MBAS600 - Foundations of Sustainable Business

• 3 credits
• Expected to be taught in Winter, 2013; Winter, 2014; Spring, 2013; Spring, 2014; Fall, 2012; Fall, 2014; Fall, 2013
• This is a required course

As an introductory business management course, this looks at both the business case for sustainability and the sustainability case for business. Overview of key concepts, historical perspectives, and state-of-the-art tools and practices within CSR, environmental management, social enterprise, and the broader debates about the relationship between private firms, modern industry, and ecological and social sustainability.

MBAS601 - People and Teams

• 3 credits
• Expected to be taught in Winter, 2012; Winter, 2013; Winter, 2014
• This is a required course

Theory and practice of how individuals and groups act and interact in an
organizational context with a focus on distributed and virtual teams in
networked organizations. Attempts to answer the questions: 1. What
makes teams and organizations effective and sustainable? 2. What are
the challenges to effective and sustainable teams and organizations? 3.
How can you understand your personal predilections as a team member and
organizational 'player'?

MBAS602 - Communication, Persuasion and Negotiation

• 2 credits
• Expected to be taught in Spring, 2013; Spring, 2014; Spring, 2012
• This is a required course

Practical spoken, non-verbal and written communication concepts and skills, with an emphasis on clear and correct writing; presentation skills; how to persuade and negotiate effectively and respectfully; a critical exploration of communication's role in social relations and justice, with an emphasis on corporate stakeholder communication in the sustainability context.

MBAS604.1 - Exploring Sustainability I

• 1 credit
• Expected to be taught in Winter, 2014; Winter, 2012; Winter, 2013
• This is a required course

This course runs for five successive trimesters to familiarize students with the existential, cultural, historical, scientific, political, economic, and business connections to the emerging notion of sustainability. While sustainability is frequently presented as a simple idea related to essentially timeless human thoughts about survival, its current usage has been developed and popularized through a variety of scientific and social movements in such areas as labor rights, worker health and safety, consumer safety, environmental conservation, energy, environmental protection, product and service quality, urban and regional planning, civil rights, social justice, ethics, and corporate governance. One result is that conversations about, and activities toward, sustainability become fuzzy and confused.

The overall intent of the course is to examine critical aspects of sustainability in depth, and develop a competence to step back from the standard approaches to sustainability or sustainable development or greening. The purpose is to develop a competence to get underneath the public arguments that dominate virtually all conversations about sustainability and be able to create solutions that dissolve, not resolve, the problems at hand.

This five-trimester course sequence begins in January each year, and must be taken in order.

MBAS604.2 - Exploring Sustainability II

• 1 credit
• Expected to be taught in Spring, 2013; Spring, 2014; Spring, 2012
• This is a required course
• Prerequisites: MBAS604.1 Exploring Sustainability I

This course runs for five successive trimesters to familiarize students with the existential, cultural, historical, scientific, political, economic, and business connections to the emerging notion of sustainability. While sustainability is frequently presented as a simple idea related to essentially timeless human thoughts about survival, its current usage has been developed and popularized through a variety of scientific and social movements in such areas as labor rights, worker health and safety, consumer safety, environmental conservation, energy, environmental protection, product and service quality, urban and regional planning, civil rights, social justice, ethics, and corporate governance. One result is that conversations about, and activities toward, sustainability become fuzzy and confused.

The overall intent of the course is to examine critical aspects of sustainability in depth, and develop a competence to step back from the standard approaches to sustainability or sustainable development or greening. The purpose is to develop a competence to get underneath the public arguments that dominate virtually all conversations about sustainability and be able to create solutions that dissolve, not resolve, the problems at hand.

This five-trimester course sequence begins in January each year, and must be taken in order.

