Skip to Main Content

Content

Course Tabs

Overview

Course Prescription

Investigates social, environmental and governance challenges facing businesses and societies and explores the sustainability of corporate strategies in global markets. Considers the role of competition and governance in shaping international business responses to sustainability challenges, solutions and potential pathways towards greater sustainability.

Course Overview

What determines business sustainability in a world in which markets are exposed to global forces? To what extent are problems such as climate change, inequality or labour exploitation  either aggravated or eased by international trade and investment linkages?  This course investigates the sustainability implications of increased global integration of markets, the underlying causes of market and regulatory failure, and some of the central challenges associated with these processes. We investigate the effects for particular firms, industries and other stakeholders. We also examine the ways businesses, governments and societal groups have responded to calls for more sustainable business practices. The course is based on interactive, seminar-style classes as well as independent reading and group activity.

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 3 hours of seminar,  3 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 4 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

Course Prerequisites, Corequisites and Restrictions

Restriction

Locations and Semesters Offered

LocationSemester
City

Teaching and Learning

Campus Experience

Attendance is required at seminars to receive credit for components of the course.
Attendance on campus is required for the test.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

Taught courses use a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas to provide students with learning materials including reading lists and lecture recordings (where available). Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Additional Information on Learning Resources

Required readings for this course are available via the Talis reading list on Canvas. Readings consists of a mixture of scholarly articles, industry or other reports, and news items. Students are encouraged to read news sources relevant to international business and business sustainability. Students will be expected to search for additional resources in order to undertake group project and individual assignment work.

Copyright

The content and delivery of content in this course are protected by copyright. Material belonging to others may have been used in this course and copied by and solely for the educational purposes of the University under license.


You may copy the course content for the purposes of private study or research, but you may not upload onto any third-party site, make a further copy or sell, alter or further reproduce or distribute any part of the course content to another person.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Similarly, research students must meet the University’s expectations of good research practice. This requires:

  • Honesty - in all aspects of research work
  • Accountability - in the conduct of research
  • Professional courtesy and fairness – in working with others
  • Good stewardship – on behalf of others
  • Transparency – of research process and presentation of results
  • Clarity - communication to be understandable, explainable and accessible

For more information on the University’s expectations of academic integrity, please see the Academic Conduct section of the University policy hub.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about taught courses is made available to enrolled students in Canvas.

Students may be asked to submit assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.


Additional Information on Academic integrity

Important notices about your work
•    Details about each component of the assessment will be posted on Canvas and announced in seminars. Make sure you are clear about what is required, when, and how to hand it in. If you are not sure, ask the instructor.
•    All assignments that you hand in for assessment in this course must be your own original work done for this course. Assignments must not have been submitted for credit towards any other course or in any prior version of this course.
•    All work must be completed on time and handed in according to the instructions. Late submissions incur a marks penalty that increases each day.
•    Extensions are given only in very exceptional cases such as significant illness. Back up your work frequently, as computer failure is not grounds for an extension.
•    Written work must be properly referenced, using a consistent referencing style. See www.cite.auckland.ac.nz/ for guidelines.
•    Your written work should also be written in clear, concise, grammatically correct English. Please make use of the University’s English language support resources if you need assistance with this – check the University website, including https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/on-campus/student-support/personal-support/academic-learning-support.html
COURSE POLICY ON THE USE OF GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCEThe use of generative AI (ChatGPT or similar) is not allowed for the final test.The use of generative AI (ChatGPT or similar) is allowed, subject to acknowledgement, for other items of assessments. However, all students must be able to demonstrate orally a level of proficiency commensurate with their written work, regardless of whether AI was used. Refer to the individual assignment instructions on Canvas for detailed guidance.
***Plagiarism*** is a serious academic offence. If you are found to have plagiarized in your written work you will be subject to disciplinary action according to the University of Auckland statutes.
    Plagiarism is using someone else’s ideas, argument or words without proper acknowledgement. Take care when you are quoting from source material – if you are using the same words as the source, these must be in quotation marks and the source referenced. If you are paraphrasing or borrowing the idea, then you need to indicate the source using a recognized referencing system.
    For more information, see the University’s module on academic integrity, at https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/academic-integrity-copyright/about-academic-integrity.html . This link also has information on Turnitin, which we will be using in this course.

Assessment and Learning Outcomes

Additional Information on Assessment

Students must be able to discuss orally all items of written work submitted for assessment and demonstrate a level of proficiency commensurate with their written work.

Course Learning Outcomes

CLO #OutcomeProgramme Capability Link
1
2
3

Assessments

Assessment TypeAssessment PercentageAssessment Classification

Assessment to CLO Mapping

Assessment Type123

Student Feedback, Support and Charter

Student Feedback

Feedback on taught courses is gathered from students at the end of each semester through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions. Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students. In addition, class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Additional Information on Student Feedback

Students are invited to communicate suggestions relevant to the course.

Class representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Tuākana

Tuākana is a multi-faceted programme for Māori and Pacific students providing topic specific tutorials, one-on-one sessions, test and exam preparation and more. Explore your options at Tuakana Learning Communities.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website.

Wellbeing

We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - please see the Support Services page for information on support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed work is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due. If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page. This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter.

Student Academic Complaints and Disputes

Students with concerns about teaching including how a course is delivered, the resources provided, or supervision arrangements, have the right to express their concerns and seek resolution. The university encourages informal resolution where possible, as this is quicker and less stressful. For information on the informal and formal complaints processes, please refer to the Student Academic Complaints Statute in the Student Policies and Guidelines section of the Policy Hub.