MBAB 650 – Summer 2006 – p.1
MBAB 650 (Summer 2006)
Environmental Strategy
Instructor: Dr. Edmund Gray
Office:
H353
Office Hours: Mon & Wed
3pm– 4pm
Tue & Thurs 4pm – 5 pm
Office Phone:
Home Phone:
E-Mail:
(310)338-7408
(310)374-0337
egray@lmu.edu
Course Description
This course deals with what the instructor feels is the most important issue facing our
society (and by extension, business corporations) in this century – environmental degradation. It
will attempt to acquaint students with society’s principal ecological threats and how they affect
business firms. Hopefully, after taking this course, the student will be better able to understand
the environmental challenge and play a role in formulating and implementing industry’s response
to the challenge.
Although there will be some lectures, the course will be run principally in seminar style
with discussions of readings, cases, and videos.
Course Objectives
1.
2.
3.
4.
To sensitize the student to the world’s principal environmental threats.
To show the student how these environmental threats are impacting business firms,
particularly at the strategic level.
To familiarize the student with the concept of sustainable development.
To introduce the student to strategic concepts that can be useful in responding to the issue
of sustainable development.
Course Materials
Brown, Lester R., Plan B2.0: Rescuing a Planet Under Stress and a Civilization in Trouble.
Hart, Stuart L., The Unlimited Business Opportunities in Solving the World’s Most Difficult
Problems.
Customized reader and casebook. Please order on-line: www.mozenapublishing.com. Type in
your email address in the Special Instructions box when placing your order.
Course Project
Select an entrepreneurial company that started with a potentially win-win strategy that
includes benefiting the sustainability of our world. The company can be in any industry –
energy, transportation, food, retail, equipment manufacturing, banking, etc. Once you have
selected a company, collect information and write a case study on it. The case study should
include a short history of its origin and development with particular emphasis on its business
model or strategy; how it benefits the environment, and its performance to date. Include
financial and market data to the extent possible. As a ballpark estimate, the case should be in the
8-12 page range. I would like you to work in groups of 2, or possibly 3. There are several cases
in your book – Patagonia, Tom’s of Maine, and The Body Shop International – that might be
used as examples.
MBAB 650 – Summer 2006 – p.2
Book Report I
Read Lester R. Brown, Plan B 2.0: Rescuing a Planet Under Stress and a Civilization in
Trouble. Then, write a concise book report reviewing this book. The book report should adhere
to the following general outline: 1) the author’s thesis, 2) how the author develops his thesis, and
3) your analysis and opinion of the book. In your analysis, feel free to bring in information from
the class and elsewhere as well as your own informed opinions. The report should be in the 5-7
page range.
Book Report II
Read Stuart L. Hart, Capitalism at the crossroads: The Unlimited Business Opportunities in
Solving the World’s Most Difficult Problems. Follow directions for Book Report I.
Grading
Book report I
Book report II
Project
Class Participation
20%
20%
30%
30%
MBAB 650 (Spring 2006)
Environmental Strategy
Course Schedule
1.
2.
June 26
June 28
3.
July 3
4.
July 5
5.
July 10
6.
July 12
7.
July 17
8.
July 19
9.
July 24
10.
July 26
11.
July 31
12.
August 2
13.
August 4
Orientation; Introductory Concepts
Introductory Concepts (cont.)
Buchholtz article
The Global Environment & Sustainable Development
Hart, Prologue
Sustainable Development
Gladwin article
Global Climate Change
Brown, Ch. 4, 10; BP Amoco case
Air Pollution; Ozone Depletion; Biodiversity & Habitat
Bank of America
Declining Ecosystems; Water Pollution
Brown, Ch 3, 5; Book Report I due
Agriculture and Genetic Modification
Monsanto A & B cases; Holiday article
Green Strategies
Hart, Ch. 1; Porter article; Klassen article; Benzinger case
Green Strategies (cont.)
Reinhardt article, MacLean article; Deja Shoe case
Green Strategies (cont.)
Hart, 2, 3, 4; Patagonia case; Tom’s of Maine case
Green Strategies (cont.)
Hart 6-10; The Body Shop case; Student Presentations; Term Papers due
Book Report II due