MSB202 Sustainable Marketing and Consumption

Contents and structure

The concept of sustainability has moved to centre stage in recent years generating much public discussion and increased the focus on firm impacts and responsibilities and consumer choice processes. Increased awareness of the significant environmental degradation, decline of natural systems and resources along with community, national and global social inequalities has placed a focus on sustainable business practices.

This course evaluates the role of marketing and marketers by examining how firms create value, reduce risk and build sustainable thinking and processes into their marketing activities and strategies.

The course deals with core ideas and principles of sustainable marketing and responsible consumption. Outcomes and effects of sustainable marketing and responsible consumption are highlighted. Measurement of these outcomes and effects will also be discussed. Further, the course focuses on antecedents of sustainable marketing and responsible consumption, investigating how companies can implement sustainable marketing and stimulate responsible consumption. A further aim is to teach the student how to analyze and understand the strategic and normative side of corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Learning Outcome

Knowledge

Upon completion of the course, the student:

• has advanced knowledge about central themes, theories, tools and methodologies within the area of sustainable marketing and consumption.
• has advanced knowledge about current research relevant for understanding sustainable marketing and consumption.
• can be able to apply knowledge as basis that prepares for future studies of sustainable marketing.
• has thorough knowledge about how to do sustainable segmentation.

Skills

Upon completion of the course, the student can:

• analyze theories from sustainable marketing to structure and formulate scholarly arguments.
• analyze theories from sustainable marketing and apply them on practical and theoretical problems related to how firms can built sustainable thinking and practice.
• deal critically with various sources of information in sustainable marketing and use them to give advice to companies.
• work independently with sustainable segmentation methods.

General Competence

Upon completion of the course, the student can:

• apply his/her knowledge about sustainable marketing and consumption in order to carry out advanced sustainable and consumption projects, thereby contribute to the development of good practices.
• communicate extensive independent work and terminology of sustainable marketing and consumption.
• contribute to new thinking about how to utilize marketing in order to achieve sustainable competition advantages
• apply his/her knowledge about sustainable segmentation in order to carry out sustainable comparative advantages for a firm.
• communicate to both specialists and the public about academic issues in the field of sustainable marketing and consumption.

Entry requirements

None

Recommended previous knowledge

Students should have passed the course MSB101 Marketing theory and practice.

Teaching methods

Teaching methods and activities will be a mixture of traditional "lecturing", class discussions, project work, student presentations, and supervision on written assignments.

Compulsory learning activities

One written assignment, one oral presentation, one visual presentation and one colleagues supervision

Assessment

Exam in two parts:

1. Written examination, 4 hours. 50 %
2. One written term paper, 50 %.

Grading scale is A-F where F is fail.

Examination support material

Written exam - None

Term paper - All written and printed materials allowed

More about examination support material