Sustainability in Higher Business Education. How can management education be the role model for sustainable development?

Essay from the year 2014 in the subject Business economics - Business Management, Corporate Governance, grade: 2,0, Karlshochschule International University, language: English, abstract: The essay shall demonstrate how management schools can advance and are advancing to become a role model in the on-going sustainable development of society.

The material presented in this essay is relevant to management institutions and to anyone involved with sustainable development to reinforce the generally accepted positive effects of education. The closed formulation of the question should not neglect the appreciation for the wider issue, as sustainability is a crossover, multidisciplinary field. However, the limitation was set to management education as being a form of educating future leadership personalities with advanced power to decide and direct organisations and to higher education being close to the age at entry into the working environment.

In times, of severe social-ecological problems and as a consequence thereof widespread efforts to oppose these problems, it is necessary to identify how to generate an effective countermovement and build resilience to a wider spread of such issues. Whereas the 20th century was shaped by wars and suppression in many countries, and hence the initiation of a worldwide peace process, the 21st century, even though still in its beginnings, will be a race against the so called environmental tipping points and social unfairness. And still the society is confronted with problems that are almost impossible to solve. The rapid economic development through the liberalisation of markets has lead to crises in diverse areas.

"Globalisation today is not working for many of the world's poor. It is not working for much of the environment. It is not working for the stability of the global economy." (Stieglitz, 2002, p. 214)

Not only critics of the neoliberal globalisation demand a solidary, sustainable rethinking, a fair distribution of wealth is a fastidious challenge. To secure at least the base of living of hundreds of million people is crucial. But for the 384 million people living with less than $1,25 per day, it is an absolute necessity that a socially responsible and economical-ecological viable attitude towards them will occur in the companies and consumer markets of western countries. Hence, this needs to occur in between those people relishing their higher education now or in the near future.