A report with the following title: What is sustainability? To what extent do you think it is possible for esports companies in the gaming industry to be sustainable? The report must have a clear structure, Introduction, Main body with titles, Conclusion.
Use the theoretical concepts introduced in the sessions (they are attached) to develop an argument for the question.
A good answer will be based on sound understanding of business sustainability concepts/theories and appropriate wide reading. Avoid over-reliance on general websites. An analytical approach is expected. Reference to theoretical concepts/theorists will be expected with Harvard style. Except from theorists, you must use models like barriers to progress (legal, liability, social, political, economics, and environmental factors), e-sports sustainable business model, drivers for sustainable value creation and more. All are included in the attached files as titles of what covered in the class, please use academic articles, and journals to support and try to also write about challenges. Challenge the opinion answer.
Business and Sustainability (MBUMD2BST) The module outline Dr Marios Ioannou 1 Two quotes • You can resist an invading army; you cannot resist an idea whose time has come – Victor Hugo • The world as we have created it is a product of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking – Albert Einstein 2 What do you make of these quotes? Module Aims: • To explore the complex relationships between business and sustainability management; • To develop the capacities of students to be future generators of sustainable value for business and society. 3 Intended Learning Outcomes By the end of the module, you should be able to: a. demonstrate an awareness of the links between the external environment of an organisation in relation to sustainable development and the internal response of the enterprise; b. demonstrate an understanding of a range of sustainability concepts and frameworks and how these relate to organisational activities; and c. generate, develop, evaluate and articulate ideas or solutions, to meet the challenges and opportunities that the sustainability agenda offers. In addition, the module will contribute to the development of the transferable skills. 4 Transferable skills • Effective problem solving and decision making using appropriate quantitative and qualitative skills; • Effective communication, oral and in writing, using a range of media; • Effective use of Communication and Information Technology (CIT); • Effective self-management in terms of time, planning and behaviour, motivation; • Learning to learn and developing an appetite for learning; reflective, adaptive and collaborative learning; • Effective performance within a team environment; • Interpersonal skills of effective listening, negotiating, persuasion and presentation; • Abilities to conduct research into business and management issues, either individually or as part of a team for projects/dissertations / presentations. 5 Essential core textbook By Michael Blowfield Year of publication: 2013 Essential for every taught session and assessments Online resource centre: http://global.oup.com/uk/orc/busecon/business/blowfield/01student/weblinks/ 6 http://global.oup.com/uk/orc/busecon/business/blowfield/01student/weblinks/ Mode of instruction • 1 hour Lecture • 2 hour Seminar – Lecture follow-up if necessary – Follow-up activities, include feedback from preparation, reflective writing – Individual and group work – Assessment workshop, tutorial – Exploring sustainable business models 8 Resources • Module blackboard • OUP online resource centre: • http://global.oup.com/uk/orc/busecon/busine ss/blowfield/01student/weblinks/ • Library online resources: academic journals • Faculty Liaison Librarian for the Business School • BBC news and newspapers (The Guardian) • Tutors, family, friends, peers and employers 9 http://global.oup.com/uk/orc/busecon/business/blowfield/01student/weblinks/ Assessment 1. Constructive class participation and formative assessment (10%) • Padlet discussion, non-graded reflective writing, feedback on reading, presentation, individual and group work in and out of class. • Reassessment in the form of an individual coursework 2. Take-home exam (40%) 3. Assignment two (50%): Course work/Group project (TBC) 10 How to participate: a starter • Ask a question or make a comment that shows you are interested in what another person says • Ask a question or make a comment that encourages another to elaborate on something they have already said • Introduce a resource (e.g. reading , news item) that is not covered in the syllabus but adds new information or perspectives to our learning. • Make a comment that highlights the link between two people’s contributions and make this link explicit in your comment. • Make a comment (if appropriate) indicate that you found another person’s ideas interesting or useful. Be specific as to why this was the case. 12 Model to generate critical thinking Topic / Issue / Title What? When? Who? Where? Why? How? What if? So what? What next? DESCRIPTION ANALYSIS EVALUATION https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/uploads/production/document/path/1/1713/Model_To_Generate_Critical_Thinking.pdf https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/uploads/production/document/path/1/1713/Model_To_Generate_Critical_Thinking.pdf Expectations of