MBAS604.3 - Exploring Sustainability III

• 1 credit
• Expected to be taught in Fall, 2012; Fall, 2014; Fall, 2013
• This is a required course
• Prerequisites: MBAS604.2 Exploring Sustainability II

This course runs for five successive trimesters to familiarize students with the existential, cultural, historical, scientific, political, economic, and business connections to the emerging notion of sustainability. While sustainability is frequently presented as a simple idea related to essentially timeless human thoughts about survival, its current usage has been developed and popularized through a variety of scientific and social movements in such areas as labor rights, worker health and safety, consumer safety, environmental conservation, energy, environmental protection, product and service quality, urban and regional planning, civil rights, social justice, ethics, and corporate governance. One result is that conversations about, and activities toward, sustainability become fuzzy and confused.

The overall intent of the course is to examine critical aspects of sustainability in depth, and develop a competence to step back from the standard approaches to sustainability or sustainable development or greening. The purpose is to develop a competence to get underneath the public arguments that dominate virtually all conversations about sustainability and be able to create solutions that dissolve, not resolve, the problems at hand.

This five-trimester course sequence begins in January each year, and must be taken in order.

MBAS604.4 - Exploring Sustainability IV

• 1 credit
• Expected to be taught in Winter, 2012; Winter, 2013; Winter, 2014
• This is a required course
• Prerequisites: MBAS604.3 Exploring Sustainability III

This course runs for five successive trimesters to familiarize students with the existential, cultural, historical, scientific, political, economic, and business connections to the emerging notion of sustainability. While sustainability is frequently presented as a simple idea related to essentially timeless human thoughts about survival, its current usage has been developed and popularized through a variety of scientific and social movements in such areas as labor rights, worker health and safety, consumer safety, environmental conservation, energy, environmental protection, product and service quality, urban and regional planning, civil rights, social justice, ethics, and corporate governance. One result is that conversations about, and activities toward, sustainability become fuzzy and confused.

The overall intent of the course is to examine critical aspects of sustainability in depth, and develop a competence to step back from the standard approaches to sustainability or sustainable development or greening. The purpose is to develop a competence to get underneath the public arguments that dominate virtually all conversations about sustainability and be able to create solutions that dissolve, not resolve, the problems at hand.

This five-trimester course sequence begins in January each year, and must be taken in order.

MBAS604.5 - Exploring Sustainability V

• 1 credit
• Expected to be taught in Spring, 2013; Spring, 2014; Spring, 2012
• This is a required course
• Prerequisites: MBAS604.4 Exploring Sustainability IV

This course runs for five successive trimesters to familiarize students with the existential, cultural, historical, scientific, political, economic, and business connections to the emerging notion of sustainability. While sustainability is frequently presented as a simple idea related to essentially timeless human thoughts about survival, its current usage has been developed and popularized through a variety of scientific and social movements in such areas as labor rights, worker health and safety, consumer safety, environmental conservation, energy, environmental protection, product and service quality, urban and regional planning, civil rights, social justice, ethics, and corporate governance. One result is that conversations about, and activities toward, sustainability become fuzzy and confused.

The overall intent of the course is to examine critical aspects of sustainability in depth, and develop a competence to step back from the standard approaches to sustainability or sustainable development or greening. The purpose is to develop a competence to get underneath the public arguments that dominate virtually all conversations about sustainability and be able to create solutions that dissolve, not resolve, the problems at hand.

This five-trimester course sequence begins in January each year, and must be taken in order.

MBAS605.1 - Personal Leadership Development I

• 0.5 credits
• Expected to be taught in Winter, 2014; Winter, 2012; Winter, 2013
• This is a required course

This course runs for six successive trimesters, and explores ideas and approaches for the development of personal leadership--from personal mastery to the leadership of teams and larger organizations. In the context of reflecting and learning with peers and mentors, the course is organized around the creation of a personal leadership development plan, including goal and objective setting, progress monitoring, introspection, self-honesty, justice and empowerment, and feedback skills. Students are encouraged to seek mentoring from individuals in sectors, industries, or roles they aspire to be part of or assume.

This six-trimester course sequence begins in January each year, and must be taken in order.

