Responsible Management Education Research Articles

Education for sustainable development: an assessment of Australian and Canadian business schools

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.

ESG risk, CEO education and gender: Evidence from Southeast Asia

AbstractThis study explores the impact of a CEO's educational background from a top university on reducing corporate ESG risk and the potential moderating role of CEO gender. Using the QS World University Rankings (QS WUR) to define reputable universities, the research focuses on companies in ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries, known for elevated ESG risks. Through Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression analysis, the results show that CEOs educated at top universities reduce ESG risk, while CEO gender does not moderate this relationship. The findings represent the importance of reputable universities as habitus to support the globalization of business and responsible management education, regardless the gender. The results also highlight the influence of educational background on corporate ESG performance, with significant implications for corporate strategy and CEO appointments.

Enhancing Global Sustainable Higher Education Through Sustainability Window Approach

The sustainability window approach began as a model that could explain the way to sustainable economic development. This theory places emphasis on ecological, economic and social linkages for making comprehensive analysis and policy towards United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. It identifies four theoretically sustainable paths; two associated with economic growth and the others requiring growth conditional or strict adherence to environmental and social criteria. Many studies confirm that higher education institutions have not been able to completely embrace the concept of sustainability window approach. The paper asserts that these are the most effective ways through which global higher education establishments can achieve sustainability: well-being of society, environmental protection, low consumption, and limited social usage. Finally, it concludes by calling on high education institutions to incorporate sustainability window and integrate it with triple bottom line and responsible management education approaches. The paper argues that in order to determine whether such a change might be suitable in different settings, it is recommended that we test this revised framework using empirical evidence

The marginalisation of responsible management in business schools: a consideration of future trajectories

Purpose Business schools are vital in promoting responsible management (RM) – a management grounded in ethics and values beneficial to a wide array of stakeholders and overall society. Nevertheless, due to deeply embedded institutional modernistic dynamics and paradigms, RM is, despite its importance, repeatedly marginalised in business school curricula. If students are to engage with RM thinking, then its occlusion represents a pressing issue. Drawing on the United Kingdom (UK) business school context, this paper aims to examine this issue through a framework of institutional theory and consider the role played by (modernistic) institutional accreditation and research assessment processes in marginalisation of RM. Design/methodology/approach This study used an exploratory qualitative research method. Data were collected from 17 RM expert participants from 15 UK business schools that were signatories to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Management Education through semi-structured in-depth interviews and analysed using the six phases of Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis. Findings The study identifies a potent institutional isomorphic amalgam resulting in conservative impacts for RM. This dynamic is termed multiple institutional isomorphic marginalisation (MIIM) – whereby a given domain is occluded and displaced by hegemonic institutional pressures. In RM’s case, MIIM operates through accreditation-driven modernistic-style curricula. This leads business schools to a predilection towards “mainstream” representations of subject areas and a focus on mechanistic research exercises. Consequently, this privileges certain activities over RM development with a range of potential negative effects, including social impacts. Originality/value This study fills an important gap concerning the need for a critical, in-depth exploration of the role that international accreditation frameworks and national institutional academic research assessment processes such as the Research Excellence Framework in the UK play in affecting the possible growth and influence of RM. In addition, it uses heterotopia as a conceptual lens to reveal the institutional “mask” of responsibility predominantly at play in the UK business school context, and offers alternative pathways for RM careers.

Heartbeats and Deep Breaths: The Rhythms of Organizing Responsible Management Education

Heartbeats and Deep Breaths: The Rhythms of Organizing Responsible Management Education

