Sustainable Business and Digital Transformation

Course Leader: Oliana Sula 

Home Institution: University “Aleksandër Moisiu” Durrës, Albania 

 

Course Overview

Sustainable development is the core equilibrium between economic, social and environmental activity. There is a rise of awareness of social responsibility in business and in entrepreneurial activity aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) and Agenda 2030. Climate change is a challenge not only for business organisations and entrepreneurs but as well as for all stakeholders and citizens in order to guarantee a better future for future generations. Policy makers face sustainability dilemmas in their decision making process in order to comply with expectations climate change, safe working environment, corporate social responsibility and accountability, transparency and human health and wellbeing. The promotion and implementation of Triple Helix or Quadruple  model has increased the sustainability practices as well from Universities and Civil Society. Digital transformation is an opportunity for the development of sustainability business practices and entrepreneurial ideas and in the future many jobs with have a digital component.

This course aims to give an overview the challenges of climate change in business practices and entrepreneurship applying the lenses of digital transformation. The course will focus in how to transform these challenges into opportunities through social and responsible innovation not only for business organizations and entrepreneurs but as well as for students as responsible citizens providing them with assets for innovative career and personal development.

Learning Outcomes

  • Identify challenges and opportunities of sustainable development in business organisations from a perspective of economic, social and environmental impact.
  • Asses sustainability tools in business organisations such sustainability reports, codes of ethics and codes of conduct
  • Aquire knowledge on sustainable production and consumption
  • Understand the role of digital transformation in sustainable business practices and sustainable entrepreneurship
  • Understand the role digital transformation in innovation

Course Content

 Day  1 18.7.2022 - Introduction to Sustainable Business - Challenges and Opportunities

 

Day 2  19.07.2022- Sustainability tools and sustainability measurement in business organisations

 

Day 3 20.07.2022 -  The role government and universities and civil society in sustainability

 

Day 4 21.07. 2022 - Sustainable digital transformation and technology

 

Day 5 22.07.2022 - Sustainable production and sustainable consumption

 

Day 6 25.07.2022 - Opportunities of sustainable entrepreneurship and social innovation

 

Day 7 26.07.2022 Sustainable business plan design and funding opportunities

 

Day 8 27.07.2022 Group work presentation and Business opportunities in digital green technologies

 

Day 9 28.07.2022 Artificial intelligence for sustainable development

 

Day 10 29.07.2022 Final exam

Instructional Method

 This course will include lecturers explaining the theoretical concepts and as well as for each topic practical case studies will be used enhancing students’ interactive participation and creativity. The course is conceived to encourage participatory learning of students and to develop their critical thinking on sustainability issues and their team work.

Required Course Materials

Blackburn.(2015).The Sustainability Handbook The Complete Management Guide to Achieving Social, Economic and Environmental Responsibility, Routledge

Wagner .(2021). Business and Environmental Sustainability Foundations, Challenges and Corporate Function, Routledge

Assessment

 30 % -of the final evaluation is based on group work which will consist in developing a  potential sustainable business idea of or analyzing a current sustainable business solution for the community or the country where they live. The presentation will be in the format of an oral presentation with a Power Point support.

 10%- of the final evaluation is based on individual participation of the students on case studies discussions

 60% -of the final evaluation is based of written exam which will include 5 opened-ended questions