Master Global Sustainable Business Management

Semester 1 (Year 1) 

1. Sustainable Strategy – 10 ECTS 

In Sustainable Strategy, you will uncover the complex interplay between strategic management, sustainability, and industry transformations. You will analyze how external forces and diverse stakeholders influence industries, either enabling or hindering sustainable and responsible business practices. You will also learn advanced strategic management concepts in corporate governance, innovation ecosystems, and social and environmental responsibility. By the end of the course, you will be able to critically assess sustainability risks and opportunities, make responsible decisions, establish robust governance frameworks, and recognize innovative opportunities and solutions for business actors. Finally, you will have a deep and holistic understanding of the dynamic interplay between business and society and sustainable business strategies aimed at achieving meaningful societal impact. 

The intended learning outcomes (ILOs) are: 

• Appreciate and critically evaluate the sources of sustainable competitive advantage within a global business context. 
• Critically evaluate the wider impact of strategic business decisions on social, financial and environmental contexts. 
• Make theoretically and empirically informed arguments about the nature of responsible business. 

2. Circular Economy – 10 ECTS 

Major economies such as the European Union, China, and the United Kingdom have begun to transition from linear to circular economies (CE). In a circular, as opposed to a linear, economy, there is a beneficial (rather than harmful) relationship between ecological and economic health. In the EU, the goal is for each country’s economy to be fully circular by 2050. Other countries around the world are also making this transition, with some economies leading the way (e.g., China, Japan), and others following suit (e.g., South Africa, Thailand). What they all have in common is that they are sources of both demands and opportunities for international businesses. In this module Circular Economy: Implications for business and supply chain management, you will study (1) what a circular economy is including its implications for business practices and supply chain management, (2) how businesses can contribute to and benefit from the transition to CE, and (3) how individuals can contribute to achieve CE goals. In addition to understanding different CE frameworks, you will use design thinking approach to explore real-world challenges as well as innovate and design circular business opportunities that consider the multi-faceted aspects of CE, which will ultimately contribute to a shift to more circular and sustainable future in the Netherlands as well as abroad. 

The intended learning outcomes (ILOs) are: 

• Evaluate the theoretical foundations and principles of the circular economy and its impact to business and supply chain management.  
• Compose a persuasive argument, drawing on theoretical and practical knowledge, for the shift to circular economies. 
• Analyze a company and one (or more) of its products and/or services throughout its value chain from a circular perspective. 
• Draw practitioner-oriented implications and recommendations for transitioning from a linear to a circular business model and present them in an engaging and professional manner. 
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary stakeholders and team for designing circular innovative business idea. 

3. Business and Sustainability Analytics – 10 ECTS 

Throughout this module, you will critically exam and interpret the metrics driving the sustainability debate among various actors ranging from nations to individual businesses. This module will enable you to understand the United Nation’s sustainable development goals (SDGs) through a variety of lenses at global, regional, country and enterprise level. You will develop both analytical and solution modelling skills to support businesses in assessing and quantifying the cost, impact, and performance of their past and present sustainability initiatives - and anticipate future conditions and requirements - driving them to unlock hidden value and build a more resilient enterprise and sustainable future for all of us. As such, the need for professionals capable of being able to structure, analyse and visualise data from myriad sources across a wide spectrum of sustainability-related factors is increasingly important. The demand for these skills is growing as companies seek to generate the deep insights needed to guide their sustainability-related initiatives and improve their overall SDG alignment. 

The intended learning outcomes (ILOs) are: 

• Evaluate sustainability metrics and their application and efficacy in monitoring progress on the United Nation’s sustainable development goals.  
• Assess a set of sustainability metrics relative to the strategy, operations and monitoring of business performance.  
• Design a scorecard whose purpose is to facilitate awareness and garner support for leading sustainable change within an organisation through the provision of timely, relevant data, critical analysis and actionable recommendations. 

Semester 2 (year 1) 

1. Ethics and Responsible Leadership – 10 ECTS 

Ethical judgments pervade business - whether praise for philanthropy, condemnation of environmental impact or debate about diversity.  This module focuses on the underlying structures of such ethical dialogue – it enables us to better understand: ‘What is right and wrong in the context of business?’ By learning to identify and anticipate presuppositions, theses, arguments, use of evidence and interpretations involved in ethical dialogue you will be better able to participate in it.  You will also be better able to analyse the coherence of your own moral and organisational commitments.  The module is research rich in its use of classic approaches to ethics in the context of contemporary debates and is supported by a comprehensive electronic learning platform.  It has been designed by a world top 50 university for business ethics and your participation will enhance your ability to engage in policy level debate and hence your employability.  

The intended learning outcomes (ILOs) are: 

• Evaluate ethical concepts and theories in the context of sustainability in business and management. 
• Appraise presuppositions in ethical claims and evaluations and the effects this has on leadership. 
• Critically assess the conditional structure of an ethical argument based on understanding of culture. 
• Ability to anticipate the principal arguments and issues that will attend particular business contexts. 
• A demonstrable commitment to moral coherence and accountability for decisions and stances. 

2. Organising for Sustainability Transitions – 10 ECTS 

Businesses increasingly collaborate with other organisations to address sustainability concerns in their supply chains. Moreover, grand challenges like climate change, rapid biodiversity loss and social inequality require organisations from different societal sectors (e.g. business, government, non-profit) to collaborate because these problems are too complex to be solved by organisations individually. This module focuses on the theoretical and practical considerations for such collaborative arrangements and discusses how these collaborations advance transitions towards sustainability. 

