2012/2013  BA-HA_E163  Climate Strategies for Business

English Title

Climate Strategies for Business

Course information
Language	English
Exam ECTS	7.5 ECTS
Type	Elective
Level	Bachelor
Duration	One Semester
Course period	Spring, Third Quarter wednesday 8.00-10.35, week 5-12. tuesday 11.40-14.25, week 5,12. Changes may occur.
Time Table	Please see course schedule at e-Campus
Study board	Study Board for BSc in Economics and Business Administration
Course coordinator
Merrill Jones Barradale - Department of Intercultural Communication and Management
Ane Lindgren Hassing <alh.ioa@cbs.dk> is course secretary
Main Category of the Course
Corporate and Business Strategy
Last updated on 25-10-2012

Learning objectives

The aim of the course is to give students an overview of how various disciplines within business administration and economics conceptualize and analyze the ways in which business address the challenges of climate change. The aim is to develop an inter-disciplinary perspective and not to make the students fully proficient in any one discipline. Students will be expected to have a working knowledge of key concepts, theories, models and frameworks used in climate change analyses; to knowledgeably analyze and discuss the costs and benefits of different climate strategies; as well as to critically assess the climate strategies of business and to suggest alternatives giving due consideration of the technological, organizational, financial and legal constraints. The course seeks to develop the student’s competencies with regard to inter-disciplinary studies of complex issues. The course will enhance the students’ theoretical understanding of the challenges facing business in developing climate strategies, provide them with empirical insights and develop their analytical and presentational skills.

Prerequisite

No prerequisites. The course is open to all undergraduate students.

Examination

Examination: Type of test Written Exam Marking scale 7-step scale Second examiner No second examiner Exam period Spring Term Aids Open Book, Written and Electronic Aid is permitted Duration 4 Hours

Examination

the exam is a 4 hour written open book exam. the exam is PC-bases with no internt access. It is also possible to write in hand. The make-up/re-exam will be held as a 4 day- home assignment. There is a strict maximum length of 10 pages (1 page is counted as 2,275 characters including spaces). The re-take will be based on information from the lectures and the books that you have used during the course.

Course content

The business climate has changed markedly over the past few years as the concern for climate change has grown and the economic recession takes its told. In light of both of these developments there is a marked increase of interest in moving towards a carbon free economy. For the business community this represents both a tremendous opportunity and threat as many of the existing ways of doing business need to be changed and entirely new ways can be created. How will these changes in the business climate affect business and what strategiesare businesses developing to grapple with the challenges of climate change? What are the opportunities that climate change offers to business and how might they be realized?   This course explores a number of strategic management themes that have bearing on how companies can address climate change issues: by creating climate change task forces to integrate climate considerations within company operations; by becoming industry leaders in developing greenhouse gas controls, clean technologies and products; by being mindful of changes in government regulations so as to better anticipate and influence them and the development of market for CO2 emissions; by providing detailed public accounts of greenhouse gas emissions as a means of improving corporate reputation and accessing new sources of capital; and by creating strategic plans intended to exploit commercial opportunities presented by climate change. Using a number of cases, the course focuses on the strategies of established industries as well as entrepreneurial companies seeking to develop new clean technologies/products.   The course is multi-disciplinary. In exploring these themes the course will draw upon insights from economics, law, innovation and organizational theory. The course will meet 10 times during the spring term.

Teaching methods

The teachers will use a variety of teaching methods: lectures, case studies, videos, and in-class exercises.

Expected literature

Esty, Daniel C. and P.J. Simmons, 2011. The Green to Gold Business Playbook: How to Implement Sustainability Practices for Bottom-Line Results in Every Business Function. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. Compendium of selected articles and a number of cases.