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Frequently Asked Questions
What is sustainable enterprise?
Sustainable enterprise is a management approach that frames social and environmental challenges as unmet market needs that can be addressed with business solutions. This relatively straightforward approach is enabling the Johnson School to build robust MBA and executive programs in business and sustainability focused on innovation and entrepreneurship. The approach stands in contrast to those taken by most other management programs focused on corporate social responsibility (CSR), environmental management, ethical decision-making, values-based management and philanthropy.
Sustainable enterprise is a management approach that frames social and environmental challenges as unmet market needs that can be addressed with business solutions. This relatively straightforward approach is enabling the Johnson School to build robust MBA and executive programs in business and sustainability focused on innovation and entrepreneurship. The approach stands in contrast to those taken by most other management programs focused on corporate social responsibility (CSR), environmental management, ethical decision-making, values-based management and philanthropy.
What is "greening"?
Greening, a term that began to surface in the 1980s, refers to the incremental improvements that profitably remove waste and environmental harm from products and processes. Greening challenged conventional wisdom that held there was always a trade-off between a firm's financial and social or environmental performance. Driven by the realization that pollution is waste and dialogue with stakeholders is superior to court battles, greening opened the door for companies to take a proactive stance toward social and environmental issues. Pollution prevention and product stewardship have succeeded in reducing waste, emissions, and pollution, while simultaneously reducing cost, risk, and stakeholder resistance. At its core, however, the incremental nature of greening tends to mostly slow the rate of environmental and social damage.
Greening, a term that began to surface in the 1980s, refers to the incremental improvements that profitably remove waste and environmental harm from products and processes. Greening challenged conventional wisdom that held there was always a trade-off between a firm's financial and social or environmental performance. Driven by the realization that pollution is waste and dialogue with stakeholders is superior to court battles, greening opened the door for companies to take a proactive stance toward social and environmental issues. Pollution prevention and product stewardship have succeeded in reducing waste, emissions, and pollution, while simultaneously reducing cost, risk, and stakeholder resistance. At its core, however, the incremental nature of greening tends to mostly slow the rate of environmental and social damage.
What is "beyond greening"?
Beyond greening refers to efforts by companies to pursue new technologies that have the potential to be inherently clean or even regenerative to the environment and community. By moving beyond greening, companies hope not only to address mounting social and environmental concerns, but also to build the foundation for innovation and growth in the coming decades. Beyond greening suggests there are opportunities for companies to outperform competitors in moving to tomorrow's technologies and markets.
Beyond greening refers to efforts by companies to pursue new technologies that have the potential to be inherently clean or even regenerative to the environment and community. By moving beyond greening, companies hope not only to address mounting social and environmental concerns, but also to build the foundation for innovation and growth in the coming decades. Beyond greening suggests there are opportunities for companies to outperform competitors in moving to tomorrow's technologies and markets.
What is the Base of the Pyramid (BoP)?
The "Base of the Pyramid" (or "Bottom of the Pyramid" ) is a socio-economic designation for the 4 billion people who live primarily in developing countries and whose annual per capita incomes fall below $1,500 (PPP). The term first surfaced in management circles in a working paper entitled "Raising the Bottom of the Pyramid: Strategies for Sustainable Growth" (by Stuart Hart and CK Prahalad) that drew strong interest from boardrooms around the world in 1999.
The "Base of the Pyramid" (or "Bottom of the Pyramid" ) is a socio-economic designation for the 4 billion people who live primarily in developing countries and whose annual per capita incomes fall below $1,500 (PPP). The term first surfaced in management circles in a working paper entitled "Raising the Bottom of the Pyramid: Strategies for Sustainable Growth" (by Stuart Hart and CK Prahalad) that drew strong interest from boardrooms around the world in 1999.
Where do sustainable enterprise students get internships and jobs?
We do not believe that there are "sustainability" jobs per se, but that sustainability is the context in which leading mangers will frame and make crucial strategic decisions in the coming decades. Our graduates are most valuable when they are armed with a superior general management education coupled with a leading edge understanding of the intersection of private enterprise and sustainable development. Students are encouraged to understand sustainability and how it applies to their own particular areas of interest -finance, strategy, entrepreneurship, operations, marketing, or any other business discipline. Our graduates are brand managers, investment bankers, venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, consultants, and general managers in every sector, both domestically and abroad. Some have an explicit sustainability component to the work that they do, and would not settle for less, while others apply their knowledge of sustainable enterprise more indirectly to act as change agents in more mainstream opportunities.
We do not believe that there are "sustainability" jobs per se, but that sustainability is the context in which leading mangers will frame and make crucial strategic decisions in the coming decades. Our graduates are most valuable when they are armed with a superior general management education coupled with a leading edge understanding of the intersection of private enterprise and sustainable development. Students are encouraged to understand sustainability and how it applies to their own particular areas of interest -finance, strategy, entrepreneurship, operations, marketing, or any other business discipline. Our graduates are brand managers, investment bankers, venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, consultants, and general managers in every sector, both domestically and abroad. Some have an explicit sustainability component to the work that they do, and would not settle for less, while others apply their knowledge of sustainable enterprise more indirectly to act as change agents in more mainstream opportunities.
How can I learn more about sustainable global enterprise?
There is a growing literature related to sustainability and business. For a partial listing, visit "Influential Sustainable Enterprise Books" or our more comprehensive reading list.
There is a growing literature related to sustainability and business. For a partial listing, visit "Influential Sustainable Enterprise Books" or our more comprehensive reading list.
What is the SGE Immersion?
The Immersion program is a unique element of the MBA curriculum at the Johnson School allowing first year, full time and AMBA students to focus on a specific area of study. The Sustainable Global Enterprise (SGE) Immersion is focused on providing students a theoretical and practical foundation for understanding the competitive business opportunities stemming from social and environmental issues. The SGE Immersion provides students with breadth and depth of knowledge relating to the broad impact of social and environmental issues as well as the specific strategic opportunities these issues present to firms across a number of industries. Students in the SGE Immersion gain valuable experience working in teams on real sustainable enterprise projects with companies.
The Immersion program is a unique element of the MBA curriculum at the Johnson School allowing first year, full time and AMBA students to focus on a specific area of study. The Sustainable Global Enterprise (SGE) Immersion is focused on providing students a theoretical and practical foundation for understanding the competitive business opportunities stemming from social and environmental issues. The SGE Immersion provides students with breadth and depth of knowledge relating to the broad impact of social and environmental issues as well as the specific strategic opportunities these issues present to firms across a number of industries. Students in the SGE Immersion gain valuable experience working in teams on real sustainable enterprise projects with companies.
What projects are students working on?
Through the SGE Immersion, independent studies, and other courses, students have numerous opportunities to work on sponsored projects that challenge them to solve real problems currently being faced by companies in the marketplace. There are high expectations on student teams to provide practical, operational solutions. The projects require competency in all management areas, including economics, finance, accounting, and operations. Project types include: organizational sustainability audits, sustainable technology commercialization strategies, BOP market analysis and feasibility studies, and sustainable enterprise strategic venture plans.
Through the SGE Immersion, independent studies, and other courses, students have numerous opportunities to work on sponsored projects that challenge them to solve real problems currently being faced by companies in the marketplace. There are high expectations on student teams to provide practical, operational solutions. The projects require competency in all management areas, including economics, finance, accounting, and operations. Project types include: organizational sustainability audits, sustainable technology commercialization strategies, BOP market analysis and feasibility studies, and sustainable enterprise strategic venture plans.