In the course of the module, students will acquire a basic understanding of industrial and organizational change in the context of sustainability and the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Concrete topics will be:

• Sustainable Development Goals and the need for more sustainable businesses
• Multi-level perspective (MLP) of industry transitions
• Busines models and product innovation for sustainability
• Organizational change in the context of sustainability
• Collective action

Students will

• gain an overview of the United Nations sustainability goals (SDGs) in an international context
• learn to take a systemic multi-level perspective to understand changes in industries, and its effects on businesses
• know different types of business models for sustainability
• understand features of products to be considered in the context of sustainability
• understand triggers of organizational change toward sustainability (including a sustainability SWOT analysis)
• gain an overview of change management
• understand how multiple actors can shape an industry through 'collective action'

The course will be held in synchroneous online (Zoom) format. Attendance is required for at least 75% of the sessions.

• Theoretical input
• Web-research
• Group work (case-based)
• (Discussions)
• Mini-videos
• Exam

In the course, the contents are presented in different formats - ppt presentations (via Zoom), videos to related content, work materials (SDGs, SDG Atlas, etc.) and literature. There will be individual assigments, group work, and (limited) plenary discussion, etc. Reading of further scientific literature (to a moderate extent) is expected for the exam.

Most of the case work will be done in small groups (3-4 people).

The following elements will be part of the grading:

• Group work and presentation: 40 points (throughout the whole course)
• Individual assignment (sSWOT): 30 points
• Final exam (written): 30 points

Prerequisite for this course is the completion of the two courses "SME Management" and "Foreign Trade Management".

Students who do not attend the first lecture (on time!) will lose their place in the course, if there are students on the waiting list.

Students from the waiting list have to come to the course at the beginning of the first lecture. Free places will be given to 'waiting' students based on their position on the list.

Knowledge from the two courses "SME Management" and "Foreign Trade Management".

e-mail: barbara.kump@wu.ac.at