| Unit name | Sustainability in Global Value Chains |
|---|---|
| Unit code | MGRCM0037 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Shin |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Management - Business School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Why is this unit important?
Multinational companies (MNCs) are increasingly forced to think about the (intended and/or unintended) externalities of their cross-border activities as they experience growing pressures from consumers, NGOs, investors, and other stakeholders. In this unit, you'll delve into the intricate world of global value chains, pinpointing the opportunities and challenges that modern enterprises face, particularly in social and environmental spheres. Through real-world case studies, you'll not only identify pressing sustainability issues but also craft actionable solutions. This unit isn't about theoretical knowledge; it's a call to action. No longer can businesses exist in isolated bubbles, blind to their broader impact. As future leaders, you'll be at the forefront of navigating complex challenges that go beyond national borders and impact millions of lives.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
In the context of the MSc International Business and Strategy: Global Challenges programme, the 'Sustainability in Global Value Chains' unit serves as a vital elective that enriches students understanding of sustainability, a key global challenge. This unit will provide students with a targeted focus on implementing sustainable practices in global businesses, equipping them to address issues such as human rights, forced labour, deforestation, and more. As an elective, this unit provides an invaluable opportunity for students to acquire actionable, real-world knowledge that significantly enhances their strategic thinking capabilities.
An overview of content
In the "Sustainability in Global Value Chains" unit, students will delve into the multi-layered challenges and opportunities of sustainable business practices in a global context. The curriculum is structured around essential themes, starting with an overview of global value chains and their inherent sustainability issues. Key topics include Global Value Chain theories in International Business, social upgrading and decent work, forced labour, and environmental upgrading. These will provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the practical complexities multinationals face when implementing sustainable practices in international markets.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
With this unit, students will gain the capacity to articulate specific sustainability challenges that multinational companies encounter in their global operations. students critical thinking will expand to include a multi-stakeholder view, encompassing local communities, suppliers, and NGOs. This broadened perspective will be matched by student’s ability to critically evaluate a diverse range of information related to sustainability and global value chains. With this blend of knowledge and analytical skills, students will be empowered to conceive and propose actionable solutions to sustainability issues that companies and other stakeholders face.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the unit, students will be able to
1) Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of sustainability issues that multinational companies face when managing their global value chains
2) Become proficient at describing the roles and perspectives of relevant stakeholders within these chains, including local communities, suppliers, and NGOs
3) Critically evaluate various forms of information related to sustainability and global value chains
4) Develop a diverse range of solutions that can be implemented by companies and other actors to address these critical challenges.
The unit on Sustainability in Global Value Chains is structured to create a student-centered experience that spans over 10 weeks with a one-hour lecture and a two-hour tutorial per week. The aim of the unit is to encourage active participation and critical thinking. In each weekly session, there will be targeted presentations followed by sub-group discussions to create an interactive learning environment. This pedagogical structure is closely aligned with the unit's learning outcomes. The presentations will provide foundational knowledge to understand the complexities of sustainability in global value chains, while the discussions will enable you to apply this knowledge in real-world scenarios. The student-centered design will facilitate peer-to-peer learning, which is essential for grasping the multi-stakeholder perspectives that this unit encompasses.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Each week's session has a distinct agenda, aligned with the comprehensive outline provided in the unit manual. These agendas guide teams in preparing slides that are instrumental in building towards your final case analysis report and presentation.
Every week, each team will present about 5 slides to other peer groups. While these presentations aren't graded, they serve a crucial role: they are team’s opportunity to receive targeted feedback from both peers and the instructor.
This incremental approach not only resolves immediate questions but also helps students iteratively refine their understanding and application of unit concepts. This step-by-step process is key to preparing students for the final graded assignments, ensuring that they are equipped to produce well-informed, insightful analyses.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Individual Task (35%): Students are required to choose one business case from the list provided. Based on the chosen case, each student will develop their own essay of approximately 1500 words that connects the sustainability report of a firm.
Group Tasks (65%): The structure and governance of a GVC can vary depending on the specific case, and so will the major sustainability issues. In the group assignment, students will need to analyze and present the most significant environmental and/or social issues of a GVC of a company. The analysis can be conducted on the industry, country, product, or firm level.
The individual task will support ILOs 1, 2, 3, and 4. The final case analysis report of group tasks will address ILOs 1, 2, 3, and 4, while the final case presentation of group tasks specifically will specifically address ILOs 2 and 4.
When assessment does not go to plan
Students who do not pass the unit overall will be re-assessed using like-for-like assessments:
If the student fails in an individual task, they are expected to resubmit a 1,500-word sustainability report analysis on business cases other than the one selected in their initial attempt. If students fails in group tasks, they are expected to submit a 5-minute recorded audio presentation and 1,000 word report on one noteworthy environmental or social issue of a GVC of a company.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. MGRCM0037).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
