Charting the landscape
A typology of ecological sustainability in US business education
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21721138 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Nancy B Kurland (0000-0002-8938-9600, Franklin & Marshall College), Nancy Kurland (Franklin and Marshall College Department of Business, Organizations and Society, , Lancaster), Elshaday Melkamu (Franklin and Marshall College Department of Business, Organizations and Society, , Lancaster) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 26 |
| Issue | 9 |
| Pages | 301-318 |
| Publication date | 2025-12-15 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1467-6370 • E-ISSN: 1758-6739 |
| Publisher | Emerald (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1108/ijshe-06-2024-0402 |
| OpenAlex | W4411581877 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 21 |
Purpose This paper aims to examine the teaching of ecological sustainability in contemporary American business education. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted the investigation through two phases. In Phase 1, the authors systematically collected data on which top undergraduate and graduate US business programs offer a sustainability-related course, identifying 224 courses from 152 unique institutions. In Phase 2, the authors analyzed 78 syllabi from 48 unique schools the authors collected from their Phase 1 inquiries. Findings The authors identify course themes at the individual, organization and systemic levels. They develop a typology of six course types that incorporate natural and social science concepts to varying degrees, and which adopt a general business or a narrow functional perspective. The authors find that faculty themselves demonstrate interdisciplinarity in their formal education. Lastly, the authors conclude that despite its increasing popularity in business education, ecological sustainability remains largely an elective. Originality/value This study provides an updated snapshot of ecological sustainability in business education, with a coalescence around six types of courses, suggesting a maturing of the field
Archaeology · Environmental education · Environmental ethics · Environmental planning · Environmental resource management · Geography · Pedagogy · Sociology · Sustainability · Sustainable development · Typology · Environmental Science · Ethics in Business and Education · Management and Organizational Studies · Sustainability in Higher Education · Ecology
| Highly cited | No |
|---|