MBAS605.2 - Personal Leadership Development II

• 0.5 credits
• Expected to be taught in Spring, 2013; Spring, 2014; Spring, 2012
• This is a required course
• Prerequisites: MBAS605.1 Personal Leadership Development I

This course runs for six successive trimesters, and explores ideas and approaches for the development of personal leadership--from personal mastery to the leadership of teams and larger organizations. In the context of reflecting and learning with peers and mentors, the course is organized around the creation of a personal leadership development plan, including goal and objective setting, progress monitoring, introspection, self-honesty, justice and empowerment, and feedback skills. Students are encouraged to seek mentoring from individuals in sectors, industries, or roles they aspire to be part of or assume.

This six-trimester course sequence begins in January each year, and must be taken in order.

MBAS605.3 - Personal Leadership Development III

• 1 credit
• Expected to be taught in Fall, 2012; Fall, 2014; Fall, 2014; Fall, 2013
• This is a required course
• Prerequisites: MBAS605.2 Personal Leadership Development II

This course runs for six successive trimesters, and explores ideas and approaches for the development of personal leadership--from personal mastery to the leadership of teams and larger organizations. In the context of reflecting and learning with peers and mentors, the course is organized around the creation of a personal leadership development plan, including goal and objective setting, progress monitoring, introspection, self-honesty, justice and empowerment, and feedback skills. Students are encouraged to seek mentoring from individuals in sectors, industries, or roles they aspire to be part of or assume.

This six-trimester course sequence begins in January each year, and must be taken in order.

MBAS605.4 - Personal Leadership Development IV

• 0.5 credits
• Expected to be taught in Winter, 2012; Winter, 2013; Winter, 2014
• This is a required course
• Prerequisites: MBAS605.3 Personal Leadership Development III

This course runs for six successive trimesters, and explores ideas and approaches for the development of personal leadership--from personal mastery to the leadership of teams and larger organizations. In the context of reflecting and learning with peers and mentors, the course is organized around the creation of a personal leadership development plan, including goal and objective setting, progress monitoring, introspection, self-honesty, justice and empowerment, and feedback skills. Students are encouraged to seek mentoring from individuals in sectors, industries, or roles they aspire to be part of or assume.

This six-trimester course sequence begins in January each year, and must be taken in order.

MBAS605.5 - Personal Leadership Development V

• 0.5 credits
• Expected to be taught in Spring, 2013; Spring, 2014; Spring, 2012
• This is a required course
• Prerequisites: MBAS605.4 Personal Leadership Development IV

This course runs for six successive trimesters, and explores ideas and approaches for the development of personal leadership--from personal mastery to the leadership of teams and larger organizations. In the context of reflecting and learning with peers and mentors, the course is organized around the creation of a personal leadership development plan, including goal and objective setting, progress monitoring, introspection, self-honesty, justice and empowerment, and feedback skills. Students are encouraged to seek mentoring from individuals in sectors, industries, or roles they aspire to be part of or assume.

This six-trimester course sequence begins in January each year, and must be taken in order.

MBAS605.6 - Personal Leadership Development VI

• 1 credit
• Expected to be taught in Fall, 2012; Fall, 2013
• This is a required course
• Prerequisites: MBAS605.5 Personal Leadership Development V

This course runs for six successive trimesters, and explores ideas and approaches for the development of personal leadership--from personal mastery to the leadership of teams and larger organizations. In the context of reflecting and learning with peers and mentors, the course is organized around the creation of a personal leadership development plan, including goal and objective setting, progress monitoring, introspection, self-honesty, justice and empowerment, and feedback skills. Students are encouraged to seek mentoring from individuals in sectors, industries, or roles they aspire to be part of or assume.

This six-trimester course sequence begins in January each year, and must be taken in order.