Redefining Academic Safe Space for Responsible Management Education

AbstractIn a time of increasing polarization, how can we address sensitive topics and ensure that university classrooms remain places of healthy discussions and ethical deliberations? This paper addresses this important question by drawing on unique qualitative data from our students’ accounts of their experience in an organizational ethics course. We developed the course using a novel pedagogical strategy centered around the creation of an artistic portfolio. We find that student engagement in an alternative individual space, such as the artistic portfolio, supports them in developing (inter)personal skills in preparation for constructive participation in sensitive discussions and ethical deliberation in the classroom. Additionally, engagement with the artistic portfolio provides them with an alternative means for alleviating tension that arises from these discussions and a space for expressing their opinions. Our findings highlight the role of the portfolio as an individual safe haven that supports teachers in facilitating a positive classroom atmosphere and guides students through challenging discussions and deliberations intrinsic to responsible management education. Considering these new insights, we advocate for a shift from a collective to an individual perspective on safety in academia. This transition liberates the classroom from the constraints and limitations often associated with the establishment of collective safe spaces.

Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) in Sri Lankan Business Schools: A Pathway to Sustainable Business Education: A Study of Curricular Integration, Stakeholder Engagement, and Sustainable Development Outcomes

This research study is an analysis of the introduction and application, PRME within Sri Lankan business schools to promote al sustainable management education. This study applies an integrated approach through analyzing diverse facets of PRME implementation issues comprising alignment curriculum component, stakeholder involvement and realization to sustainable development benefits.By using a mixed-methods research design, the study assesses systematically the problems and respond encounters in integration of PRME criteria to curriculums offered by Sri Lankan business schools identifying activities which impact this process. Furthermore, the research analyses stakeholder engagement in PRME implementation path with a focus on collaboration between businesses, government agencies and civil society organizations that promotes achievement of sustainable development outcomes.The outcomes of this study offer not only a profound picture of the current situation with regards to PRME adoption but also shed fantastic light on its development prospects and influence over Sri Lankan business schools. This study pinpoints successful strategies thus it helps in developing a sound sustainable business education pathway for Sri Lanka.

Embedding the UN SDGs into a Marketing Elective on Base-of-the-Pyramid Markets: An Experiential Learning Approach

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.

Упровадження принципів розвитку регенеративного підприємництва в процес підготовки фахівців з менеджменту

The aggravation of economic, social and environmental problems of today necessitates their reflection in the research sphere and in the educational process of higher education institutions. Nowadays it is important to ensure the restoration of the regenerative properties of the natural resource potential and the development of a circular economy. The aim of the article is to highlight the possibilities of introducing the principles of development of regenerative entrepreneurship and the implementation of the circular economy in Ukraine in the training of future managers. Currently, the theoretical provisions of management and economic science are being criticized; there is an urgent need to bridge the gap between theory and management realities. The practice of regenerative entrepreneurship is becoming more and more widespread, which, in relation to business, is combined with the positive impact of entrepreneurial activity on the environment, primarily natural. The dynamism of market conditions requires continuous improvement of methods and techniques of teaching students in accordance with the requests of stakeholders and trends in the development of the higher education system. The article reflects the need for the development of responsible management education and the reflection of the principles of regenerative entrepreneurship in the process of training management specialists. The interest of business entities in solving individual management problems contributes to the establishment of close ties between the research, training and production spheres, which is a prerequisite for attracting effective methods in the training of management specialists. At present, along with traditional teaching methods, the use of interactive teaching methods, in particular the analysis of specific situations, has become widespread in the training of future managers, which provides a combination of mastering theoretical provisions and acquiring practical skills in the field of management. The authors consider possible objects for the use of the method of analysis of specific situations regarding the development of regenerative entrepreneurship in the training of specialists in agrarian management. The method of analysis of specific situations is successfully combined with other innovative technologies for training managers (simulation modeling, immersive learning, experimental method, etc.), capable of reflecting the implementation of the principles of regenerative entrepreneurship in the practice of organizations.

SDG-Embeddedness in Business School Operations: State-of-the-Art Literature, Ground Realities, and Measurement Parameters

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.

