AOS238-B Sustainable Strategies

Credits (ECTS):7.5

Course responsible:Thore Larsgård

Campus / Online:Online

Teaching language:Norsk

Course frequency:Annually

Nominal workload:187.5 hours.

Teaching and exam period:This is offered for the first time in Autumn 2023, and the course starts in Autumn parallel. The course has teaching/evaluation in teaching period 1/Autumn, week no. 44-51.

About this course

The course provides students with the knowledge and ability to participate in strategic decision-making and strategy implementation in Norwegian organizations committed to promoting sustainability in their operations. In addition to basic knowledge of strategy formulation and the strategy process, participants gain insight into concepts, tools, and models that help manage trade-offs and increased complexity when strategic decision-making includes financial and non-financial goals, multiple stakeholders, extended time horizons, and rapidly evolving regulatory requirements.

The topics covered in the course are external and internal analysis, strategic choices, and strategy implementation.

Learning outcome

After completing the course, the student will have the following learning outcomes, divided into knowledge, skills, and general competence:

Knowledge

The student:

  • has knowledge of the concept of sustainable strategy
  • has theoretical tools to analyze the company's external environment, focusing on understanding how environmental and social challenges lead to changes in consumer behavior, investor behavior, industry norms, and regulatory changes in various sectors
  • has knowledge of the main strategic alternatives and their advantages and disadvantages for realizing opportunities in the form of new products, markets, and vertical and horizontal collaboration for sustainable business

Skills

The student:

  • can conduct a strategic analysis, present strategic alternatives, and provide recommendations for the company's future strategy based on analyses and subject knowledge
  • can apply models to understand threshold resources and capabilities for sustainable businesses, as well as the development of the company's internal factors that can contribute to competitive advantage
  • can describe and formulate strategy for sustainable businesses

General competence

The student:

  • can propose and implement strategic processes that help sustainable businesses achieve their strategic goals
  • can communicate about the organization and implementation of sustainable strategy, with an emphasis on stakeholder inclusion and managing organizational trade-offs
  • Learning activities
    Digital lectures, video, quizzes, indvidual study
  • Teaching support
    Canvas.
  • Assessment method
    3 hours digital home exam: Pass / Fail. Counts 100% of the grade.

    Written Exam at Home Karakterregel: Passed / Not Passed
  • Examiner scheme
    An external examiner approves the exam. An internal or external examiner determines graades.
  • Mandatory activity

    Four compulsory individual activities (quizzes) that must be completed/approved in order to participate in the final exam.

    Instructions on the compulsory activities are given at the start of the course.

    The compulsory activities are valid only one year, i.e. if a student wants to retake the course, all compulsory activities must be retaken.

  • Teaching hours
    Live video lectures at the beginning and at the end of the course, and video lectures throughout. Additional work related to compulsory activities and exams.
  • Preferential right
    Students enrolled in the one-year study programme in Sustainable Business Management (KVU-BEDØK)
  • Reduction of credits
    7.5 ECTS overlap with AOS237 Business Strategy
  • Admission requirements

    Minimum requirements for entrance to higher education in Norway (GSK).

    Study right on the one-year study programme in Sustainable Business Management (KVU-BEDØK)