Latest Module Specifications
Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026
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Description This module has been developed for the many executives who recognise their company’s need for sustainable innovation - the ability to see the changing conditions of their market, define the emerging opportunities and threats and develop bold strategies to succeed. At the end of this module, participants will understand that by responding to sustainability challenges, innovation and entrepreneurship can help identify, develop and exploit new revenue streams. This module focuses on the future of strategy, specifically how to leverage new technologies to build a future-proofed social, economic and environmental sustainability roadmap for your organisation. In today’s (VUCA) volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous business environments, organisations need to understand how they can harness the capabilities of new technologies, using the lens of the SDG’s to identify and exploit new revenue streams and new opportunities for growth. We provide students with the necessary insights for strategically managing new technologies in a way that is environmentally compelling, competitive and distinctive. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Learning Outcomes 1. LO1: Explain the role of innovation, (increments, radical, breakthrough, technological, business model) in identifying and exploiting new revenue streams and creating and capturing value. 2. LO2: Explore the dimensions of international sustainable innovation - product, architectural, process, production, consumption, organisational, sectoral, business model and business systems levels. 3. LO3: Explain the Innovation Value Chain understand how the sustainability agenda offers the opportunity to create and capture new revenue streams. 4. LO4: Appreciate the Types of Innovation (Doblin) and the Sources of Innovation (Drucker) - understand how digital transformation can transform the value chain and offer more sustainable revenue opportunities. 5. LO5: Deploy design thinking and other tools (decarbonisation strategy tools, sustainability canvas) to identify and develop sustainable innovation 6. LO6: Evaluate corporate approaches to sustainable innovation. (Net Zero, LEF’s and NEF’s, Origin Green). 7. LO 7: Be committed to managing sustainability initiatives ethically and authentically. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml |
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Indicative Content and Learning Activities
Sustainable Strategic Themes The rationale and origin for the UN SDG’s – as well as COP26 and progress reports from different countries. Understanding the imperative to act now Sustainability and Environmental Policy Discuss EU and also Ireland’s Climate Action Plan Science Based Targets - What and Why? Brief overview of the big themes Sustainability - The Key Challenges for Business - Leading the Change The critical parameters: Energy Management - Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Workforce - Sourcing - GMO Management - Social Impact of Supply Chain - Water Management - Health & Safety - Food Safety. The Business Case/Benefits of embedding sustainability into Business Strategy Internal Barriers: Short term focus: Inconsistency of metrics: Lack of clear link to Business Value: Lack of specialist knowledge within the organisation: lack of top management support. Business Model Innovation for Sustainability The Circular Economy & Doughnut Economics The Circular Economy Doughnut Economics Triple Bottom Line Circular principles and examples Circular business model innovation unlocking the value that resides in an Irish circular economy The Particular Challenges for the Food and Dairy Sector Content LEF’s and NEF’s What are the levers of change available for business? Stakeholder Theory and Mapping the Stakeholders in thai sector The Need for Accurate data Energy Usage: Emissions: Biodiversity: Water: Traceability: Raw Material Sourcing; Waste Sustainable Supply Chain Sustainable Procurement Origin Green - Past, present and future Rationale for the development and introduction of Origin Green in 2012 Origin Green’s alignment with the UN SDG’s How does it operate? What does Origin Green Measure? Farm Level Assessments - how they work and why they’re important. Programmes Within Origin Green - Beef Data and Genomics & SBLAS Discuss the future – Origin Green Strategy Sustainability Targets and Metrics Science Based Targets Why Net Zero is the current target - and what it means Understanding Scope Emissions (1, 2 & 3) Measuring Scope Emissions Developing a Strategy for your Organisation - What does success look like? Describe what success looks like for initiatives pursuing a low carbon goal in the transition to a net zero economy Compare the factors that have led to initiatives successfully decarbonising Analyse the likely effectiveness of emerging decarbonisation strategies across major sectors Conclude the potential to scale decarbonisation strategies and apply them across different sectors Content Decarbonisation Strategy Pathways Sustainability Canvas tools Reducing Emissions Levers for reducing scope 3 emissions Communicating Sustainability Targets and Progress Overview of sustainability communications Challenges of sustainability communications (greenwash/greenhush) Insights on how to communicate progress on targets to: Investors, staff, consumers, other stakeholders (learning from examples of companies who got it wrong and those getting it right) Books & Reports Hargadon (2015) Sustainable Innovation - Build Your Company’s Capacity to Change the World Stanford University Press Christensen, C; Ojomo, E and Dillon K (2019) The Prosperity Paradox: How Innovation Can Lift Nations Out of Poverty Harper Collins Managing Sustainable Innovation (2020) Edited by Vanessa Ratten, Marcela Ramirez-Pasillas, Hans Lundberg Rutledge European Commission (2010) Eco Design Your Future. How Eco Design Can Help the Environment by Making Products Smarter - European Commission Directorate-General Enterprise and Industry, Directorate-General Energy, Brussels (2009) McKinsey Global Institute (2021) Climate Risks and Response - Physical hazards and socio-economic impacts. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Indicative Reading List Books:
Articles:
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Other Resources None | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||