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Andrea Larson
Late Week, Quarter 1
Classroom 170
11:45 a.m. to 1:10 p.m.

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The purpose of this course is to provide students with practical information on the growing frontier of innovation and entrepreneurial activity at the nexus of business and natural systems. The term “sustainable business” refers to competitively advantageous strategies and practices firms adopt to grow revenues, cut costs, improve market share, enhance brands, and redesign products and processes to reduce or eliminate adverse environmental and health impacts. Students will study trends and science driving the growing demand for clean technology and life cycle product designs. Students will look at drivers of corporate innovation, strategic shifts, and new markets, learn skills to help identify market opportunities, and understand the tools, concepts, and frameworks used by companies currently pursuing sustainable business opportunities. Through the use of articles, technical notes, cases, and guests, the course examines company strategies and practices while providing history and frameworks for context and comprehension.

ACADEMIC COURSE OBJECTIVES:

• Provide information, frameworks, and tools for identifying and pursuing sustainable business opportunities
• Inform students on the changing dynamics of nature-human interdependencies globally
• Examine examples of innovators implementing successful green strategies

ELEMENTS OF COURSE GRADE:
Class contribution 40%
Group project  40%
Written assignments 20%

Last updated: 02/26/14