SUSTAINABILITY IN BUSINESS EDUCATION FOSTERING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT? TEACHING/LEARNING PRACTICES

Abstract

Aim: To explore the perceptions of academics, university managers, and business students from international Swedish business schools on how sustainability issues are addressed in business education through teaching/learning practices. Theory: The theoretical framework used for this research project is the democratic paradox of environmental and sustainability education (ESE) by Van Poeck et al., (2016). This theory contributes to understand the paradigm of normative vs. pluralistic pedagogical approaches in teaching/learning sustainability issues in business education. Method: A qualitative approach was used in the form of an interview study. The instruments to collect empirical data were semi-structured interviews. The participants were academics, university managers and business students. The scope covered three international business schools in Sweden, having sustainability as part of their vision, mission, pedagogical strategies, education and research activities. Results: The results show the perceptions of academics, university managers, and business students on unsustainable business practices; the different teaching/learning pedagogical practices when addressing sustainability issues in business education (normatively or pluralistically); and the limitations, challenges and opportunities in including more sustainable mindsets in business education. In the same level, this research project highlights some key elements hardly addressed in business education, e.g. climate change, biodiversity loss, human rights and gender equality. Likewise, the results provide new empirical insights on how academics, university managers and international business students deal with sustainability issues in business education in a more open, flexible and innovative perspective at three international business schools in Sweden.