Responsible management education: The leadership role of PRME business schools

The literature largely agrees about the relevance of higher education institutions in assembling their internal systems to contribute to sustainability challenges. Business schools are also expected to commit to the Sustainable Development Goals and become aligned with the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME). Moreover, it is suggested that if a business school is a PRME signatory, the students will likely be educated as responsible leaders. The literature on responsible management education successfully invested in literature reviews, framework development and analyses of the university reports available; however, it lacks solid studies conducted worldwide that aim to understand the extent to which professors are implementing sustainability-related concepts and the PRME principles into teaching as well as assessing if they have support from the top-management administration of their courses. Based on this gap, a world survey was conducted, receiving 969 valid answers from teaching staff in PRME signatory and non-signatory business schools from 104 different countries. Hypothesis testing, descriptive statistics, and frequency analysis were deployed to understand the differences between PRME signatory and non-signatory institutions. The results indicate that PRME signatory business schools' professors significantly tend to include sustainability-related topics in their teaching and receive more support from their institution and superiors.

Educators' core competencies: a study of university-led B-schools of South Asia

PurposeThe study aimed to explore the core competencies that make educators competent in delivering and achieving the purpose of business/management education effectively.Design/methodology/approachAn exploratory-cum-descriptive approach has been used. Educators at different academic levels in university-led B-schools were the participants of this study. For data collection, a structured questionnaire was developed and implemented.FindingsThis study has explored ten core competencies that educators must possess. These competencies have been described based on their attributes and relevance in an educator's academic role.Research limitations/implicationsThis study was limited to university-led B-schools of South Asia, thus further validation may more adequately generalize the findings.Practical implicationsThis study is raising awareness of the current state of educators in university-led B-schools in South Asian countries and the need for educator competencies toward responsible management education. This study would help educators to develop core competencies, and university-led B-schools to make and manage a system for their educators to keep them competent and performing.Originality/valueBusiness/management education is expected to offer the required competencies and opportunities to learn the intricacies of business and management, so students can readily enter into corporate life. It exhibits the significance of educators' competencies. University-led South Asian institutions have seldom tried to develop a standardized framework for the sensitization and development of their educators. It is a key challenge to identify, understand and define a diverse range of competencies and methods of competency development.

Radicalizing Managers’ Climate Education: Getting Beyond the Bull**** Fairy Tale of Eternal Economic Growth

In this essay, I argue that we should radicalize managerial climate change education given that incremental and accommodative forms of responsible management learning and education (RMLE) are at odds with the urgency, nature, and magnitude of the climate crisis. I argue for three practices to radicalize RMLE, and illustrate them through examples from a degrowth context. First, management educators should engage in anti-paradigmatic performative politics to disrupt the reality-making of climate damaging theories, and “realize” better alternative theories. Second, as management educators, we should engage ourselves, our students, and wider stakeholders in anti-paradigmatic thought that transcends and challenges problematic mainstream management paradigms. Third, we should explore what and how we and our students can learn from radical climate movements’ civil disobedience, in order to disrupt climate-damaging practices. In this paper, I aim to provoke and facilitate urgently needed discussions about the radicalization of RMLE for climate change education and beyond. Therefore, I close this essay with an invitation for rejoinders and suggest salient implications for educational practitioners and researchers.

Taking stock of responsible management education in Central and Eastern Europe

Corporate social responsibility, business ethics and sustainability – often bracketed under responsible management education (RME) – are topics that are increasingly adopted by universities and business schools across the globe. However, one region where our knowledge regarding the extent of RME is still limited is Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Bringing together a team of scholars (currently or formerly) based throughout the region, we were able to conduct the largest survey to date of RME practices in the CEE region, covering 13 countries. Our findings suggest that, at a declarative level, RME is very much present at CEE universities and business schools, in particular in terms of teaching. However, a pro-RME rhetoric is not necessarily backed-up with substance; in particular, a lack of financial resources was identified as the major barrier to greater engagement with RME practices. We also observed a gap between commitment to RME in teaching versus in research, which could be a potential source of concern as teaching should be informed by research; otherwise faculty remain dependent on imported teaching materials. We contribute to strengthening the RME agenda in management education by discussing the implications of our findings for individual faculty, business school leaders, governments and international associations of management education.

