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The revision of Business Sustainability concept to its implementation in the Business Administration Degree †

The revision of Business Sustainability concept to its implementation in the Business Administration Degree †. J. Tejedor-Núñez*, P. Fernández-Ferrín, M. A. Peña-Cerezo, O. García-Alonso, I. Etxano, J.C. Pérez de Mendiguren-Castresana INTED 2013

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The revision of Business Sustainability concept to its implementation in the Business Administration Degree †

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  1. The revision of Business Sustainability concept to its implementation in the Business Administration Degree† J. Tejedor-Núñez*, P. Fernández-Ferrín, M. A. Peña-Cerezo, O. García-Alonso, I. Etxano, J.C. Pérez de Mendiguren-Castresana INTED 2013 7th International Technology, Education and Development Conference Valencia (Spain) – 4th–6th March, 2013 †Research financed within Educational Innovation Project 6400 (UPV / EHU) Corresponding author: jorge.tejedor@ehu.es

  2. Summary • Introduction • “Business Sustainability” (BS) approach • Sustainability approaches • BS previous definitions • BS lecturers’ definitions • Results • Quantitative analysis • Conclusions

  3. Introduction • At the Business School of Vitoria-Gasteiz (University of the Basque Country – UPV/EHU) Business Sustainability (BS) has been a primary objective in the design of the Degree in Business Management and Administration (BMA). • The process of implementation of BMA has shown the absence of a clear definition of BS. • The aim of this piece of work is to reach a definition of BS, through 2 principal tools: • Literature review • Analysis of School lecturers’ perceptions • This piece of work is an in progress research; it is part of a larger research project looking at educational innovation.

  4. BS definition approach – Sustainability approaches • Sustainable Development (SD) is so ambiguous that over 300 different explanatory definitions have been constructed. • Most of them are different from its genuine meaning. • The Brundtland Report (BR) adopts a number of premises which are necessary in the construction of the concept of sustainability. • The BR also calls to action. • SD requires a deep deflection aimed at the transformation of de current development model

  5. BS definition approach – Sustainability approaches • However, there are two main orthodox interpretations of the SD concept which are not coherent with the BR premises: • Theory of dematerialization: • Theory of dematerialization: • Why incoherent with BR? It defends unlimited growth and ignores the social dimension of meeting people’s basic needs. • Triple bottom line theory: • Why incoherent with BR? It defends that sustainability concerns not only the environment but also refers to economy and society. • Defended by the main international organizations. • Assumed by the main business lobbies and transnational corporations.

  6. BS definition approach – BS previous definitions • There are many initiatives trying so: • United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) • Guides of Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) • Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) • Advance corporate responsibility through the incorporation of universal values into curricula and research. • EFQM Model • For achieving sustainable excellence in any organization. • It outlines 8 fundamental concepts of excellence:

  7. BS definition approach – BS lecturers’ definitions

  8. Results obtained • Questionnaire: 20 respondents (lecturers) • All subject coordinators of the first two years. • BMA Degree: Business School of Vitoria-Gasteiz (University of the Basque Country – UPV/EHU). • Descriptive analysis divided in two: • Dimensions analysis • Development of competence analysis • Main finding of the qualitative analysis: • 75% of lecturers report being willing to work this competence jointly with other lecturers in the future; those who were not willing give different reasons for not doing so (particularly lack of time).

  9. Results – Dimensions Analysis Table. Mean (from 1 to 10) regarding the perceived relevance.

  10. Results – Dimensions Analysis Table. Perceived relevance by academic staff of different dimensions of BS.

  11. Results – Development of competence Table. Number of subjects where the competence is developed. • However, 35% of lecturers does not incorporate any of these dimensions • in their subjects.

  12. Results – Development of competence Table. Number of subjects that cover BS extensively or in depth according to dimensions. • A certain degree of correlation (r=0.35) is detected between the mean relevance perceived and the average development in their subjects.

  13. Conclusions • It is not easy to apply the SD definition in a BMA Degree due to their different interpretations • The academic staff agrees with the use of a broad definition of BS • It is believed that given the different nature of the subjects taught in the BMA Degree, it can be implemented in a more appropriate way. • Within the educational innovation project, there are huge possibilities to implement a broad definition of BS in different subjects of the Degree. • 75% of the lecturers are willing to work the BS competence jointly with other lecturers even though the fact that is a time-consuming task.

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