COMM314 COURSE SYLLABUS

COURSE INFORMATION
Course title: Strategies for Responsible Business
Course code: COMM314 Credits: 3
Session and term: 2020W1 Class location: DLAM005
Section(s): 101 Class times: Mon/Wed 1:00 to 2:30PM
Course duration: Sept 7 to Dec 7 Pre-requisites: None.
Division: Marketing Co-requisites: None.

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
Instructor: Justin Bull, PhD
Phone: 604-822-8372 Office location: Henry Angus (HA664)
Email: [email protected] Office hours: Book at calendly.com/jgbull

COURSE DESCRIPTION
Environmental degradation, the climate crisis, social inequity, and the need for a more sustainable economy are
compelling the private sector to behave more responsibly. A confluence of consumer demands, technological
advancement, and resource scarcity is driving the private sector to re-think how to create and manage a
successful enterprise in the long-term.

This course will equip students with an understanding of the positive and negative impacts business can have,
and how managing these impacts effectively represents an enormous opportunity. A focus on responsible
models of business allows an organization to identify new products and markets, leverage emerging
technologies, spur innovation, drive organizational efficiency, and motivate employees.

Responsible business decisions are good decisions. Managers need to think effectively about the inputs into a
good decision analysis, whether to trust the analysis, and how to use the outputs to guide actions. Doing so
requires the ability to think broadly, creatively, and strategically about the role of business in society.

COURSE FORMAT
Class time will be held in person and involve a combination of lectures, discussion, and in-class activities.
Complete student attendance is expected to accomplish the learning objectives below. Lectures and discussions
will assume that students having pre-read the corresponding readings and case studies as listed in the course
schedule below.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
• Explain, analyze, and assess the role of responsible business in society.
• Apply reasoning and decision frameworks to help structure and clarify difficult decision problems.
• Identify common decision traps and failures of reasoning in the context of strategic decision making.
• Engage effectively with key external stakeholders and manage values-based conflicts.
• Audit and report corporate sustainability performance using a variety of frameworks.
• Develop strategies for organizations to leverage sustainability as a way to improve their long-term
competitive positioning.

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ASSESSMENTS
In-Class Activities and Lecture Responses (Individual) | 20% of Grade
Throughout the course, there will be classes where in-class exercises are conducted. These will be done both
individually or in pairs. These exercises will involve applying course content to questions posed in class. There
are no makes-ups for missed in-class exercises; attendance is required to earn these marks. There will also be
“Lecture Responses” required in some classes. These require students to reflect on a question and provide a
written submission.

Memos (3, each worth 10%) | 30% of Grade

Brief memos (1-2 pages) are used to apply the concepts, frameworks, and tools from the course, to learn how to
analyze information, and to make decisions as a manager. Students are required to conduct extensive research,
analyze their findings, and apply judgement and critical thinking in selecting points of emphasis. There will be
three memo topics:
• Decision Making Traps: Identifying how decision making traps might influence how a manager
approaches the challenge of the climate crisis.
• Sustainability at Scale: Describing and detailing the business-case for a sustainability initiative in a large
corporate setting (think IKEA, Nike, Nestle, etc.)
• Disruptive Sustainability: Describing and detailing the business-case for a sustainability initiative that is
nascent, but contains massive disruptive potential (think something new, novel, and not yet widely
adopted).
Midterm Report | 20% of Grade
The midterm assignment will require students to select an organization and evaluate their strategic response to
the climate crisis. They will be required to conduct significant research and analysis about the selected
organization, its efforts, and qualify these as either a “triumph” or “disaster”. Students are expected to leverage
course concepts, as well as concepts they are familiar with from outside of the class.

Final Report and Presentation | 30% of Grade

Working in self-selected teams of three to six people, students will choose an organization to research, analyze,
and evaluate through a sustainability-focused lens. The project will require students to integrate key course
concepts and tools from throughout the term to generate a ~5-page report that assesses the responsibility of an
organization’s core strategy within the larger competitive, social, and environmental contexts. Prior to
submitting their final report, teams will also provide preliminary presentations. These will be approximately 15
minutes in length, contain the majority of their findings, and teams should be prepared for Q&A with the
instructor and rest of class afterwards.

LEARNING MATERIALS
• Website: All course readings, assignments, and materials will be managed through the UBC Canvas
website.
• Prep Materials: Materials (readings, podcasts, videos, etc.) required prior to each class will be posted on
the UBC Canvas website. Note that some of these materials may require payment through the Ivey
Academic Publishing website.
• Case Studies: Two case studies will be required for purchase the Case Memo assignment. Download
links and instructions for these cases will be provided on Canvas.

