Strategic Sustainability Management
MSc

The module covers ways in which business strategies and leadership competencies interact in the firm. Organisations succeed or fail to execute their strategy successfully often based on the talents and capabilities of their leadership.  Without effective leadership driving organisational performance, even the sharpest strategies won’t yield the desired outcomes. 

It is an integrated module, building on concepts from strategy, general management and leadership. You will be challenged to analyse and think critically as well as apply various theoretical concepts and tools. It will help you to develop skills in diagnosing, designing, and executing complex actions in organisations. It challenges you to consider the managerial trade-offs and constraints you will likely face when tasked with achieving results. 

You will learn about potential barriers which may arise when executing strategy and will consider your own strategic aspirations and challenges.  You will develop contemporary skills to develop a more realistic, actionable strategic plan.    

Module learning outcomes

On successful completion of the module, you will be able to: 

1. Critically evaluate the contemporary research and debates on the relationship between management and leadership skills, and their impact on organisational strategic implementation plan   
2. Critically evaluate and benchmark performance against organisational Key Performance indicators (KPIs) and identify risks and challenges strategic implementation.  
3. Demonstrate an understanding of organisational culture and diversity and their effectiveness for strategy execution and performance. 

The global business environment is becoming more dynamic and complex, requiring managers to formulate and implement strategies based on consistent congruence between the firm and its environment. The module will introduce frameworks for analysing the external and internal stakeholders and will look at the identification of strategic issues, the development of strategic options to address them and making recommendations for when change is needed.

You will develop the ability to behave entrepreneurially in a highly complex and competitive business environment. Innovation and entrepreneurship are not only part of new ventures but also exist in organisations in the private, public, and social sectors. Hence this module recognises the need to embed innovation and entrepreneurship in terms of the creation of new combinations, new ways of doing things, new products and services, and the formation of new ventures in the process of strategic formulation. The module combines both theoretical and practical approaches, drawing on academic research and theories of innovation and entrepreneurship to support the practical development of skills required to form a new business strategy.

The module looks at entrepreneurship as the ability to effectively deploy resources to devise business solutions to complex and multifaceted challenges.

Module learning outcomes

On successful completion of the module, you will be able to:

1. Develop and justify an attractive entrepreneurial or change business idea using strategic tools/ frameworks in the business environment
2. Critically evaluate the challenges facing organisations moving from start-up to growth stage of organisational development
3. Learn and use different tools, analytical approaches and frameworks utilised in generating strategic options, building dynamic capabilities and managing innovation and entrepreneurship.
4. Critically analyse the contemporary issues and opportunities available in the internal and external environment to formulate a business strategy that suits the needs and visions of an organisation.

The module encourages you to develop a wider global/international perspective; increase your awareness of organisational, industry and cultural diversity and develop your critical/analytical, problem-solving and strategic decision-making skills.

Module learning outcomes

On successful completion of the module, you will be able to: 

1. Recognize and critically appraise the varied strategic approaches used by international corporations
2. Critically analyse both quantitatively and qualitatively the key issues facing the successful formulation and implementation of international business strategies
3. Critically examine and evaluate the global (competitive) environmental factors that influence different types of organisations in the formulation of international strategic and operational alternatives

Module content

• The International Management Process and the Global Environment
• Globalisation and Strategy: Defined and Demystified; Implications and strategic gains; the challenges of Global Efficiency, Local Responsiveness, and Global ‘Learning’
• Competitive Analysis – A Global Perspective
• The Global Firm and Corporate Governance, Social Responsibility and Ethics
• The Impact of Foreign Direct Investment on Economies, Industries and Organisations
• The International Planning Process and Types of International Strategy
• International HRM, Marketing and Operations Management – Cultural Divergence or Convergence?
• The Impact of Country Cultures on International Development
• Financial Considerations in the Global Marketplace
• New Economy Imperatives – The Role of Technology in International Business
• International Management: A Future Perspective

Module learning outcomes

On successful completion of the module, you will be able to:

