Creating a niche for the environment in the business school curriculum

Abstract

A merica's business schools proclaim themselves to be the educators of tomorrow's business people. One would assume, then, that their curriculum and programs would be geared toward preparing students for the problems and challenges they will face in the future. However, in the case of the environment, the record shows that the majority of business and management schools have not yet recognized the extent to which environmental issues significantly affect businesses. In fact, like a modern Rip Van Winkle, business schools appear to be emerging from a 20-year sleep during which they failed to take note of major changes occurring around the globe and the degree to which environmental issues affect the whole spectrum of business decision making. The environmental considerations confronting business today are far broader than whether controls should be installed on manufacturing processes or energy production. Businesses must now also be concerned with the nature of products and packaging, how they can be promoted, the kinds of resources that can be used, where facilities can be placed, and strong public attitudes concerning the environment. This reality is capsulized on the cover of Dow Chemical's 1989 annual report, which states that the environment, more than any other [issueJ, will affect Dow's prospects in the '90s and beyond. Business schools face the need not only to catch up, but also to try and position themselves on the cutting edge. In this article, we will examine why and how environmental issues should be addressed in the business school curriculum. Initially, we will briefly review the recent history of business and the environment in the United States and examine what is happening in the business and academic worlds. Then we will discuss a number of current efforts to incorporate environmental considerations into the business school curriculum. And finally, we will offer some suggestions of our