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The MSc International Sustainable Business is a new innovative programme, offered by the College of Business & Law at UCC. This unique programme will equip business and non-business graduates with in-depth, practical knowledge of global business disciplines, combining managerial and strategic skills to influence and lead sustainable global businesses. We envisage that graduates of our International Sustainable Business programme will be future drivers of positive change.
Module Goal:
To help develop participants' professional business skills and augment professional development with a view to enhancing employability and promotion prospects.
Module Content:
Through a series of interactive workshops participants develop themselves professionally as leaders in their own personal development and career planning. This module is primarily concerned with the following areas: CV and cover letter writing, interview skills, presentation and communication skills, essential business writing skills, teambuilding skills, the creation of a personal brand, creative job hunting, and networking. Guest speaker seminars will also expose participants to current business issues, problems and solutions, and the experiences and the skills required to influence positive change in the business world.
Module Goal:
The module provides the knowledge to understand and to be able to critically assess the role of responsible global leadership for the management of organisations in dynamic and uncertain global business environments.
Module Content:
The module works off the philosophy of ‘to not be responsible is not to be effective as a leader’ and will cover the key dimensions of responsible leadership – values-based leadership; ethical decision-making; and quality stakeholder relationships. This module will develop students’ understanding of the importance of those leadership qualities, characteristics and behaviours that are key for success in international business and management, and in a world where we place ever more value on such issues as sustainability, ethical practice and diversity. The module will develop knowledge to understand the importance of leadership in a dynamic and uncertain global environment and increase understanding and self-awareness about the skills and competencies that are required to be effective, responsible leaders in such environments like change management and negotiation skills.
The module will include an examination of the personality and behavioural traits associated with global, responsible leadership and how global mindsets and developing managerial knowledge and skills facilitate effective management of internationally operating enterprises. Guest speakers will be invited to also expose learners to the real challenges faced in leading in a global world.
Module Goal:
This module aims to provide students with the tools of analysis necessary to examine the international economy and to explore the key issues that are shaping our global economy.
Module Content:
The aim of this module is to provide students with theoretical models to understand the dynamics of international trade and to critically discuss their relevance in the context of the changing geopolitical environment in which trade policies exist. Topics covered include: globalisation, comparative advantage, trade in goods and services, capital inflow and movement of people, trade policy instruments etc.
Module Goal:
Research skills are developed to enable students to design, conduct and present research in a chosen topic.
Module Content:
The module addresses the main elements of the research process including: the nature of research questions; appreciation of and implementation of research ethics; the need for underlying theory or framework; data collection and analysis; and the preparation and delivery of research proposal and literature review.
Module Goal:
This module aims to develop participants' quantitative data analysis skills. The module also provides participants with the knowledge and analytical skills to analyse business data and present the findings of their research.
Module Content:
The focus of the module is on the understanding, using and interpreting business data to support decision-making. Key topics examined include descriptive statistics, tests of difference, tests of association, regression analysis and dummy variables.
Participants are also given the opportunity to develop their data analysis skills through the use of SPSS or Stata.
Module Goal:
This module aims to provide experience of applied research focused on supporting business/strategic decision-making for an international company, industry or country. The emphasis is on applying the skills and knowledge acquired in a student’s chosen pathway modules to a business research project.
Module Content:
Participants are required to write an evidence-based group research report on an international sustainable business topic maximum of 10,000 words. Participants select from a range of possible business research pathways and are then assigned to a supervised research group. Each group is assigned a research supervisor, co-ordinated by the Programme Director. The group meets at regular intervals with their supervisor to advance the research process.
Module Goal:
This module aims to provide students with the ability to analyse real world sustainability issues with a multidisciplinary perspective.
Module Content:
This module will explore how natural resource constraints are affecting the development opportunities of countries together with the socio-environmental implications of economic activities so that students can better understand the interrelated relationships existing between the human and the ecological systems. The analysis of the main theory and tools used by ecological and environmental economics will be explored to provide practical skills to be used in the analysis of real-world problems e.g., cost benefit analysis, LCA analysis etc.
Module Goal:
This module aims to provide students with conceptual and practical tools for analysing, evaluating and developing business models from a circular economy perspective.
Module Content:
Real world business practices and case studies which will cover national, international issues, cases and organisations will be used to provide students with conceptual and practical tools for analysing and evaluating linear business practices and models from a circular economy perspective. It will in turn offer opportunities for innovating and designing circular economy-based business. Topics covered will include the differences between linear and circular economies, value chain analysis, eco-innovation, circular business models and common frameworks such as the triple bottom line to assess and/or build a corporate social responsibility plan for business to promote sustainable growth and profits.
Module Goal:
This module aims to provide students with conceptual and practical tools for analysing, evaluating and formulating green investment strategies to promote sustainable business growth.
Module Content:
This module will introduce students to techniques which enable firms to choose efficiently between alternative investment opportunities and to evaluate investment risk. This module will also examine to the latest developments of theory and practice to support sustainable and responsible investment in business considering environmental, social and governance factors.
