Organizational transformation and higher sustainability management education: The case of the MBA Sustainability Management

Lee, Ki-Hoon; Schaltegger, Stefan

Abstract

Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the roles of leadership in enabling sustainability transformation of universities and higher sustainability management education. It advocates research into the role of leadership for a university’s sustainability transformation by exploring interactions between university members and institutional contexts.

Design/methodology/approach
Using a case study approach, this study explores the sustainability transformation of a university and its influence on the MBA Sustainability Management by applying Mintzberg’s leadership framework.

Findings
The findings suggest that leaders can strongly influence a process of change in mindsets, practices and curricula to incorporate sustainability into higher business education institutions. Whereas bottom-up leadership initiatives are crucial, leadership support from top management is seen as important to enable larger, more radical steps of transformation.

Originality/value
It is worthy noting that in the medium run strategic leadership to develop good sustainability management education programs requires a consistent institutional commitment for sustainability.

Citation

Lee, K.-H., & Schaltegger, S. (2014). Organizational transformation and higher sustainability management education: The case of the MBA Sustainability Management. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 15(4), 450-472. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijshe-06-2013-0067

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Online Publication Date: Aug 26, 2014
• Publication Date: 2014
• Deposit Date: Apr 19, 2024
• Journal: International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education
• Print ISSN: 1467-6370
• Publisher: Emerald
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 15
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 450-472
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/ijshe-06-2013-0067
• Keywords: Leadership, Sustainability, Sustainability management, Higher management education, Sustainability transformation
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/3596964