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Sustainable Business

Course developer

Prior knowledge

Ekon3115, Marketing

Ekon3116, Financial Management

EkonB003, Macroeconomics

EkonB004, Microeconomics

VadZ1018, Business Information Management

VadZ2028, Economic Management Studies

Course abstract

Students acquire knowledge of the nature and long-term dimensions of sustainable entrepreneurship, the nature of sustainable entrepreneurship, the factors influencing it, their analysis and regulatory requirements and their enforcement in reporting cases. Acquire practical skills in analysing the economic, social and environmental dimension of sustainable entrepreneurship and identifying opportunities for development. Students acquire knowledge and skills to group and analyse sustainable entrepreneurship according to sustainable dimensions and factors affecting it, including requirements of regulatory enactments.
The aim of the study course is to provide knowledge and develop skills and competences in the sense of sustainable entrepreneurship, in defining and solving problems of sustainable entrepreneurship by analysing company data and available resources.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

Knowledge:
1. Knows and understands the nature, concepts and meaning of sustainability and sustainable entrepreneurship – independent and practical work.
2. Knows and understands three dimensions of sustainability – the economic, social and environmental dimension – examination, independent and practical assignments.
3. Knows and understands the requirements of normative acts in regulating sustainable entrepreneurship – examination, practical assignments.
4. Knowledge and understanding of the factors influencing sustainable entrepreneurship – examination, independent and practical assignments.
Skills:
1. Be able to identify, group and analyse factors influencing sustainable entrepreneurship according to sustainability dimensions - independent and practical work - examination, independent and practical assignments.
2. Be able to characterise the laws and regulations governing sustainable entrepreneurship according to the type and functions of entrepreneurship – examination, independent and practical assignments.
3. Be able to identify and analyse the activities of the undertaking in accordance with sustainable and environmental reporting standards – examination, independent and practical assignments.
4. Be able to plan the tasks assigned responsibly – independent and practical assignments.
5. Be able to engage in the work of the groups and present their opinion and the opinion of the group – independent and practical assignments.
6. Be able to independently acquire, process and use information, to create a presentation on a specific subject - independent and practical assignments.
Competencies:
1. Be able to define and make recommendations for sustainable entrepreneurship - exam, independent and practical assignments.
2. Be able to analyse the activities of the undertaking in conformity with the sustainability dimensions and regulatory enactments requirements - examination, independent and practical assignments.

Course Content(Calendar)

In full-time face-to-face studies:
1. The nature, fundamental concepts and meaning of sustainability and sustainable entrepreneurship (lecture 1 hour)
2. Regulatory basis regulating sustainable entrepreneurship (lecture 1 hour)
3. 17 goals of UN sustainable Development (lecture 1 hour, practical assignments 2 hours)
4. 1. independent work — Analysis of 17 UN sustainable Development objectives - presentation (practical assignments 2 hours)
5. Corporate sustainability (lecture 1 hour, practical assignments 1 hour)
6. European sustainable Reporting standards (ESRS) (lecture 1 hour, practical assignments 1 hour)
7. Environmental reporting (lecture 1 hour, practical assignments 1 hour)
8. Green procurement. Public procurement (lecture 1 hour)
9. EU Green course and Green taxonomy (lecture 2 hours, practical assignments 2 hours)
10. Sustainable entrepreneurship across different types of business (lecture 1 hour, practical assignments 1 hour)
11. Sustainable business by business function (lecture 2 hours, practical assignments 1 hour)
12. 2. independent work – Sustainable Business experience stories - presentation (practical assignments 2 hours)
13. Economic dimension of sustainability and factors influencing it (lecture 2 hours, practical assignments 1 hour)
14. Economic dimension of company sustainability and analysis of factors influencing it (lecture 2 hours, practical assignments 3 hours)
15. 3. independent work - Analysis of the economic dimensions of company X's sustainability and the factors influencing it - presentation (practical assignments 3 hours)
16. Social dimension of sustainability and the factors influencing it (lecture 2 hours, practical assignments 3 hours)
17. Social dimension of company sustainability and analysis of factors influencing it (lecture 2 hours, practical assignments 5 hours)
18. 4. independent work - Analysis of the social dimensions of company X's sustainability and the factors influencing it - presentation (practical assignments 3 hours)
19. The environmental dimension of sustainability and the factors influencing it (lecture 2 hours, practical assignments 3 hours)
20. Environmental dimension of company X's sustainability and analysis of factors influencing it (lecture 2 hours, practical assignments 3 hours)
21. 5. independent work - Analysis of the environmental dimensions of company X's sustainability and the factors influencing it – presentation (practical assignments 3 hours)

In part-time off-site studies:
All topics specified for full-time presence are implemented, but the number of contact hours is ½ of the specified hours.