Barriers and possible drivers for the implementation of sustainability in Brazilian business schools

PurposeFor sustainable strategies to be developed in business schools, it is essential to understand which sustainability drivers and barriers are identified by academic managers and coordinators in the implementation of sustainable practices. In this scenario, the study aims to understand the barriers and possible drivers for the implementation of sustainability practices in Brazilian business schools. The subjects are managers and coordinators of business schools that are part of the Principles for Responsible Executive Education Network – Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) Chapter Brazil/UN.Design/methodology/approachDescriptive research with a qualitative approach was conducted to achieve this objective. The study included academic managers, responsible for the general management of academic and administrative activities and coordinators, responsible for supervising and coordinating academic activities in a specific area, of schools that are part of PRME Chapter Brazil (interviews). For data analysis, the content analysis technique was used.FindingsTaking into account the three pillars of sustainability (economic, environmental and social) as categories of analysis, as well as management, curriculum and teaching as subcategories, the study identified 10 barriers and 12 drivers.Originality/valueThe results reveal that both the barriers and the drivers are supported by the social pillar, which focuses on the academic community and society as a whole. The “Management” subcategory was also the most mentioned, indicating guidelines for the strategic academic management of these organizations.

Is sustainable management education contributing to gender equality?

One of the imperatives of the Sustainable Development Goals is the pursuit of attaining gender equality. However, the extent to which the sustainable management education project contributes to the equality of genders is rather underexplored in the academic literature. To address this gap, this article analyzes how an Executive Master's in Business Administration (EMBA) delivered by a Latin American school shapes the female and male students' thinking and decision-making styles and how these affect their preparedness to perform in top-management positions. After discussing how the topic has been addressed, we map the curricular design of the program against its capacity to potentiate participants' learning styles according to specific top management position skills. Then the progression of the students is reviewed by examining the evolution of their thinking styles from the beginning to the end of the program. The measurement instrument used to assess participants' thinking styles is the Neethling Brain Instrument (NBI), which is based on neuroscience discoveries related to the integrative use of the brain in decision-making processes. The study finds that the program does not fully potentiate men's and women's capabilities needed to perform in top-management positions. However, it also shows that the training tends to reinforce women's orientation to execution and personal relationships and men's preferences for analytical, risk-taking, and strategic thinking. Finally, it concludes by making recommendations at the level of curriculum design, including personalized support for students during and after the program, as well as broader considerations to advance the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME).

Integration of Sustainability in Logistical Approaches A Key Element in Designing University-wide Green Logistics Program

The present study aimed to investigate the integration of sustainability in logistical approaches within schools or universities, focusing on the development of a university-wide green logistics program. The study seeks to address the following research questions such as the profiles of the respondents in terms of age, gender, position classification, and years of employment. Furthermore, to what extent does the university integrate sustainability measures in logistic-related approaches, considering principles such as purpose, values, method, research, partnership, and dialogue and how do university members assess the impact of green logistics on cultivating a culture of sustainability, particularly in terms of trust, satisfaction, and commitment. Furthermore, the level of commitment among respondents towards adopting green logistics, specifically in the physical place, educational program, and organizational culture. Finally, based on the study results, the research aims to identify and propose sustainability measures that can be integrated into the design of a university-wide green logistics program. The study recommends to compare the level of integration and implementation of sustainability in green logistical approaches in secondary education with the leadership styles of school administrators who share similar profiles with the respondents, while also considering the academic performance of students. Additionally, conducting a study to examine the impact of different leadership styles on the integration of sustainability measures in logistic-related activities, with a focus on the principles for responsible management education, is recommended. Moreover, developing a series of faculty-student training and development programs on green logistics is essential to address physical, organizational, and cultural concerns within the institution. Furthermore, conducting capability training programs for school leaders and administrators to ensure proper implementation of sustainable measures and adopting a culture of green logistics practices is crucial. Regular satisfaction evaluations should be conducted to identify areas for improvement and necessary actions. Additionally, considering the strong positive correlation between the integration of sustainability measures and its influence on green logistics, the formulation and implementation of a comprehensive green logistics manual is recommended. Regular reviews of the manual should be conducted to ensure its effectiveness and relevance. Lastly, universities should revisit, review, and revise their existing sustainability measures and guidelines for green logistics implementation. An ongoing process of enhancing guidelines and conducting regular evaluations should be established. Furthermore, the proposed sustainable university-wide green logistics program should be considered as a guide for universities to develop and implement their own comprehensive and sustainable green logistics initiatives, taking into account the specific needs and context of each institution.