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COURSE SCHEDULE

Class # Date Topic

1 08-Sep Course Introduction

2 13-Sep The Uninhabitable Earth

3 15-Sep Climate is Eating Everything

4 20-Sep The Corporation

5 22-Sep The Race to the Bottom

6 27-Sep Drivers of Sustainability

7 29-Sep Alignment in Sustainability

8 04-Oct Decision Making Traps

9 06-Oct Pyramids, Trees and Tables: Structured Decision Making

10 13-Oct The Social Question

11 18-Oct Stakeholders and Shared Value

12 20-Oct ESG Investing

13 25-Oct UBC Divestment Debate

14 27-Oct Stranded Assets

15 01-Nov Systems and Units of Sustainability

16 03-Nov Sustainability in Transition

17 08-Nov Breakthrough Business Models

18 15-Nov Breakthrough Technologies

19 17-Nov Breakthrough Investors

20 22-Nov The Circular Economy - Part One

21 24-Nov The Circular Economy - Part Two

22 29-Nov Final Project - Team Coaching

23 01-Dec Final Project - Team Presentations

24 06-Dec Final Project - Team Presentations

25 08-Dec Course Summary

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COURSE-SPECIFIC POLICIES AND RESOURCES
Missed or late assignments, and regrading of assessments
Assignment Due Dates: Major written assignments are all due on a Saturday at 11:59PM.
Late Assignments: Late submissions will automatically be docked 10% for each day late, up to a maximum of
3 days. After 3 days, assignments will no longer be accepted.
Regrading: Requests for regrading of assignments or exams must be submitted within one week of the
assessment being returned to the class. The request must identify the reason(s) why you believe your
answer(s) and score(s) should be reviewed. The outcome may be an increase, no change, or decrease in the
assigned grade.

Academic Concessions
The following accommodations are available to students with valid academic concession requests.
Due dates for assignments may be modified by up to three days, but this must be discussed by the student
and instructor at least three days before the assignment is due.
Any academic concession requests for which the above accommodations are not adequate will be reviewed
by the instructor on a case-by-case basis. In all instances, the academic standards of the course must be
maintained.

COVID 19 considerations
If you feel unwell or have other circumstances that prevent you from attending class or completing
assessments, you should send a courtesy email to notify your course instructor. The following should also be
taken into consideration, keeping in mind that there are specific deadlines to request academic concessions:
• If you miss assessments worth less than 25% of the overall course grade, or less than two weeks of
classes, you should email the instructor directly to discuss options for missed assessments or
classes. Concessions in this scenario are granted by the instructor and do not need support from the
Sauder Undergraduate Office or your home advising office.
• If you miss assessments worth 25% or more of the overall course grade, or two or more weeks of classes,
you must request academic concession through the Sauder Undergraduate Office at
https://mybcom.sauder.ubc.ca/academic-concession.
If you suspect a possible Covid-19 infection, you should use the BC Ministry of Health’s self-assessment tool to
help determine whether further assessment or testing for COVID-19 is recommended. Students who are
required to self-isolate or quarantine must follow BC health guidelines. If extenuating circumstances inhibit your
ability to come to campus to complete assessments, please review your eligibility for an alternate format
assessment.

Other Course Policies and Resources

Attendance: Students are expected to attend 100% of their scheduled classes. Students must notify their
instructors at the earliest opportunity if they are expected to miss a class.
Tardiness: Students are expected to arrive for classes and activities on time and fully prepared. Late arrivals
may be refused entry at the discretion of the instructor or activity lead. Students arriving halfway through a
scheduled class, or later, will be treated as absent for that class.
Electronic Devices: The instructors of this course strongly discourage you from using a laptop in class unless
required by an in-class activity. Research has shown that multi-tasking on laptops in class has negative
implications for the learning environment, including reducing student academic performance and the
performance of those sitting around them. At times, laptops may be required, and you will be given express
permission by your instructors to use them. At other times, laptops will either be “lids down” (closed, but
not put away), or “lids away” (meaning away in your bags). Cellphones and other personal electronic devices
must be turned off during class and placed away from the desktop.

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POLICIES APPLICABLE TO UBC SAUDER UNDERGRADUATE COURSES
Respectfulness in the classroom
Students are expected to be respectful of their colleagues at all times, including faculty, staff and peers. This
means being attentive and conscious of words and actions and their impact on others, listening to people with
an open mind, treating all UBC Sauder community members equally and understanding diversity. Students who
act disrespectfully toward others will be asked to leave the class and be marked as absent for the day. They may
also be removed from a team, lose credit for in-class assessments and activities, or be asked to complete a
group assignment individually.
Respect for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
The UBC Sauder School of Business strives to promote an intellectual community that is enhanced by diversity
along various dimensions including status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person, race, ethnicity,
gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, political beliefs, social class, and/or disability. It is critical that
students from diverse backgrounds and perspectives be valued in and well-served by their courses.
Furthermore, the diversity that students bring to the classroom should be viewed as a resource, benefit, and
source of strength for your learning experience. It is expected that all students and members of our community
conduct themselves with empathy and respect for others.