MBAS606 - Managerial Economics

• 3 credits
• Expected to be taught in Fall, 2012; Fall, 2014; Fall, 2013
• This is a required course

An introduction to the fundamentals of managerial economics, focusing on microeconomics, with three primary objectives: providing an understanding of the conventional (neoclassical) microeconomic model and how this model relates to business decision-making; providing a critique of the neoclassical model and presenting a more heterodox view of economics; and exercising a variety of analytical skills that are useful for economic analysis as well as managerial decision-making. The course will cover basic economic relationships, focusing on analysis at the margin; supply and demand theory; production theory; capital theory; profit maximization and cost minimization; firm structure; and types of markets. The critical aspect of the class will both consider how the neoclassical model becomes unrealistic, and therefore of limited value, and how the model is problematic in terms of sustainability. Substantially different economic paradigms will be explored.

MBAS607 - Caring for the Human Organization

• 3 credits
• Expected to be taught in Fall, 2012; Fall, 2014; Fall, 2013
• This is a required course
• Prerequisites: MBAS601 People and Teams

This course begins with a review of conventional and transitional human resource management concepts, tools and practices. After examining, modeling and analyzing the typical role of HRM in firms and other organizations today, the emphasis will shift to designing effective, efficient and empowering work environments and roles for human, community and ecological sustainability. A basic premise of this course is that most organizations today are structured and managed in a fashion that necessarily leads to abuse of humans, other species and ecosystems, but that alternatives exist in practice, and that it is possible to transcend current organizational modes.

MBAS609 - Capstone Project

• 5 credits
• Expected to be taught in Winter, 2012; Winter, 2013; Winter, 2014; Spring, 2013; Spring, 2014; Fall, 2012; Fall, 2014; Spring, 2012; Fall, 2013
• This is a required course
• Prerequisites: MBAS610 Needs and Wants in a Sustainable Society; MBAS607 Caring for the Human Organization; MBAS618 Finance III: Equity, Ownership, and Control; MBAS605.4 Personal Leadership Development IV; MBAS604.4 Exploring Sustainability IV

The content and structure of this independent study assignment is largely up to the student. Advising and mentoring is provided as needed. Projects could involve business plans, consulting assignments for real world clients or projects of a more academic nature, albeit of practical relevance. This part of the program is intended to bring many threads together depending on student desires and needs. Each capstone project will be presented to students, faculty and the Marlboro Graduate School community during a Capstone Fair. Each Capstone project will result in a significant document (e.g., plan, report) and conclude with a Capstone Defense Presentation

MBAS610 - Needs and Wants in a Sustainable Society

• 3 credits
• Expected to be taught in Fall, 2012; Fall, 2014; Fall, 2013
• This is a required course

Defining needs and wants broadly - to include but not remain limited within a conventional marketing perspective - this course examines and works with the practical dimensions of designing, pricing, distributing and informing/persuading stakeholders about a product or service. Includes marketing management and strategy, brands, cause-related marketing, social marketing and critical perspectives on marketing and the consumer society in ecological and globalization contexts, including the life-cycle (LCA) view of products, the bottom-of-pyramid perspective and the notion of sustainable consumption.

MBAS611 - Systems Thinking and Modeling

• 3 credits
• Expected to be taught in Spring, 2013; Spring, 2014; Spring, 2012
• This is a required course

The first of three systems thinking courses, this course grounds students in the physical material and energy systems of modern human societies, and uses basic systems concepts and ecological economics to describe and analyze their sustainability. An assumption is that it is in areas of essential resource systems  water, food, and energy (and their connections to heating, lighting, transportation, and human health)  where the preponderance of sustainability problems are arising, and that here is where the most urgent crises and greatest opportunities for entrepreneurs and innovators lie. Set in an ecological context that considers both nature and human welfare. Emphasis on real-world understanding, acquiring factual general knowledge, and modeling of regional food systems and local/regional/global energy regimes. Includes systems modeling using STELLA.