Requirements for awarding credit points

Five independent works must be developed and presented during the study process:
1. independent assignments – analysis of 17 UN sustainable Development objectives.
2. independent assignments – stories of sustainable business experience.
3. independent assignments - the economic dimension of the sustainability of company X and an analysis of the factors influencing it.
4. independent assignments - the social dimension of company X's sustainability and analysis of the factors influencing it.
5. independent assignments - environmental dimension of company X's sustainability and analysis of the factors influencing it.
Student must complete all the practice sessions.
A successful examination shall be passed at the end of the study course.
The final assessment of the study course depends on the assessments of the results to be achieved in the study course, i.e. the accumulative assessment consisting of the total number of% obtained. 10% shall correspond to one ball on the scale for evaluating the results of 10-ball studies.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

The student should independently prepare for the presentations of his own-initiative work on the sustainability dimension (economic, environmental and social) of one company of his choice and the factors influencing it, find an example of sustainable entrepreneurship and conduct an analysis of the UN sustainable Development Goals, and prepare for an examination of the theoretical substance acquired throughout the course.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

The final assessment of the study course depends on the assessments of the results to be achieved in the study course:
1. independent assignments – 5%
2. independent assignments – 5%
3. independent assignments – 15%
4. independent assignments – 10%
5. independent assignments – 15%
Practical assignments – 10%
Exam - 40%

10% shall form 1 ball of the final assessment of the study course.

Compulsory reading

1. Eiropas Parlamenta un Padomes direktīva (ES) 2022/2464 ar ko ar ko attiecībā uz korporatīvo ilgtspējas ziņu sniegšanu groza Regulu (ES) Nr. 537/2014, Direktīvu 2004/109/EK, Direktīvu 2006/43/EK un Direktīvu 2013/34/ES.
2. United Nations Commission On International Trade Law. Sustainable Development Goals. Pieejams: https://uncitral.un.org/en/about/sdg
3. Komisijas Deleģētā regula (ES) 2021/2139 (2021. gada 4. jūnijs) ar ko Eiropas Parlamenta un Padomes Regulu (ES) 2020/852 papildina, ieviešot tehniskās pārbaudes kritērijus, pēc kuriem nosaka, ar kādiem nosacījumiem konkrēta saimnieciskā darbība ir uzskatāma par tādu, kas būtiski sekmē klimata pārmaiņu mazināšanu vai pielāgošanos klimata pārmaiņām, un pēc kuriem nosaka, vai konkrētā saimnieciskā darbība nenodara būtisku kaitējumu kādiem citiem vidiskajiem mērķiem.
4. Komisijas Deleģētā regula (ES) 2023/2772 (2023. gada 31. jūlijs), ar ko Eiropas Parlamenta un Padomes Direktīvu 2013/34/ES papildina attiecībā uz ilgtspējas ziņu sniegšanas standartiem.
5. Lindgreen A., Vallaster C., Maon F., Yousafzai S., Florencio B.P.. Sustainable Entrepreneurship. Taylor & Francis Group, 2016. 390 p.
6. Singh A., Reji E.M. Social Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development. Taylor & Francis Group, 2020. 280 p.
7. Sætra H.S. Technology and Sustainable Development. Taylor & Francis Group, 2023. 286 p.
8. Chaves-Vargas J.C., Ribes-Giner G., Effect of the economic, social and technological factors on sustainable entrepreneurship over time. Journal of Business Research Volume 173, February 2024, 114457 Published by Elsevier Inc.

Further reading

1. European Commission. EU Taxonomy Navigator. Pieejams https://ec.europa.eu/sustainable-finance-taxonomy/home
2. Hitchcock D., Willard M. The Business Guide to Sustainability. Practical Strategies and Tools for Organizations. Second Edition. Earthscan, 2009, 285 p.
3. Komisijas paziņojums Eiropas Parlamentam, Padomei, Eiropas Ekonomikas un sociālo lietu komitejai un Reģionu Komitejai - Publiskais iepirkums, ņemot vērā vides uzlabošanas aspektus (SEC(2008) 2124) (SEC(2008) 2125) (SEC(2008) 2126) /* COM/2008/0400 galīgā redakcija
4. Laikraksta „Latvijas Vēstnesis” mājaslapa. Pieejams: www.lv.lv
5. EUR- Lex Piekļuve Eiropas Savienības tiesību aktiem mājaslapa. Pieejams: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/homepage.html?locale=lv
6. Sekaran U., Roger B. Research methods for buisness. A skill- building approach. Fifth edition. A John and Sons, Ltd, Publications, 2010, 468 p.

Periodicals and other sources

1. Scopus datubāze. Pieejams: https://www.scopus.com
2. Web of Science datubāzes. Pieejams: https://apps.webofknowledge.com
3. ScienceDirect Freedom Collection datubāze. Pieejams: https://www.sciencedirect.com
4. EBSCO eBook Academic Collection datubāz. Pieejams: http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/search/advanced?vid=0&sid=5b9d8f4e-5779-40cd-9b4b-5e20f3d1432b%40pdc-v-sessmgr02
5. EBSCOhost datubāzes. Pieejams: http://search.ebscohost.com/
6. Wiley Online Journals datubāze. Pieejams: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/

Notes

Field professional specialization course Traineeships (Part B3) for the professional bachelor study programme “Business and Enterprise Management”