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How Academics in Undergraduate Business Programs at an Australian University View Sustainability

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 March 2015

Tania von der Heidt  and
Geoffrey Lamberton
Tania von der Heidt*
Affiliation:
Southern Cross Business School, Southern Cross University, Lismore, New South Wales, Australia
Geoffrey Lamberton
Affiliation:
Southern Cross Business School, Southern Cross University, Lismore, New South Wales, Australia
*
Address for correspondence: Tania von der Heidt, Southern Cross Business School, Southern Cross University, Lismore, Australia Military Road, PO Box 157, Lismore NSW 2480, Australia. Email: tania.vonderheidt@scu.edu.au
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Abstract

This article explores conceptualisations of sustainability and perceptions of its importance in curriculum held by business subject and program leaders. Results are reported from an empirical study of the first-year Bachelor of Business program at an Australian university. Research data was collected in 16 semi-structured, in-depth interviews with subject and program leaders over two teaching periods in 2011. Interview transcripts were analysed through the identification of key themes. The results reveal that teaching academics believe sustainability is something more dynamic and complex than they are able to feature in their subjects, reflecting the difficulty in appropriately conceptualising sustainability, as well as differences between the academics’ beliefs, intentions and actions. Few studies explore the conceptualisations of sustainability held by subject and program leaders. If business schools are to produce sustainability-savvy graduates, the teaching academics need to have a clear and, ideally, shared view of sustainability.

Keywords

sustainabilityeducation for sustainabilitycurriculummanagement education and developmentinterview method
Type
Feature Articles
Information
Australian Journal of Environmental Education , Volume 30 , Issue 2 , December 2014 , pp. 215 - 238
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2015 

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