MGMT335-25S2 (C) Semester Two 2025

Business and Sustainability

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 14 July 2025
End Date: Sunday, 9 November 2025
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 27 July 2025
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 28 September 2025

Description

This course strives to deliver an overview of sustainability theory and practice in respect to conducting business effectively. It aims to enable students to make sound decisions in their future careers when leading organisations toward sustainable practices. In the context of business and sustainability, the course will provide an introduction to the science and management issues companies face, including measurement, reporting, feasibility and viability of new technologies, and others. The course will consist of combinations of lectures, interactive classes, and case discussions. Based on the above, successful students will have an increased understanding of approaches businesses can take to respond effectively to environmental sustainability issues.

This course provides an overview of sustainability theory and practice for effectively conducting business. It aims to enable students to make sound decisions in their future careers when leading organisations toward sustainable practices. In the context of business and sustainability, the course will introduce the science and management issues companies face, including measurement, reporting, feasibility and viability of new technologies, and others. The course will consist of combinations of lectures, interactive classes, case discussions and one intensive challenge. Based on the above, successful students will have an increased understanding of approaches businesses can take to respond effectively to environmental issues.

Relationship to other courses
This course is an elective course building up on MGMT230, and supplements MGMT333.
This course is relevant to all BCom. Majors of anyone who wishes to obtain further insights into sustainability management.

Workload
The estimated workload breakdown for MGMT335 is:
Lectures 24
Lecture Preparation 10
ChristchurchNZ Challenge 46
Online presentations + feedback 20
Individual assignment – sustainability reporting 50
Total 150 hours

Learning Outcomes

  • The objectives of the course are:

  • introducing students to the relevant issues for socially responsible businesses while allowing “hands-on” experience based on real-life organisations.
  • enabling students to make sound decisions when leading organisations toward sustainable practices.

    BCom Learning Goals

    Goal 1: Graduates can demonstrate advanced knowledge of their selected subject major, informed by the broader context of Commerce;
    Goal 2: Graduates are able to use analytical thinking and problem-solving skills to address specific problems;
    Goal 3: Graduates can understand issues from a range of ethical, global and multicultural perspectives;
    Goal 4: Graduates are able to communicate effectively both orally and in written form.

    Learning outcomes:
    After successfully completing this course students will be able to:
    O1 Evaluate legitimate expectations different stakeholders have in respect to business processes.
    O2 Understand sustainability trends and how they provide opportunities for entrepreneurs.
    O3 Gain insights into possible ways business processes can be reorganised in order to create economic capital while developing social and preserving natural capital.  
    O4 Understand current tools, methods and approaches to adopt sustainability in businesses, including place and community-based engagement.

    Form of assessment / Goals, Learning outcomes
    Participation - ALL
    Fishbank Winner - G1, G2, G3, O1, O2, O3
    Presentations - G4, O1, O2, O3, O4
    Sustainable business review - G1, G3, G4, O2, O3
    UCE Sustainability Challenge - G1, G2, G4, O1, O2, O3, O4
    Individual Assignment - Kathmandu - G1, G2, G3, G4, O1, O3, O4

    Learning Objectives
  • Students have an in-depth understanding of their majoring subject and are able to critically evaluate and, where applicable, apply this knowledge to topics/issues within the discipline.
  • Students have a broad understanding of the key domains of commerce.
  • Students will develop key skills and attributes sought by employers which can be used in a range of applications.
  • Students will be aware of and understand the nature of biculturalism in Aotearoa New Zealand, and its relevance to their area of study and/or their degree.
  • Students will comprehend the influence of global conditions on their discipline and will be competent in engaging with global and multi-cultural contexts.

    For quality assurance purposes the School is required to hold on record a number of assessment pieces as examples of differing standards of work. If you have any objections to the school holding your assessment for this purpose then email the course coordinator to ensure your assignment is not used for this purpose.

Prerequisites

Timetable 2025

Students must attend one activity from each section.

Lecture A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Monday 12:00 - 14:00 Rehua 329
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct

Timetable Note

Lectures for MGMT335-23S1 are recorded using the ECHO360 lecture recording system. However, as our classes will be predominantly discussion-based, your learning experience will be enhanced by attending classes in person and not remotely.

Course Coordinator

Mona Soltani

Assessment

There is NO final exam for this course.

The ‘45% rule’ does not apply to this course. That is, student does not need to reach 45% weighted average across invigilated assessments. Please refer to https://learn.canterbury.ac.nz/course/view.php?id=7744 for further information.

Grading
The marks for assessments may be scaled before a final grade is determined. You should not regard 50% as a pass mark.

Assessment In Te Reo Māori
In recognising that Te Reo Māori is an official language of New Zealand, the University provides for students who may wish to use the Te Reo Māori in their assessment. If you intend to submit your work in Te Reo Māori you are required to do the following:

Read the Assessment in Te Reo Māori Policy and ensure that you meet the conditions set out in the policy. This includes, but is not limited to, informing the Course Coordinator 1) no later than 10 working days after the commencement of the course that you wish to use Te Reo Māori and 2) at least 15 working days before each assessment due date that you wish to use Te Reo Māori.

Textbooks / Resources

There is no prescribed textbook for this course. This course is based on assigned reading consisting of business articles, academic manuscripts, case studies and relevant podcasts. All course material is available on the Learn site. Each lecture is accompanied by lecturer’s slides.

Notes

Class Representative
A class representative may be asked to volunteer in the first few weeks of class.  Any problems with the course can be raised with the class rep.  The class representative will take up any issues raised by class members with the lecturer concerned as they occur.

Departmental Academic Policies
A summary of Departmental academic policies on course grading, special considerations, etc. is available under: https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/business/departments/. The Department assumes that you have read this document.

You should also read the following:
• UC Business School Student Handbook on the UC Business School Students Learn page https://learn.canterbury.ac.nz/course/view.php?id=7744
General Course and Examination Regulations http://www.canterbury.ac.nz/regulations/general/general_regs_enrolment_courses.shtml

Dishonest Practice
The University of Canterbury considers cheating and plagiarism to be serious acts of dishonesty. All assessed work must be your own individual work unless specifically stated otherwise in the assessment guidelines. Material quoted from any other source must be clearly acknowledged. You must not copy the work of another person (student or published work) in any assessment including examinations, tests and assignments. Any person, who is found to have copied someone else's work, or to have allowed their work to be copied, will receive a fail grade for that piece of assessment and may face disciplinary action which may lead to a fine, community service or exclusion from the university.

IMPORTANT: Where there are concerns regarding the authorship of written course work, a student can be required to provide a formal, oral explanation of the content of their work.

Citations and referencing

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $946.00

International fee $4,363.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see Management, Marketing and Tourism .

All MGMT335 Occurrences

  • MGMT335-25S2 (C) Semester Two 2025