On completing this module, you will have acquired in-depth knowledge of the different types of collaborative arrangements in which companies participate, the drivers for their emergence, the motivations of different organisations to join them, and the dynamics in their establishment and operations to produce societal impact. By means of a group assignment in which you will initiate and execute a roundtable meeting with key stakeholders to address a sustainability issue in real-life, you will learn essential skills to mobilise and govern such collaborative action for sustainability yourself. Given that the traditional boundaries between sectors (e.g., firms versus NGOs) are becoming increasingly blurred and collaborative, and networked organisations more prevalent organisational forms, this course provides you with valuable collaboration management and leadership skills that are imperative for 21st century careers. 

The intended learning outcomes (ILOs) are: 

• Judge whether collaborative action is needed and appropriate to address a complex problem like climate change. 
• Evaluate the theoretical foundations and principles of collaborative arrangements for sustainability transitions. 
• Appraise real-world collaborative arrangements for sustainability with the use of these theories and principles. 
• Formulate recommendations on how the functioning and outcomes of collaborative arrangements for sustainability can be improved. 
• Create a round table meeting with key stakeholders on a real-world sustainability challenge to address this challenge. 

3. Professional Reporting on Sustainability Issues and Research Methods – 10 ECTS 

The main purpose of the course is to introduce the research cycle to students to enable the successful completion of the graduation research project (thesis) at master's level. The course exposes you to the differences between qualitative and quantitative research methodologies and related methods and techniques in data collection and analysis. We begin with an overview of the research philosophies and ethics before exploring further into specific techniques. For quantitative research, you will learn about sampling, questionnaire design, statistical analysis, and hypothesis testing. For qualitative techniques, we will cover methods such as interviewing and focus groups. We will also look at more novel media such as the Visual Method. Furthermore, you will advance your general professional writing style by conducting a thorough literature review. You will analyse the latest academic literature with a view to identifying authors’ (hypo)theses, supporting points, evidence and conclusions, which will help you to summarise and critically evaluate texts and, ultimately, write a critical and analytical literature review. 

This course will provide you with essential knowledge and skilled needed to complete a high-quality master's thesis, consultancy project, or management enquiry. By undertaking and reflecting on practical research-based activities, you will understand the process of designing and conducting a research study, providing you a solid foundation for your own independent research. 

The intended learning outcomes (ILOs) are: 

• Awareness of relevant research methods suitable for research in business and management 
• Integrate knowledge and critically evaluate sources and ideas in an academic literature review.  
• Skills of data collection and anlaysis relevant to the chosen research topic. 
• Reflect on the student's own ethical values. 
• Reference, cite and paraphrase source material correctly with the use of adequate functional and reference phraseology. 

Semester 3 (year 2) 

Thesis – 30 ECTS 

The master’s thesis is an important milestone of your learning journey within the programme. It provides students with the opportunity of initiating, managing, and carrying out of a major research project. The research project is based on a business and management topic of your choice which is themed around one or more of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. The conclusions of your research project aim to inform academic knowledge and business practice.  

Based on the research proposal you designed within the Research Methods module you will carry out your planned research project. You will work under the supervision of a member of academic staff who will give you appropriate guidance and support throughout the dissertation process whilst encouraging learner autonomy. This is your Master’s thesis and you will have responsibility for decision making as the dissertation proceeds. The allocation of your supervisor, who may be drawn from either Northumbria or AUAS, is informed by the proposal submitted earlier in the Research Methods module and the specific area of your research.  

On completion of this module, you will be able to conduct research and organise the findings into a comprehensive and explicit structure that is critically assessed and is linked to the conclusions drawn. You will demonstrate this by identifying a topic, critically selecting and applying an appropriate research methodology and data collection method(s), demonstrating a rigorous understanding of the relevant theory and literature and showing how these link to the research method(s). You will also critically reflect on how your research contributes to the understanding of the topic area and how it informs professional practice.  

The intended learning outcomes (ILOs) are: 

• Plan and complete a major research project on a contemporary business and management topic and organise the findings into a comprehensive and explicit structure that is critically assessed and is linked to the conclusions drawn. 
• Evaluate the impact of innovative and contemporary research on the business and management community.   
• Demonstrate skills of analysis and synthesis in the selection and application of appropriate research methodology and method(s) to your chosen research topic.  
• Critically reflect on the processes involved in the research, including reflection upon your own ethical values. 

Teaching methods and learning

Your tutors will use a variety of teaching methods including lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials. As this is a postgraduate level programme, we expect students to develop their independent learning and self-reflection competences. Teaching is enhanced by a well-designed student and pastoral support process that helps to ensure a successful learning journey. We make sure that feedback, from both tutors and peers, is built into the programme.

Our assessment strategy is based on our understanding that everyone has different needs, strengths and enthusiasms. Assessment methods include assignments, presentations, exams, and the Master’s Dissertation.

Research-rich learning

As a Master’s student you’ll develop your knowledge and research skills to a new, higher level. Your Master’s Dissertation supervisor will support your learning during your 15,000-word Dissertation project.

Throughout the programme you will be an active participant in the research-rich environment and agenda that is at the heart of AUAS. With conferences and research events regularly taking place, and with staff discussing their own research as it relates to the topics you’ll study, there’s a strong emphasis on engaging you in up-to-date enquiry-based learning.

Title and diploma

Upon graduation, the programme Global Sustainable Business Management confers a degree from AUAS with the title of Master of Science (MSc).