UNIVERSITY POLICIES AND RESOURCES

UBC provides resources to support student learning and to maintain healthy lifestyles but recognizes that
sometimes crises arise and so there are additional resources to access including those for survivors of sexual
violence. UBC values respect for the person and ideas of all members of the academic community. Harassment
and discrimination are not tolerated nor is suppression of academic freedom. UBC provides appropriate
accommodation for students with disabilities and for religious observances. UBC values academic honesty and
students are expected to acknowledge the ideas generated by others and to uphold the highest academic
standards in all of their actions. Details of the policies and how to access support are available on the UBC
Senate website at https://senate.ubc.ca/policies-resources-support-student-success.

Mask Requirement
Following BC Health Guidance, effective August 25, 2021, masks are required in all indoor classes regardless of
vaccination status. For the purposes of this order, the term “masks” refers to medical and non-medical masks
that cover our noses and mouths. You will need to wear a mask for the duration of our class meetings, for your
own protection, and the safety and comfort of everyone else in the class. You may be asked to remove your
mask briefly for an ID check for an exam, but otherwise, your mask should cover your nose and mouth. Please
do not eat in class. If you need to drink water/coffee/tea/etc., please keep your mask on between sips.

Please see https://covid19.ubc.ca/health-guidance-and-vaccines/ for additional guidance regarding masks,

vaccinations, and testing on campus.

Academic Integrity
The academic enterprise is founded on honesty, civility, and integrity. As members of this enterprise, all
students are expected to know, understand, and follow the codes of conduct regarding academic integrity. At
the most basic level, this means submitting only original work done by you and acknowledging all sources of
information or ideas and attributing them to others as required. This also means you should not cheat, copy, or
mislead others about what is your work. Violations of academic integrity (i.e., misconduct) lead to the
breakdown of the academic enterprise, and therefore serious consequences arise and harsh sanctions are
imposed. For example, incidences of plagiarism or cheating may result in a mark of zero on the assignment or
exam and more serious consequences may apply if the matter is referred to the President’s Advisory Committee
on Student Discipline. Careful records are kept in order to monitor and prevent recurrences.

Seating in Class

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To reduce the risk of Covid transmission, please sit in a consistent area of the classroom each day. This will
minimize your contacts and will still allow for the pedagogical methods planned for this class to help your
learning.

Academic Freedom and Students Studying from Outside Canada

During this pandemic, the shift to online learning has greatly altered teaching and studying at UBC, including
changes to health and safety considerations. Keep in mind that some UBC courses might cover topics that are
censored or considered illegal by non-Canadian governments. This may include, but is not limited to, human
rights, representative government, defamation, obscenity, gender or sexuality, and historical or current
geopolitical controversies. If you are a student living abroad, you will be subject to the laws of your local
jurisdiction, and your local authorities might limit your access to course material or take punitive action against
you. UBC is strongly committed to academic freedom, but has no control over foreign authorities (please visit
http://www.calendar.ubc.ca/vancouver/index.cfm?tree=3,33,86,0 for an articulation of the values of the
University conveyed in the Senate Statement on Academic Freedom). Thus, we recognize that students will have
legitimate reason to exercise caution in studying certain subjects. If you have concerns regarding your personal
situation, consider postponing taking a course with manifest risks, until you are back on campus or reach out to
your academic advisor to find substitute courses. For further information and support, please visit:
http://academic.ubc.ca/support-resources/freedom-expression

COPYRIGHT
All materials of this course (course handouts, lecture slides, assessments, course readings, etc.) are the
intellectual property of the instructor or licensed to be used in this course by the copyright owner.
Redistribution of these materials by any means without permission of the copyright holder(s) constitutes a
breach of copyright and may lead to academic discipline and could be subject to legal action. Any lecture
recordings are for the sole use of the instructor and students enrolled in the class. In no case may the lecture
recording or part of the recording be used by students for any other purpose, either personal or commercial.
Further, audio or video recording of classes are not permitted without the prior consent of the instructor.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
UBC’s Point Grey Campus is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the xwməθkwəy̓əm
(Musqueam) people, who for millennia have passed on their culture, history, and traditions from one generation
to the next on this site.

READING SCHEDULE
Class Topic

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 Course Introduction
The Story of Sustainability in 2018: “We Have About 12 Years Left” by Andrew Winston, (Harvard
Business Review)
1
Prep: As you are reviewing the article, think about this question: what is a compelling example of a
business demonstrating "responsible leadership"?