Module Goal:
To examine environmental law from a legal and economic perspective.
Module Content:
An examination of regulation from an environmental perspective. Topics will include theories of market regulation, market failures, externalities, command and control approaches, self-regulation, voluntary and involuntary regulation, compliance and beyond compliance. It will introduce students to different environmental regulations such as Environmental standards ISO 14001 and EcoManagement and Audit Scheme (EMAS), EU Environmental Law, Environmental Auditing, Air legislation and Compliance Water legislation etc.
Module Goal:
This module introduces the core theories and frameworks of global business strategy and develops students’ business analytical skills.
Module Content:
The economic foundations of the main frameworks used in strategic formulation and analysis are explored as a basis for learning how to use these frameworks most effectively. These include the analysis of value creation within global organisations, competitive advantage and business performance, responsible business leadership, and the importance of strategic interaction among firms.
Module Goal:
To explore fundamental societal issues and define ethical and sustainable responses (considering environmental, social and economic dimensions) including collective and collaborative responses which empower the voice of the producer, citizen and user.
Module Content:
The module will explore a selection of contemporary issues such as climate change, social inequality and its consequences, dynamics of modern capitalism, Sustainable Development Goals, transitioning to a low carbon economy, public discourse and the media, the changing nature of work, the mobilisation of civil society, the role of co-operative and endogenous processes and responsible leadership.
Module Goal:
The management of human resources effectively can be a core determinant in international business success. This module will provide students with an appreciation of the changing nature of work and how this is impacting international human resource management. This module provides students with a grounding in theory and research along with the practice of a range of functional HR areas in contemporary international organisations. Students will be familiarised with the range of strategies and practices available to international organisations to compete more effectively in the global economy aligned with SDG goals 5 (gender equality), 8 (decent work and economic growth) and 10 (reduced inequalities).
Module Content:
Globalisation, international & comparative HRM, Transferring HRM across borders, global mobility; staffing and managing international organisations; global talent management; convergence and divergence.
Module Goal:
To provide knowledge and understanding of the key opportunities and challenges presented to companies operating in a global context and provide practice based marketing tools for accessing these markets.
Module Content:
The aim of this module is to facilitate students in building, integrating and extending knowledge and understanding of doing business in global markets and to gain a comprehensive understanding of the practice of international and global marketing aligned with environmental, social and governance pillars and sustainable development goals.
Module Goal:
This module will introduce students to the topic of ethics and sustainability in business: how to approach ethical issues from a practical perspective; understand sustainable consumer behaviour; develop sustainability marketing standards and strategies; address product and supply-chain sustainability and communicate sustainability effectively. In doing so, this module will provide students with the ability to anticipate, critically analyse, and respond to the challenges that emerge from the impact of marketing on society.
Module Content:
This module will take a practice-based approach to ethics and sustainability; consider the economic, social, and environmental responsibilities of businesses in the context of marketing practice. Through a series of lectures, case-studies, debates, and selfdirected learning, students will develop the skills and tools to anticipate, critically analyse and respond to an increasingly complex business environment. Using a critical lens, students will assess the value of corporate social responsibility (CSR) for contemporary businesses and develop skills to implement appropriate strategies. Students will learn how ethical decision-making occurs within a context, critically analyse real-life marketing cases, appreciate the complexity of sustainable consumer behaviour, address product and supply-chain sustainability, and understand the communication challenges of sustainability marketing for contemporary organisations.
Module Goal:
Future focused organisations require greater insight into an increasingly complex and uncertain international environment and need tools and techniques to turn insight into strategic advantage.Firms from developed economies often avoid targeting the lower income segments of emerging markets or secondary cities of emerging markets. Yet these, often high risk, countries and cities are where many future opportunities exist.This module considers emerging global trends and dynamics that are likely to impact international organisations going forward often related to sustainability issues. It provides students with the strategic concepts and approaches that will help them identify, understand and prepare market entry strategies for competing in the global economy while also accounting for ESG goals. Students will gain practice in applying strategies that target differential segments, deploy innovative business models, understand institutional variance, and invest in non-market capabilities.
Module Content:
Globalisation, Strategic Foresight, Uncertainty, Commitment and Flexibility in International Markets, Scenario Planning, Emerging Markets, Market Entry, Business Model Innovation, Institutions, Market and Non-Market Capabilities.
Module Goal:
The aim of this module is to equip students with the conceptual and analytical skills required to understand the key issues driving changes in international business, understand the factors that contribute to the success and failure of large international businesses, and develop their thinking around new and emerging markets and integrate issues of sustainability. The module will use a set of carefully chosen case studies and readings to consider international business strategy from a variety of industry perspectives and country contexts.
Module Content:
Theories in International Business; The International Trade System; International Strategy, International Corporate Governance Systems; Business Networks and Global Value Chains; Geopolitics, Emerging Markets and Sustainable International Business.