1. Critically appraise  the  fundamental  principles of international environmental  law,  and  the  legal  and  institutional  framework  in  which they have developed and are implemented
2. Demonstrate a critical understanding of how policy and legislation are used to mitigate current environmental issues and approaches employed to achieve compliance
3. Critically evaluate the role and effectiveness of the main institutions and frameworks for implementing appropriate interventions

Module content

• The nature of the environment
• International environmental law: history, sources, international law and the European Union, international law and the UK, major international agreements
• UK environmental law
• Regulation of environmental law: standards and standard-setting, enforcement, mechanisms to monitor and improve regulation
• The UK Legislative Framework and the environment: sources, classification and associated judicial systems, interpretation, enforcement, environmental policy and regulatory regime, Common Law in the protection of the environment
• Major UK environmental legislation: Town and country planning, Industrial Pollution Control regimes, Air quality and climate change, waste, contaminated land, water, Nuisance, Nature Conservation.
• Environmental compliance within organisations: Compliance tools, Advantages and disadvantages of compliance,
• The future of environmental law and its regulation
• Employability Skills
  • Problem solving
  • Consultancy skills
  • Team work and collaboration
• Digital Skills
  • Ethical and legal requirements surrounding the use and re-use of information and identify sources of relevant advice.
  • Using a comprehensive range of information sources in any medium, including specialised information such as archives, data sets, special collections, colleagues and contacts in research networks to access current and relevant information.
• Research Skills
  • Research problem identification and framing
  • Research design and methodologies

Module learning outcomes

On successful completion of the module, you will be able to:

1. Critically evaluate the interactions and interdependent nature of business and the environment and the changing role of businesses in a sustainable world
2. Demonstrate the ability to develop programmes to achieve sustainable change and make a business case for financial investment in such programs
3. Demonstrate critical understanding of the role of communication, effective stakeholder engagement and reporting in sustainable business management

Module content

• Business, development and environment interactions
• Global mega trends & Sustainable Development risks and opportunities to businesses
• Fundamental Business and Governance Principles and Issues
• Effective environmental data management
• Developing programmes for delivering sustainable solutions
• Reporting (Green claims, GRI others)
• Leadership and change for sustainable business practice
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Business Case for Sustainability
• Employability Skills
  • Effective Communication and Stakeholder consultation
  • Negotiation - Making environmental business cases
  • Conflict resolution
• Digital Skills
  • Apply critical criteria to the evaluation of unfamiliar online tools
  • Distinguish between platforms for publishing digital content, recognising the difference between formal publication and information exchange
• Research Skills
  • Research report and research paper organisation and presentation

Module learning outcomes

On successful completion of the module, you will be able to:

1. Critically evaluate the main concepts of the natural environment and the earth system
2. Critically evaluate the idea of environmental risk, environmental change, pollution linkages and their impacts
3. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the principles of major environmental management tools and their application
4. Demonstrate the ability to work effectively in a professional multi-disciplinary team for the application of a major environmental management tool

Module content

• Natural Cycles, environmental limits major global environmental issues and sustainable development
• Identifying and Assessing Environmental Risks
• Pollution sources linkages and impacts in air, water and soil
• Environmental Management Systems (history, types, advantages and disadvantages)
• ISO 14001 Requirements and Implementation
• Environmental Auditing within EMS (ISO 19001; Principles, stages, advantages and disadvantages)
• Other types of environmental audits (Compliance, waste, energy etc)
• Other environmental management tools (Life Cycle Assessment, Environmental Impact Assessment, Strategic Environmental Assessment, Cost Benefit Analysis, Ecological Impact Assessment, Footprinting, Environmental Management Plans)
• Collaboration and Innovation for sustainable production
• Employability Skills
• Digital skills
• Research skills

Module learning outcomes

On successful completion of the module, you will be able to:

1. Identify, search for and critically review relevant academic and business information following academic conventions
2. Acknowledge supporting material and evidence in written work and present in an effective manner for a range of audiences
3. Undertake critical self-reflection of business skills and develop strategies for improvement

Module content

• Orientation and induction to university
• Self-Management, time management, prioritising, meeting deadlines
• Effective communication skills for different audiences
• Presentation skills
• Team working
• Learning and reflection
• Enterprise and initiative
• Personal organisation and planning
• Problem solving
• Academic practice – critical, professional and academic writing skills, avoiding plagiarism, Harvard Referencing
• Using appropriate information resources (databases, Library resources)
• Information collection, analysis and interpretation
• Word-processing, PowerPoint presentations, Excel spreadsheets, SPSS statistical processing
• Digital literacy and data privacy

This 0-credit module has been designed explicitly for you to reflect on your current personal competencies. By studying this module, you will be directed to a range of resources to help you to develop in the future, with a view to pursuing your CMI Chartered Manager application.

