in a practical and transformative way. As a result, students obtain a high degree of involvement, increasing awareness on their role in society and participation as protagonists of the changes the world needs.
We analyse the Sharing in Progress (SIP) reports of 14 signatories to the United Nations' Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) to explore how reporting might be improved in ways that are both credible and useful for business schools and their stakeholders. We apply the broad principles of the G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines of the Global Reporting InitiativeTM, a widely used international reporting standard, to assess our sample's first and third reports in terms of content and quality. Our longitudinal analysis reveals some improvements in signatory reporting, including significant inclusion of stakeholders, expanded discussion of local and positive impact, timeliness in reporting and clarity of language. However, we find Champion reports include limited reporting of social and economic impact, challenges faced in PRME implementation, and information to facilitate comparability and external assessment of report reliability. We see potential for improving SIP reporting and offer suggestions in support of PRME's goals to promote continuous improvement, a learning community and useful progress reporting to stakeholders. We also present ideas for future research.
This paper examines the field of Responsible Management Education (RME) in the context of Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), situating the United Nations Principles for Responsible Management Education (UN PRME) in relation to a range of associated initiatives and organisations using a light, Bourdieusian theoretical framing. The emergence of the SDGs as a frame or doxa for RME and the role of UN PRME as an agent in this field is explored in the context of the literature on how business schools have delivered on sustainability and responsibility imperatives. The field of RME is partially mapped, loosely categorising actors and initiatives as membership or affiliation networks, teaching and learning initiatives and student-centred or student-led groups. Their differing aspirations are discussed, and tentative conclusions are drawn on the extent to which the SDGs are acting as a unifying paradigm, and on the future roles that UN PRME may play in the field.
Proponents of the transformative potential of the United Nations Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) claim that their adoption could lead to a “paradigm change” in business schools, thus addressing many of the sustained critiques of the sector in recent years. However, this claim and the PRME themselves have to date not been subjected to systematic scrutiny from a Critical Management Education perspective. Applying a critical discourse analysis methodology, this article evaluates how business schools and management education are positioned in key PRME documentation and the Sharing Information on Progress reports of U.K. business school signatories to the PRME. A key finding is that the PRME discourse assumes and promotes a problematic understanding of management education that includes a positioning of business schools as servants of the corporate sector. The impact of this and other assumptions undermines any “paradigm change” claim. Conclusions identify potential discursive and organizational strategies to nurture a more critical, learning-centered PRME discourse.
Purpose The main aim of this research is to understand how business schools have transformed (or have not transformed) themselves to adopt a sustainability and social responsibility paradigm.
Scope Sustainability and social responsibility have been crucial concepts to
overcome the world's challenging problems. Business schools should care about the world's critical issues, as their graduates play an important role as the initiators and managers of the global society. Therefore, a global transformation is needed in mainstream business education. At the beginning
of the 21st century, a step towards transformation is taking place in global modern business and management education, in many universities. PRME (Principles for Responsible Management Education) is one of the transformation platforms providing guidelines and a learning network to universities
voluntarily involved.
Methodology In this study, a qualitative approach is used to analyse the reports, presenting the organised functions and efforts of changing universities, submitted to PRME in 2012. To understand the dimensions of the educational transformation globally, content
analysis has been conducted on 50 reports of selected university business schools.
Findings Schools presented in the research make efforts to teach sustainability and responsibility issues. However, only half of the schools reflect full personal and corporate ethics in their corporate
mission. Consequently, the transformation for sustainability and social responsibility of business schools needs more emphasis.
The Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) are credited with encouraging business schools to strengthen their engagement with sustainability. This claim is examined to distinguish how far PRME is changing the willingness to address sustainability compared with gaining from a context in which business schools are already incorporating sustainability in some or all the areas potentially affected by PRME: teaching, research, engagement and operational practice. The study draws on evidence from a comparison with other sustainability principles promoted to the higher education sector, an evaluation of sharing information on progress reports and a survey of PRME signatories. It concludes that, to date, support for PRME is mainly to gain recognition for existing activities rather than a step toward deeper engagement with sustainability.
The expectation that management education institutions should be leading thought and action on issues related to corporate responsibility and sustainability has been reinforced in the light of their association with business leaders’ failings, including corporate corruption, the financial crisis and various ecological system crises. The United Nations supported Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) initiative is an important catalyst for the transformation of management education and a global initiative to change and reform management education in order to meet the increasing societal demands for responsible business. This paper introduces the initiative and illustrates progress made by PRME signatories drawing upon analysis of their self-presentations in their Sharing Information on Progress (SIP) reports. The paper synthesizes the studies’ findings and concludes with some thoughts on current and future directions and prospects of the initiative