Unlocking the potential of responsible management education through interdisciplinary approaches

AbstractBusiness schools are crucial to integrating sustainable development into management thought and practices, thereby promoting a paradigm shift toward responsible management education. Despite many business schools pledging to adopt the United Nations' Principles for Responsible Management Education, they have been criticized for failing to develop change agents toward sustainability. To fill this gap, this paper demonstrates how interdisciplinarity can be connected to responsible management education through critical and instrumental perspectives. To this end, we apply an interdisciplinarity model to 37 Principles for Responsible Management Education Schools' Reports, using content analysis, text‐mining, and network theory tools. As a result, our findings suggest: (i) a taxonomy of critical and instrumental interdisciplinary studies and (ii) a framework of Principles for Responsible Management Education schools engaged in critical and instrumental interdisciplinarity. The framework we develop can serve as a diagnostic and prognostic tool for assessing how interdisciplinary can improve responsible management education in business schools. Our findings contribute to theory advancing research on the intersection of responsible management education and interdisciplinary approaches.

Developing a comprehensive assessment tool for responsible management education in business schools

Along with rising public demands for the greater recognition of management education towards social responsibility and sustainability, holistic assessments that can more accurately depict the state of Responsible Management Education (RME) -as one of the pillars for RME transformation programs in business schools-have been the subject of a newfound interest. This study aims to develop a comprehensive tool for assessing the situation of Responsible Management Education in business schools -named RMECAT-through a critical engagement with the current ranking, rating, and evaluation tools common in practice or academic studies and identifying their shortcomings. Comprehensiveness and multilateral view of the various aspects of responsible management education, deployment of multiple qualitative and quantitative data sources, and using various data collection methods are among the strengths of RMECAT. Educational administrators, as well as RME researchers and activists, can use RMECAT as a self-evaluation or external assessment tool, and its scope and scales can be customized to suit available resources and evaluation objectives.

Embedding a sustainability mindset in responsible management education

PurposeOrganisational responses to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals depend on the competency and mindset of business leaders to lead responsibly. This study is informed and underpinned by the Principles of Responsible Management Education. This study aims to examine how embedding the “sustainability mindset principles” within a university programme can contribute to responsible management education and, by extension, leadership development.Design/methodology/approachAn illustrative case study using 84 students was applied, including undergraduate, postgraduate and executive Master of Business Administration students. An exploratory, qualitative design was followed, primarily adopting focus groups.FindingsEvidenced learning gains in connecting sustainability knowledge with personal beliefs and behaviours, provide a compelling basis for educational and business practitioners to focus on the sustainability mindset principles (SMPs). Mapping of mindset against leading global competency frameworks provides important theoretical insight. Learning is illustrated through multiple dimensions (i.e. cognitive, behavioural and affective) to inform leadership development approaches.Research limitations/implicationsThe mapping of sustainability competency frameworks against the SMP, alongside qualitative research insights, provides a compelling basis for further research into the learning gains from embedding the mindset principles. The situated nature of the study and the lack of longitudinal measurement of what students take forward into their lives and workplaces is a limiting factor to be considered.Practical implicationsThis study evidences the value of “whole-person” learning for responsible management, which can helpfully inform the design of both educational and workplace leadership development programmes.Originality/valueThis study is original in the pedagogic examination of the learning dimensions of the SMPs in a Business and Management programme. It also offers new insights in terms of the implications for leadership development.