BUSI718E

Sustainability: Economics and Strategy
Credits
2
Max Credits
2

NOTE: the equivalencies pertain to continuing students who may have already taken this course under a different course prefix and number. 

OMBA Equivalent: BUSO758E

Firms are increasingly confronted by issues of sustainability, whether via demand side or social pressures (e.g., through changing consumer preferences or pressure from NGOs), a quest for superior and sustained performance or a need to comply with regulation. Sustainability issues facing firms are multi-faceted and, in most cases, without clear strategic solutions. While it appears that firms must choose between sustainability and short-term profitability, in many cases sustainability related solutions can improve firm profitability.

The goal of this course is to better understand the overarching issues of sustainability, consider them in a series of industry specific examples and highlight market based solutions to these problems. Within each context, we examine the underlying market failures that lead to sub-optimal social and/or environmental outcomes along with solutions to these problems. This course is designed to give you tools for solving sustainability related problems for both for profit and not for profit companies.