Syllabus
Registration via LPIS
Abstract:
Building on the first course in the elective stream ‘Transforming the economy towards sustainability I’, the second course provides an actors-oriented perspective on what it takes to achieve a transformation towards more sustainable resource use. The course is designed in an interdisciplinary manner, including concepts and literature from economic sciences as well as natural, political and social sciences.
The course starts with a brief summary of the main challenges identified in course one and sets them into relation to the main actors contributing to current patterns of resource use at the product, company, sector and economy-wide level. Focus will be set on three groups: business and entrepreneurs, policy makers, as well as civil society and individuals. For each group, its scope of action as well as potential restrictions will be identified and discussed.
In the course, high priority is given to practical experience (mainly through field trip, guest lecture, discussions, debates, simulations, learning activities). As a hands-on experience, the participants will have to design their own sustainable business and present it in the “Dragons' den”.
Course outline (order of units can still change slightly):
Unit 1: Introduction
Part I: Introduction
- Administrative aspects of the course
- Pub quiz: A review of course I
- Actors influencing (un)sustainability of resource use
Part II: The economy as user of natural resources
- Empirical data on resource use by different sectors
- Circular resource use in the economy
- Out-of-the-box entrepreneurship
Unit 2: Field trip / Business options II
Part I: Business performance
- CSR & green washing
- Monitoring/improving business performance
- Entrepreneurial conflicts with CSR and/or the SDGs
Part II: Field trip to the Boutiquehotel Stadthalle
Unit 3: Politics
Part I: Macroeconomic policy concepts
- UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG)
- EU Green Deal & Circular Economy
- Smart Climate City Vienna - guest lecture
Unit 4: Business options in practice / Policy options II
Part I: Lions' den
- Pitching of group projects
Part II: Policy options
- Specific political instruments
- Group work
Unit 5: Individuals and Civil Society
Part I: Field trip to the Austrian Parliament
- Civil society as actor
- Reflection
Part II: Individuals as actors
- Options to drive change
- Options to reduce individual footprints
Unit 6: Wrap-up, test and simulations
- In-class exam
- Group simulation
- Feedback and evaluation
- Optional: Movie
After the course the participants will:
- be able to identify the main actors influencing global patterns of (un)sustainable resource use;
- know the main political concepts of how to steer society towards sustainable resource use;
- be aware of options for business to manage resource use more sustainably, both in current and alternative business models;
- understand the role of civil society in the context of achieving more sustainable resource management;
- have a set of actions they can take as individuals to reach a more sustainable personal level of resource use.
The criterion “attendance” is completely fulfilled when all classes but one have been attended. Additional missed classes will affect the overall grade.
Absence must be announced before the respective class.
- Input by lecturer
- Group work/presentations
- Discussions
- Learn activities
- Field trips
- Videos
- Guest lecture
- Background research and literature
- Group simulations
Participants are expected to (1) be motivated, interested and prepared, (2) participate actively in class, (3) respect WU’s codex of honour, especially with regard to plagiarism.
- Group work / "Dragons' Den" (30%)
- (Take-home) exam (35%)
- Field trip report (20%)
- Participation & preparation (15%)
A contribution to each criterion is obligatory for an overall positive grade.
Missing more than one class will negatively affect the overall grade.
Grading can be followed in the Canvas gradebook.
The particpation in "Elective: Economy and Sustainability I: Concepts and Trends of Natural Resource Use" is prerequisite to particpate in this course.
Registration during the registration period is based on the "first-come, first-served principle". If you have a valid course enrolment but cannot attend this course, please unsubscribe ideally during the enrolment period to enable other students to participate.
If there is a waiting list to register for the course, students will be assigned potential free slots after the registration deadline - provided that they do not yet have a valid registration for another course.
Attending the first class is a prerequisite to participate in the course.
Students from the waiting list can attend the first class to see if other students cancelled at the last moment. Free slots will be assigned following strictly the order of the waiting list.
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