Saint Joseph's College - ME
AC-4: Graduate Program

The curriculum prepares future business managers to be leaders by deepening their understanding of the true costs of doing business as an interplay between human resources, the environment and revenue, along with meaning, relationships and values in their organizations. Accordingly, ethics is as important as economics, psychology as important as finance, communication as important as commerce, and quality as important as quantity. This approach challenges “bottom line” reactive thinking and fosters recognition of the inherent value of perspective on both short term decision-making and long term strategic thinking.

Three key elements aim at a focus on sustainability:
1. Specific courses
a. Ethical, Social & Environmental Responsibility
b. Strategic Management of the Sustainable Enterprise
2. Levels of Context for topics of study
a. Level 1: A Framework for Leadership-A framework of language, concepts and theories for understanding the levels of the system-the individual, the organizational and the institutional.
b. Level 2: Understanding the Role of Relationships-An exploration of the value of influence in the formation of relationships one is able to develop at the intrapersonal, interpersonal, community and societal levels.
c. Level 3: Sustainability-The knowledge, tools and techniques for approaching sustainable competitive advantage through sound decision-making, improvement of quality, and innovation.
d. Level 4: Strategic Leadership-A balanced examination of the perspectives, strategies, and techniques required for responsible leaders to exercise the necessary insight and foresight that ensure an organization’s continuing viability.
2. Lenses for achieving program outcomes: Systems thinking, critical and analytical thinking focused andragogy for meeting program level outcomes.

The foundation of the degree program is anchored in teaching students to think globally, statistically, systemically and ethically. The concentration focuses on applying the tools of entrepreneurship to endeavors that propel social change and sustainability. Social entrepreneurs, both nonprofit and for-profit, are focused and committed to mission-driven enterprises that seek to solve social, economic, and/or ecological problems. Because sustainability is increasingly a strategic issue central to competitive advantage in a global, interconnected and technologically driven world, managing for current needs without compromising the future requires focusing on the triple bottom line, adding social and environmental considerations to traditional economic performance and being able to make a business case for it. Courses explore the strategy, risk orientation, and organizational considerations necessary to achieve sustainability. Global pressures for sustainability initiatives are considered, including science, humanity, public policy, technological innovation, and industry issues such as supply chains. Development of the organizational goals, strategies, and internal processes and systems needed to successfully integrate sustainable operations is considered. Triple bottom line reporting will be a focus, including major reporting bodies, requirements, advantages, and how to integrate reporting strategically into operations.

https://my.sjcme.edu/academics/new-mba-strategy-course-focuses-on-sustainability/