Please note! Course description is confirmed for two academic years, which means that in general, e.g. Learning outcomes, assessment methods and key content stays unchanged. However, via course syllabus, it is possible to specify or change the course execution in each realization of the course, such as how the contact sessions are organized, assessment methods weighted or materials used.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The point of departure of How to change the world: Innovating toward sustainability course is the observation that the current financial system and business models are predominantly incompatible with the environmental carrying capacity and unable to enhance socio-economically just futures. In the course we work with global environmental and social sustainability problems and their potential solutions. Wicked global sustainability challenges such as climate change, depletion of natural resources and poverty are treated as starting points for innovation of new forms of economic activity, business models, and organizational forms. Through lectures, exercises, team project and practitioner talks the students gain understanding of wicked societal problems related to sustainability: what they are, how they can be approached, and why it is important to tackle them. More importantly, the course aims at exploring alternative paths for creative and innovative responses to sustainability challenges. The emphasis will be on entrepreneurial solutions within the business sector, but we put emphasis on collaboration with other actors such as non-governmental organizations and the public in the pursuit of systemic solutions. The students learn and explore how to approach these vast challenges with realistic and plausible strategies and actions on a grass-root level. The course addresses sustainability innovation from following main perspectives: sustainable business models, inclusive business for poverty alleviation and various forms of entrepreneurship for sustainability ventures. We employ a variety of interactive working methods, which encourage the students to explore and reflect upon their own thinking patterns through happiness and sustainability diaries and develop new ideas in a collaborative manner.

Credits: 6

Schedule: 02.03.2021 - 08.04.2021

Teacher in charge (valid 01.08.2020-31.07.2022): Minna Halme

Teacher in charge (applies in this implementation): Minna Halme, Elizabeth Miller

Contact information for the course (valid 26.01.2021-21.12.2112):

Instructor: Minna Halme (minna.halme@aalto.fi)

Course assistant: Elizabeth
Miller
(elizabeth.miller@aalto.fi)

CEFR level (applies in this implementation):

Language of instruction and studies (valid 01.08.2020-31.07.2022):

Teaching language: English

Languages of study attainment: English

CONTENT, ASSESSMENT AND WORKLOAD

Content
  • Valid 01.08.2020-31.07.2022:

    The concept of wicked problems & knowledge about attainable approaches for addressing wicked sustainability problems - Concept of planetary boundaries and implications of planetary boundaries to human society and economy - Business model concept and literature on business models for sustainability ventures - Inclusive business (in the context of low-income emerging markets) and its opportunities and limits for poverty alleviation - Eco-innovation - Frugal innovation as a form of innovating in resource-scarce environments - The concept and practice of sustainability entrepreneurship - The concept of intrapreneurship - Intrapreneurial tactics for sustainability work in the context of large organizations

  • Applies in this implementation:


Assessment Methods and Criteria
  • Valid 01.08.2020-31.07.2022:

    35% Active participation during contact teaching sessions
    65% assignments

  • Applies in this implementation:

    NOTE: The assessment criteria above has been updated, and the final criteria is below

    • Interactive lectures: 20% 
    • Team project: 40% 
    • Applied book exam (i.e. Reading
      Corner): 20% 
    • Learning diary: 20% 

Workload
  • Valid 01.08.2020-31.07.2022:

    Contact teaching 28 h
    Team work 80 h
    Independent work 52 h

DETAILS

Study Material
  • Valid 01.08.2020-31.07.2022:

    Elkington, Pamela Hartigan (2008) Power of unreasonable people: how social entrepreneurs create markets that change the world / ISBN 9781422104064;

    Weimann, J.; Knabe, A.; Schöb, R. (2015) Measuring Happiness the economics of well-being. The MIT Press, Cambridge. ISBN 978-3-7910-31941.

    Wilkinson, R. Pickett, K. (2009) The spirit level: Why equality if better for everyone. ISBN: 978-0-141-03236-8.;

    Jackson, T. (2009) Prosperity without growth: Economics for a finite planet. ISBN: 978-1-84407-894-3

    Grant, A. (2016) Originals: How non-conformists move the world. NY: Penguin Books. ISBN 987-0-525 42956-2

    Articles designated in the syllabus

    Availability

  • Applies in this implementation:

    NOTE: The reading list above has been updated, and the final reading list is below

    For the reading corners (students will choose one of the below):

    1.  
    Mazzucato, M.
    2018. The value of everything: Making and taking in the global world.
    Allen
    Lane.
    ISBN: 9780241188811 ISBN: 9780241188811 ISBN: 9780241188811
    ISBN: 9780241188811

    2.  
    Wilkinson, R. Pickett, K. (2009) The
    spirit level: Why equality is better for everyone
    . ISBN:
    978-014103236-8. 

    3.  
    Grant, A. (2016) Originals: How
    non-conformists move the world
    . New York: Penguin Books. 

    4.  
    Bregman, R. 2020. Humankind: A
    hopeful history
    . Bloomsbury Publishing.

    5.  
    Frey, B. 2018. Economics of
    Happiness
    . Springer. AND Layard, P. R. G. (2005 or 2011) Happiness:
    Lessons from a new science
    . ISBN978-0-241-95279-5 

    6.  
    Jackson, T. (2009) Prosperity
    without growth: Economics for a finite planet
    . ISBN: 978-1-84407-8943 

    Other readings:

    1.   Ripple
    et al., 2017. World Scientists’ Warning to Humanity: A Second Notice. BioScience
    , 67(12), 1026–1028.

    2.   Hicks, C. et al. 2016.
    Engage key social concepts for sustainability. Science 352(6281) 38-40.

    3.   Bocken et al. 2013. A
    value mapping tool for sustainable business modelling. Corporate Governance, 13(5), 482-497.

    4.   Halme, M., Lindeman, S.
    and Linna, P. 2012. Innovation for Inclusive Business: Intrapreneurial
    Bricolage in Multinational Corporations. Journal
    of Management Studies
    , June, 743-784. 

    5.   Akemu, O., Whiteman, G and
    Kennedy, S. 2016. Social Enterprise Emergence from Social Movement Activism:
    The Fairphone Case. Journal of Management
    Studies
    , 53(5), 846-877.

    6.   Mair, J., Battilana, J.,
    & Cardenas, J. 2012. Organizing for Society: A Typology of Social
    Entrepreneuring Models. Journal of
    Business Ethics
    , 111(3).  

    7.   Meadows, D. Leverage
    points: Places to Intervene in a System. Available at http://donellameadows.org/archives/leverage-points-places-to-intervene-in-a-system/

    8.   Monat, J. P.
    & Gannon, T. F. (2015). What is Systems Thinking? A Review of Selected Literature
    Plus Recommendations. American Journal of
    Systems Science,
    4(1), 11-26.
     

Prerequisites
  • Valid 01.08.2020-31.07.2022:

    State of the World and Development course (Yhd.-12.3082) or equivalent. Yhd.-12.3082 is offered by Aalto School of Engineering by Environmental Technology Dept.

SDG: Sustainable Development Goals

    1 No Poverty

    6 Clean Water and Sanitation

    9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

    10 Reduced Inequality

    12 Responsible Production and Consumption

    13 Climate Action

FURTHER INFORMATION

Details on the schedule
  • Applies in this implementation:

    The course will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 13-16. A more detailed schedule is available in the syllabus PDF file, available on the course homepage.