Deep learning for a sustainability mindset

Abstract

While ‘sustainability’ in management education is mostly addressed from a technical perspective, the emotional and ‘being’ aspects can be key for creating a new mindset. In this paper the authors build on a conceptual model for developing a sustainability mindset, and provide an example of how this was applied in the design of an undergraduate course on Managing Multinationals, at Oulu Business School, the University of Oulu, Finland. Addressing the knowledge, systems thinking, emotional aspects, the tacit paradigms and the values we adhere to, students were led on a journey of discovery that created deep learning. This paper shows how the model for developing a sustainability mindset can be adapted and tailored to specific pedagogical contexts.