AT7051 - Sustainable Strategy

Critical reflection on knowledge, experience and practice underpins the learning and teaching philosophy along with the explicit development of competence. This is key to your learning on the module. To put this in place, the module comprises of lectures and seminars covering responsible business models and the role of SDGs in key business functions. We will aim to evaluate how SDGs can act as a vehicle for organisations to develop competitive advantage in an increasingly turbulent and dynamic business environment. We will engage with the relevant business theory and reflect on business practice and responsible decision making.





A teaching and learning plan supports the module, outlining the formal sessions, together with the tutor-directed study and independent reading. An interactive approach to lecture sessions will draw upon the directed learning undertaken and your own experiences. Throughout, the emphasis will be on high levels of your participation, both individually and within small groups or teams. You can therefore expect embedding of reflective-practitioner approach to learning in all workshop/seminar sessions through undertaking activities that facilitate you to apply theory to 'real-life' situations, critically analysing and making recommendations for appropriate ways forward for the organisation/individual.





Directed learning will centre upon a range of activities including pre-reading, preparation for interactive activities and use of the discussion board on the e-learning platform. Independent learning will centre upon you identifying and pursuing areas of interest in relation to the subject area or by providing deeper/broader knowledge and understanding of the subject through a range of learning activities that might include extended reading, reflection, research etc.





The away day ‘Strategy for a Sustainable Future’ offered by the Digital Society School (part of AUAS) will aim will to investigate together with representatives of leading design schools what knowledge, expertise and skills strategists need to develop in order to be able to address the UN SDGs.

A member of academic staff leading the module and a set of subject experts leading the lecture inputs on the five streams of the module provide significant module support. The electronic Learning Portal (eLp) will house lecture and seminar materials relating to the module supported. You will be provided with a wide-ranging electronic reading list that comprises of various journal papers, conference papers and textbooks that cover sustainable strategies and business models for organisations. Module assessment comprises of a component within each stream and an overall assessment which captures your learning across the module.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

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Students in this module are assessed formatively and summatively. Formative assessment takes place in-class while students work individually or in learning sets on tutor-led tasks. Students will receive feedback by their tutor in -class.





The assessment of the modules aims to capture the strategic thinking, theoretical knowledge and critical thinking of the students.





The module is summatively assessed aiming to evaluate students against the module learning outcomes. Students will be assessed by two components:





Assessment A: Business plan group report, 4000 words (30% of the total module mark).



Assessment A is based on the away day Strategy for a Sustainable Future’. Students will work in groups and submit a business plan report aimed at showcasing a sustainable business.


Assessment B: Individual assignment, 3000 words (70% of the total module mark)



Assessment B is a research-based assignment. Students will work individually.





Students will receive timely and constructive feedback in line with the University policy.

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You will learn about responsible business and the role of the sustainable business functions and governance within the context of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. In addition, you will gain an understanding of the overarching principles of setting and executing a sustainable organisational strategy. Within the setting of these strategic objectives, you will understand how the associated responsible decision making will impact on both internal and external stakeholders, and by doing so, will gain an understanding of the concept of responsible decision making and governance as well as being able to assess risk, evaluate innovation and measure company performance.