72925 - Sustainable Innovation Laboratory

Learning outcomes

The aim of this laboratory is to expose students to such diverse yet interrelated themes as: i) Sustainability: origins of the concept and the frontiers in sustainability thinking, ii) the role of the private sector in help tacking sustainability issues, iii) the role of the Business Model as a strategic foundation of sustainability. These topics will be explored through highly interactive sessions with practical examples, exercises and guest lecture from established practitioners.

Course contents

he notion of sustainability has its origins in the political discussion on sustainable development. Broadly speaking, the notion of sustainable development refers to a pattern of development that fosters economic prosperity for all members of society while preserving the integrity of the environment.

Over the past decade, interest in sustainability (both Sustainable Development and Corporate Sustainability) has risen dramatically. Sustainability has moved up everyone's agendas – from world governments and multinational corporations, to NGOs and civic organizations. Whether politicians or business leaders, consumer watchdogs or grassroots activists, all have stepped up their support for sustainability.

Yet for all of this growing activity, most companies are struggling to turn this vision into a viable reality. At the same time, other innovative companies and entrepreneurs are finding innovative ways to transform sustainability issues into opportunities for profits.

Overall, businesses are increasingly using strategic management concepts and tools to incorporate environmental and social considerations into their decision-making and operations. While some businesses incorporate sustainable practices for ethical reasons, most businesses are motivated to do so to reduce business risks and costs, capture new marketplace opportunities, address stakeholder pressures, and gain long-term competitive advantage.

In this course we will explore and learn how businesses assess sustainability related risks and opportunities, and how they develop and implement strategies to promote environmental and social sustainability. From a pedagogical standpoint this course has three core objectives:

· To allow you to gain a solid and robust understanding of what sustainability is (and what it is not) in two core contexts: society as a whole, and business and organizations. The hard to define nature of sustainability leaves it open to misinterpretation. To implement sustainability, one needs to start by being clear on what it actually is. Otherwise, as the saying goes, “If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there.” No one and no organization works well without clear objectives.

· To allow you to understand the impact of sustainability on business (both challenges and opportunities), with reference to different industries and businesses. According to many business leaders the impact of sustainability on business is unprecedented and expected to become greater in the following years.

· To equip you with the knowledge necessary (concepts, frameworks, strategy tools) to evaluate how different sustainability challenges opportunities affect different businesses and evaluate the capabilities that firms need to address sustainability issues. Importantly, you will learn how to analyze major sustainability challenges and how to develop strategies and recommendations to address them strategically.

Readings/Bibliography

Recommended Readings – videos

Below a list of recommended readings – for the compulsory readings see the section course content

Natural Capitalism, Integrative Design, Resource Efficiency

Look at various speeches from Amory Lovins, Rocky Mountain Institute (www.rmi.org ) co-founder and chief scientist.

Conversation with history http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsJ8PqZpXcw

Energy Efficiency http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIFdcvpwu_c

Integrative Design http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RZjDN3v650

Natural Capitalism the book can be downloaded at http://www.natcap.org/

Population growth and exponential function

“Arithmetic, population and Energy”

Albert Barlett http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-QA2rkpBSY

Teaching methods

In order to achieve its pedagogical goals, the course will combine i) case studies and whole class discussion, ii) intervention by business leaders and practicing managers dealing with sustainability, iii) lectures. We will start broadly by defining the concept of sustainability and progressively bring the discussion down to earth with an emphasis on implementation. We will explore how to manage for sustainability innovation and creativity, the strategy making process around social and environmental goals and explore tools for designing business models for sustainability.

In a final project you will be required to work in teams on a case competition, to analyze a real Company facing sustainability and business challenges, and work to provide your “consulting project” recommendations on how to “turn a sustainability challenge into an opportunity for profits”.

A tutor is assigned to this course. His name is Simone Napolitano(simone.napolitano@unibo.it).

Assessment methods

Assessment (Students attending classes)

Assessment will be based on standard evaluation system with grades ranging from 0 to 30 with 18 representing the lower level threshold to pass-fail the exam. The overall final grade with result from the combination of three components, as stated below.

Summary of graded work

Case summaries and individual class attendance and participation - 25%

Team Project – Final Report 35%

Final exam – 40%

Final team project

· For the final course project, you will be divided into teams that will participate in a modified “case competition” focused on providing analysis and recommendations to address a major company's sustainability challenge. One firm will be selected to provide a current significant sustainability problem or opportunity, and student teams will develop a proposed approach based on company-provided information. Collaboration with the target firm is encouraged but not required.

· If possible, on the last session of the course, student teams will compete by presenting their analysis and recommendation to a panel of the professor, teaching assistant and company representatives.

· Final project deliverables include their analysis and recommendation, submitted as a Word-format Executive Report and accompanying Powerpoint/Keynote presentation.

Final Exam

A final exam with short questions will complement the final team project. In the final exam you are required to work individually on multiple open questions.

Office hours

See the website of Lorenzo Massa