The module also develops an understanding, application and evaluation of practical tools to support coaching and mentoring processes, applicable to management issues such as managing team performance, supporting staff through change, innovative problem solving, building supportive relationships and mentoring the growth of talent. Through this journey you will create an individualised leadership and personal development plan and the skills required for ongoing self-reflection and appraisal of your capabilities to support your future career aspirations.

Module learning outcomes

On successful completion of the module, you will be able to:

1. Critically reflect on your personal strengths and weaknesses and use a range of reference points to support your career development
2. Demonstrate self-awareness in terms of personal motivation, supporting and restricting beliefs and attitude in proactively setting goals for your career and professional development
3. Understand, apply and critically evaluate the underlying principles and approaches that have contributed to the growth of coaching and mentoring as development tools in the workplace

Module content

• The changing economic, cultural, organisational and demographic context of careers
• understanding personality and personal style at work
• Leading self and others
• Authentic leadership
• Cross cultural awareness
• Mindfulness and resilience
• Emotional Intelligence
• Definitions of coaching and mentoring
• Coaching skills, trust and rapport, listening and challenge, question technique
• Coaching process models; GROW, OSCAR and SCORE
• Giving and soliciting feedback, Johari window
• Self-assessment/evaluation tools e.g. skills audits/personal SWOT analysis, personality testing, psychometric tests
• Ethical standards in professional recognition – their value and implication for career progression
• Becoming a Chartered Manager (CMI)

This 0-credit module has been designed explicitly for you to reflect on your current personal competencies. By studying this module, you will be directed to a range of resources to help you to develop in the future, with a view to pursuing your CMI Chartered Manager application.

Independent study will provide you with the opportunity to use and enhance the knowledge and intellectual skills gained during the course, by means of an extensive investigation of a significant management area. The module provides an opportunity for those studying any of the specialist programmes to explore an in depth topic relevant to that programme. It also provides the opportunity for you to reflect on the research experience and use what you have learned to guide your future development via a reflective statement and development plan.

As a result of developing and applying an analytical framework based on a specialist issue, you will be able to enhance your own competencies for undertaking future business, management and finance research or analysis. You will be better able to evaluate the research analysis carried out by others and better able to plan your own development.

Module learning outcomes

On completion of the module you will be able to:

1. Act autonomously in designing a research project that critically evaluates a problem or issue to a professional standard. The topic should be relevant to the title of the programme and should meet the University’s ethical guidelines
2. Act autonomously in critically investigating a discipline relevant issue, employing appropriate research methods to collect data, analyse, compare and draw conclusions, providing recommendations where appropriate. The topic will be relevant to the title of your programme and demonstrate the ability to connect the theory and practice
3. Reflect on the process of undertaking a significant piece of independent research using the ideas and concepts from the course and plan your future development

Module content

• The independent study represents a major learning experience for you, providing an opportunity to pursue in considerable depth and with suitable academic rigour a specific area of management and/or strategy, building on the study of relevant concepts, models and paradigms
• Each study will be supervised by an Independent Studies Supervisor, appointed by the Business School. At the beginning, and as part of this module, a dissertation/project proposal will be individually negotiated and assessed. The proposal will have to demonstrate that the proposed research can be achieved. You will also have to complete an ethical approval form that meets the University's ethics guidelines
• The final work will comprise a dissertation or action-based study plus a reflective statement and development plan and will be independently assessed by two tutors, one of whom will be the Independent Study Supervisor. It may take the form of dissertation or action based study. Collaborative arrangements are permitted whereby you participate in a joint group study. Where this happens, a means by which individual effort and contribution are to be assessed will be established and documented at the outset, with the supervisor