MBAS612 - Finance I: Managerial Accounting for Sustainable Business

• 3 credits
• Expected to be taught in Winter, 2012; Winter, 2013; Winter, 2014
• This is a required course

Mixing financial and managerial accounting, with an emphasis on the latter, this course examines the theory and practice of identifying and analyzing financial and managerial accounting information, including the application of triple-bottom-line criteria, primarily for internal use by managers for decision-making. The course will focus on developing the financial skills necessary to be an effective manager of a project, program or organization. Topics include financial and non-financial performance measurement, internal control and risk, cost behavior and decision making and cost allocation and financial planning and control systems. The course also explores emerging measurement systems in use by values driven organizations.

MBAS613 - Macroeconomics and Political Economy

• 3 credits
• Expected to be taught in Winter, 2012; Winter, 2013; Winter, 2014
• This is a required course

In this course, the economics of individuals, households, firms, and other actors are considered in the context of regional, national, and global economies. The uses and limitations of conventional macroeconomic theory in these larger contexts are examined. Business cycles, monetary and fiscal conditions, trade, economic globalization, and long-term sustainability are analyzed from both a practical standpoint (i.e., one of pragmatic relevance to investors, managers, and entrepreneurs) and a critical standpoint, using such alternative frames as political economy, critiques of globalization, and social and economic justice.

MBAS614 - Ecology and Art of Entrepreneurship

• 2 credits
• Expected to be taught in Spring, 2013; Spring, 2014; Spring, 2012
• This is a required course
• Prerequisites: MBAS600 Foundations of Sustainable Business; MBAS606 Managerial Economics; MBAS610 Needs and Wants in a Sustainable Society; MBAS607 Caring for the Human Organization; MBAS611 Systems Thinking and Modeling; MBAS615 Finance II: Corporate Finance and Sustainable Capital Management; MBAS605.3 Personal Leadership Development III; MBAS604.3 Exploring Sustainability III

The intent if this course is to serve as an introduction to the nature of entrepreneurial endeavor, and the skills and insight required to successful develop and manage entrepreneurial ventures. In particular, we will look at the role of entrepreneurship as culture changing activity, and how entrepreneurial ventures can serve as change agents for sustainability. It will also be an opportunity to explore the use of traditional entrepreneurial skills in non-traditional or innovative contexts with respect to sustainability. Entrepreneurial ventures are typically successful team efforts. The course will be organized around entrepreneurial teams, each working to develop and launch a new venture. Ideally, the organizational spark for the teams will come from ideas brought by students. Teams will develop a complete business plan and related presentation materials. In short, we will work towards forming actual businesses in the course of the trimester. We will use the tools of collaborative teamwork, business plan development and the investor presentation as key forums for exploring the entrepreneurial dynamic. We will also to use this as an ongoing forum to discuss the role of entrepreneurial endeavor in sustainable practice.

MBAS615 - Finance II: Corporate Finance and Sustainable Capital Management

• 3 credits
• Expected to be taught in Spring, 2013; Spring, 2014; Spring, 2012
• This is a required course
• Prerequisites: MBAS612 Finance I: Managerial Accounting for Sustainable Business

This course builds on the foundation established in Finance I. The capital management of ongoing ventures and the start-up financing of new ventures are both explored. Topics include debt and equity financing, with specific emphasis on capital investment decisions, capital structure, initial public stock offerings, dividend decisions, working capital management, financial risk management and the interface with capital markets. The relationship among sustainable performance, triple-bottom-line criteria and investor and other stakeholder expectations is thoroughly examined, with particular reference to financing alternatives, including entrepreneurial financing opportunities and their investment and return criteria. Throughout, the similarities and contrasts among financial, human, social and natural capital will be explored.