a constructive learning community • Tutor role – Teach / facilitate, give guidance / support, accessible – Professional • Your role – Take responsibility for your learning – be committed – Be curious, open-minded and pro-active – Right attitude – What else? 14 Student responsibilities and conduct • Attend and engage, participate and contribute • General conduct and behaviour – Use of mobile phones and other electronic devices; punctuality; respect others • Obligations in relation to preparation for lecture and seminar, workload planning, assessment and keeping tutor informed • Engage with module Blackboard regularly • Curiosity, open-minded • Positive attitude and responsibility Anything else? 16 Business and Sustainability (MBUMD2BST) Business and Sustainability: Sustainability issues Reading Chapter one pp 8 to 26 Dr Marios Ioannou Emerging challenges for the planet ´ Ongoing challenges for the planet ´ Climate change ´ Damage to biodiversity ´ Over-exploitation of minerals and oil resources ´ Water depletion ´ Over population Ongoing challenges for the planet ´ Humankind consumes what nature has to offer and in return we create waste and deplete the earth’s natural reserves. All our actions have an impact on the earth’s ecosystems that are only able to renew themselves at low levels of consumption. ´ Impact on the Planet ´ ‘ecological overshoot’ https://edition.cnn.com/2020/09/18/weather/coronavirus- lockdowns-climate-change-extreme-weather-intl/index.html https://edition.cnn.com/2020/09/18/weather/coronavirus-lockdowns-climate-change-extreme-weather-intl/index.html 4 September 23 August 8 August 22October 11 Climate Change: Is Earth warming? ´ Average temperature since 1850 ´ Other data: ´ Upper ocean layers warming ´ Salinity changing ´ Seawater more acidic ´ Sea level rising ´ Longer growing seasons, fewer frost days, earlier flowering ´ Species moving northward, and higher in altitude ´ Increased heat waves ´ Hurricanes more intense ´ Melting glaciers, melting ice cap, melting permafrost N O A A Answer: ? Climate change: known and unknown Le Page (2011) Climate change: ‘What is known and what still need clarifying’, New Scientist. What is known What needs clarifying Greenhouse gases are warming the planet How GHGs levels will rise Other pollutants are cooling the planet How great our cooling effects are The planet is going to get a lot hotter Just how much hotter things will get How things will change in each region Sea level is going to rise many metres How quickly sea level will rise How serious the threat to life is There will be more floods and droughts Will there be more hurricanes and the like? If and when tipping points will come 8 Projecting into the future UN EP /G RI D -A re nd al Economic consequences of temperature rises 10C (50 years’ time, IPCC) • Crop yields rise in high-latitude developed countries • Crop yields fall in lower-latitude developing countries • Small glaciers disappear, threatening some water supplies • Coral reef systems extensive damaged 20C • Rising number of people at risk of hunger (20-60% by 2080) • Increase in hurricane intensity doubling costs of damage in USA • Onset of irreversible melting of Greenland ice sheet 30C • Significant changes in water availability • More than 50% of species face extinction • Increased risk of abrupt, large-scale shifts in climate system (e.g. collapse of Gulf Stream) 40C • Major regional declines in crop yields • Major world cities threatened by sea level rises (e.g. London, New York, Tokyo, Hong Kong) Business and ecosystems ´ How does businesses impact ecosystems? ´ How does businesses depend on ecosystems? ´ Risks and opportunities include ´ Operational ´ Regulatory and legal ´ Reputational ´ Market and product ´ Financing Human Impact : Carrying capacity: maximum number of individuals a given environment can support indefinitely Human population growth Does population restricts economic growth? http://www.theguardian.com/environment/ng-interactive/2014/sep/23/carbon-map-which-countries-are-responsible-for- climate-change https://www.ted.com/talks/hans_rosling_on_global_population_growth?language=en show this 9 mins http://www.theguardian.com/environment/ng-interactive/2014/sep/23/carbon-map-which-countries-are-responsible-for-climate-change https://www.ted.com/talks/hans_rosling_on_global_population_growth?language=en Cities with over 10 million inhabitants http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-13800944 http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys- images/Observer/Pix/pictures/2012/01/21/urban2.jpg http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-13800944 http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Observer/Pix/pictures/2012/01/21/urban2.jpg Stabilizing human population ´ Demographic transition: shift from high birth rates and death rates to low birth rates and death rates in developed countries UN EP /G RI D -A re nd al Economics: a brief history ´10,000 BP: hunter-gather à agriculture ´18th century: fossil fuels, + engines to extract them à Industrial Revolution ´ Adam Smith: Growth drives the Wealth of Nations ´World War II: mobilized for war ´ Growth and consumption: pattern continues ´Today: economic model requires unending growth Drivers of the growth model ´Fossil fuels ´ High energy, low cost, convenient ´Acquisitiveness ´ Evolutionary adaptation out of control ´Globalization ´ Equity issues ´ Environmental issues Lib ra ry o f C on gr es s Economics models ´ Classical economics: macroeconomics ´ Economy as a whole ´ Neoclassical economics: microeconomics ´ Power of the market ´ Nature as supply depot/waste disposal service ´ Environmental economics – subset of neoclassical ´ Assign values to ecosystem services ´ Ecological economics ´ Economics + ecology + thermodynamics ´ Steady-state economy – approach to economics without perpetual growth, equitable distribution Reconfiguring the growth model ´ Circular economy ´ Closed-loop consumption ´ Decoupling ´ Development without increases in environmental impact ´ End of fossil fuel economy à renewable sources ´ Law and policy changes ´ Equitable distribution A new paradigm Concepts in economics ´Growth: quantitative increase ´ Sustainable growth = physically impossible ´Development: qualitative improvement ´ Sustainable development = increase in quality without quantitative growth ´Capital: supply of resources ´ Externality: cost external to entity creating damage ´ Cost of damage not reflected in price Price of fossil fuel does not reflect costs of climate change. A few statistics (United Nations) ´ 925 million people do not have enough to eat ´ 2.8 billion people, survive on <$2 a="" day="" ´="" 1.2="" billion="" people,="" live="" on=""><$1 a day ´ nearly 1 billion people are illiterate ´ 1 billion do not have safe water ´ 98% of the world’s hungry live in developing countries ´ 65% of the hungry live in: india, china, the democratic republic of congo, bangladesh, indonesia, pakistan and ethiopia the world economic pyramid prahalad c k and hart s l (2002) ‘the fortune at the bottom of the pyramid’, strategy+business 1 1 2 & 3 4 annual per capita income based on purchasing power parity in us$: unwd reports more than $20,000 $1,500 - $20,000 less than $1,500 population in millions 75 - 100 1,500 - 1,750 4,000 do you agree with prahalad and hart that there is a fortune at the bottom of the pyramid? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgyes4ba7om muhammad yunus, grameen bank 5 mins http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgyes4ba7om what is an ecosystem? air, water, mineral, temperature ecosystem services • ecosystem services: essential benefits from ecosystem processes vital geographics, unep/grid-arendal (refer to core textbook pp11-13 for details) drivers of eco-system change 31 habitat destruction habitat fragmentation invasive species pollution population overexploitation http://www.conservation.org/nature-is-speaking/pages/julia-roberts-is-mother-nature.aspx show this http://www.conservation.org/nature-is-speaking/pages/julia-roberts-is-mother-nature.aspx sustainable development ´ ‘meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’ (wced & brundtland 1987) 1. are the terms ‘sustainability’ and ‘sustainable development’ interchangeable? if not, how do they differ? 2. should the present generation be responsible for the needs of future generations? sustainable a="" day="" ´="" nearly="" 1="" billion="" people="" are="" illiterate="" ´="" 1="" billion="" do="" not="" have="" safe="" water="" ´="" 98%="" of="" the="" world’s="" hungry="" live="" in="" developing="" countries="" ´="" 65%="" of="" the="" hungry="" live="" in:="" india,="" china,="" the="" democratic="" republic="" of="" congo,="" bangladesh,="" indonesia,="" pakistan="" and="" ethiopia="" the="" world="" economic="" pyramid="" prahalad="" c="" k="" and="" hart="" s="" l="" (2002)="" ‘the="" fortune="" at="" the="" bottom="" of="" the="" pyramid’,="" strategy+business="" 1="" 1="" 2="" &="" 3="" 4="" annual="" per="" capita="" income="" based="" on="" purchasing="" power="" parity="" in="" us$:="" unwd="" reports="" more="" than="" $20,000="" $1,500="" -="" $20,000="" less="" than="" $1,500="" population="" in="" millions="" 75="" -="" 100="" 1,500="" -="" 1,750="" 4,000="" do="" you="" agree="" with="" prahalad="" and="" hart="" that="" there="" is="" a="" fortune="" at="" the="" bottom="" of="" the="" pyramid?="" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v="MgYes4bA7oM" muhammad="" yunus,="" grameen="" bank="" 5="" mins="" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v="MgYes4bA7oM" what="" is="" an="" ecosystem?="" air,="" water,="" mineral,="" temperature="" ecosystem="" services="" •="" ecosystem="" services:="" essential="" benefits="" from="" ecosystem="" processes="" vital="" geographics,="" unep/grid-arendal="" (refer="" to="" core="" textbook="" pp11-13="" for="" details)="" drivers="" of="" eco-system="" change="" 31="" habitat="" destruction="" habitat="" fragmentation="" invasive="" species="" pollution="" population="" overexploitation="" http://www.conservation.org/nature-is-speaking/pages/julia-roberts-is-mother-nature.aspx="" show="" this="" http://www.conservation.org/nature-is-speaking/pages/julia-roberts-is-mother-nature.aspx="" sustainable="" development="" ´="" ‘meeting="" the="" needs="" of="" the="" present="" generation="" without="" compromising="" the="" ability="" of="" future="" generations="" to="" meet="" their="" own="" needs’="" (wced="" &="" brundtland="" 1987)="" 1.="" are="" the="" terms="" ‘sustainability’="" and="" ‘sustainable="" development’="" interchangeable?="" if="" not,="" how="" do="" they="" differ?="" 2.="" should="" the="" present="" generation="" be="" responsible="" for="" the="" needs="" of="" future="" generations?="">