The Uninhabitable Earth

2
Read: Climate tipping points — too risky to bet against by Various Authors (Nature)

Climate is Eating Everything

3 Prep: Come to class equipped with at least two examples of how the climate crisis is creating new risks
and operational realities for companies.

The Corporation
Business Roundtable Redefines the Purpose of a Corporation to Promote ‘An Economy That Serves All
4 Americans by Various Authors (Business Roundtable)
The Illusory Promise of Stakeholder Governance [Presentation Slides] by Lucian A. Bebchuck and
Roberto Tallarita (SSRN)

The Race to the Bottom

5 Big Business Has a New Scam: The ‘Purpose Paradigm’ by Maria Hengeveld (The Nation)
Paul Polman: 'Businesses cannot succeed in societies that fail' by Deonna Anderson (GreenBiz)

Drivers of Sustainability
Read: Saving the Planet from Ecological Disaster Is a $12 Trillion Opportunity by John Elkinton
(Harvard Business Review)
6
Prep: Think about what forces motivate and drive business towards acting more sustainably. Come to
class with examples of these forces aligning with business objectives to create win-win scenarios.

Alignment in Sustainability
7 Prep: You may be called on to speak to present to the class an example of something you consider
“sustainable”, using concepts introduced in the previous class.

Decision Making Traps

8 How to Make Values Count in Everyday Decisions
(Joel E. Urbany, Thomas J. Reynolds, Joan M. Phillips, MIT Sloan Management Review)

Pyramids, Trees and Tables: Structured Decision Making

9
No assigned readings.

The Social Question

Read: Better Decisions Through Diversity, by Katherine W. Phillips, Katie A. Liljenquist and Margaret A.
Neale (Kellogg Insight)
10 Read: Why diversity matters, by Vivian Hunt, Dennis Layton, and Sara Prince (McKinsey)

Prep: As you read these articles, consider examples of decision-making failures (like Groupthink, Sunk
Cost Fallacy, or the Anchoring Trap) that you may have observed.

Stakeholders and Shared Value

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Creating Shared Value by Michael E. Porter and Mark R. Kramer (Harvard Business Review)

ESG Investing
12
Exploring ESG: A Practitioner’s Perspective (BlackRock).

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 UBC Divestment Debate
Prep: We will be looking at two sides of the issue of "Divestment" at UBC. There have been repeated
calls for UBC to divest (that is, sell) any investments in the fossil fuel industry. A referendum of both
students and faculty asked for the UBC administration to commence a process of divestment. Some
readings related to this are available below.

You should take time to read these documents to better understand the issues at play. As you are
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reading, consider the strengths and weaknesses of each argument. You should be prepared to argue
either in favour or against the divestment proposal.

Divestment proposal from the UBC AMS

UBC Board of Governors Rejection of Divestment Proposal
UBC Faculty Referendum
Analysis: UBC 350 on Divestment

Stranded Assets
14
COVID-19 and the energy transition: crisis as midwife to the new (Carbon Tracker)

Systems and Units of Sustainability

15
The Sustainability Spectrum and the Sciences of Sustainability (Thomas P. Seager.)

Sustainability in Transition
16 Prep: You need to come to class prepared to present how “systems and units thinking” would change
how you think about an industrial transition underway.

Breakthrough Business Models

Breakthrough Business Models: Exponentially More Social, Lean, Integrated and Circular.
20 Business Model Innovations for Sustainability*
*For this reading, make sure to at least read the Executive Summary.
17
Prep: Select a sector of the Economy (like retail, fashion, finance, healthcare, etc.) and be prepared to
discuss two questions:
• What are the dominant business models today?
• What emergent business models can you find evidence of?

Breakthrough Technologies
18 The ultimate tech age (book extract) (World Economic Forum)
What is the low-touch economy? (Board of Innovation)

Breakthrough Investors
19 Prep: You need to come to class prepare to present on an investor (think VC, incubator, government
program, etc.) is investing “sustainability” (broadly speaking). What is their investment thesis?

The Circular Economy - Part One

20 The circular economy: Moving from theory to practice (McKinsey)
Paper beats plastic? How to rethink environmental folklore (TED Talk)

The Circular Economy - Part Two

21 Prep: You will need to come to class prepared to present how the RESOLVE framework might change
how you think about value-creation in a company or sector of the economy.

Final Project - Team Coaching

22
No assigned readings.

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 Final Project - Team Presentations
23
Prep: In-class presentations by project teams of their Sustainable Breakthrough Pitch.

Final Project - Team Presentations

24
Prep: In-class presentations by project teams of their Sustainable Breakthrough Pitch.

Course Summary
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No assigned readings.