MBAS616 - Operations in Industrial Ecosystems

• 3 credits
• Expected to be taught in Spring, 2013; Spring, 2014; Spring, 2012
• This is a required course
• Prerequisites: MBAS600 Foundations of Sustainable Business; MBAS606 Managerial Economics; MBAS610 Needs and Wants in a Sustainable Society; MBAS607 Caring for the Human Organization; MBAS611 Systems Thinking and Modeling; MBAS615 Finance II: Corporate Finance and Sustainable Capital Management; MBAS605.3 Personal Leadership Development III; MBAS604.3 Exploring Sustainability III

This course brings together a variety of concepts and practices from manufacturing, services, IT and natural resource and waste industries to cultivate in students an operations perspective with sustainability as its overarching benchmark. Operations management is defined, and the roles of plant managers, industrial engineers, quality experts, line supervisors and supply chain managers are explored. Special emphasis is placed on modern knowledge-intensive operations, and on the use of teams, outsourcing, flexible production, just-in-time MRP, kaizen, Six Sigma and other currently relevant practices. This course also includes a close look at management systems/standards of relevance to sustainability strategies, including ISO 9000, ISO 14001, EMAS and ISO 26000. Other topics include the value chain and industrial ecology.

MBAS617 - Law, Formal Regulation, and Civil Governance

• 2 credits
• Expected to be taught in Winter, 2012; Winter, 2013; Winter, 2014
• This is a required course

The final course in the systems thinking series, this explores formal systems created by humans to govern society, especially its economic and resource dimensions. Law, civil governance, and international agreements are studied and analyzed in relation to private property, public goods and the commons, business and market efficiency, social justice, and sustainability. Basic concepts of business law, environmental and natural resource law, and tort law are surveyed. The emerging global civil governance regime pertaining to environmental, CSR, and sustainability objectives is explored, and its power analyzed in relation to binding state laws and regulations.

MBAS618 - Finance III: Equity, Ownership, and Control

• 3 credits
• Expected to be taught in Winter, 2012; Winter, 2013; Winter, 2014
• This is a required course
• Prerequisites: MBAS615 Finance II: Corporate Finance and Sustainable Capital Management

Bringing together finance, law and management, this course examines the legal forms available to organizations, including for-profit and non-profit entities, with particular emphasis on the effects of corporate form choices on access to capital, organizational control, social mission, legal issues and stakeholder interests. Ramifications of the organizational form, decisions for start-ups, organizations pursuing growth, and organizations that require re-structuring will be examined. Other ownership forms, such as employee ownership, cooperatives and collectives, will be analyzed in the context of workplace democracy and a contemporary social critique of the corporation in an age of globalization and concentrating wealth. Students will be required to develop a conceptual new venture project that thoroughly justifies an organizational form choice in relation to location, expected capital requirements, ownership goals and attainment of its mission. The course will make use of guest experts (online and in person) actively engaged in private start-ups and social enterprises.

MBAS619 - Ind. Learning Adventure/ International Trip

• 1 credit
• Expected to be taught in Winter, 2012; Fall, 2012; Winter, 2013; Spring, 2013; Spring, 2012; Fall, 2013
• This is a required course
• Prerequisites: MBAS600 Foundations of Sustainable Business; MBAS605.1 Personal Leadership Development I; MBAS604.1 Exploring Sustainability I

To be completed either during the first or second year, and linked to course and capstone credit.

Option #1: A group trip to 1-2 countries over 2 weeks, with a focus on business-based sustainability models and "whole-system problems & opportunities analysis".

Option #2: Students design and complete an Independent Learning Adventure that involves travel to an international or U.S. location of their choice. The Independent Learning Adventure is an opportunity to visit a cultural, social and/or political setting that is new, in order to broaden perspectives and cultimate connections, to explore how some aspect of sustainability is being addressed there, and to strengthen the ability to communicate and work with a diversity of people and organizations around issues of sustainability.

MBAS620 - Sustainable Business Strategies

• 3 credits
• Expected to be taught in Fall, 2012; Fall, 2014; Fall, 2013
• This is a required course
• Prerequisites: MBAS600 Foundations of Sustainable Business; MBAS606 Managerial Economics; MBAS610 Needs and Wants in a Sustainable Society; MBAS607 Caring for the Human Organization; MBAS611 Systems Thinking and Modeling; MBAS615 Finance II: Corporate Finance and Sustainable Capital Management; MBAS605.3 Personal Leadership Development III; MBAS604.3 Exploring Sustainability III

Seeking to integrate knowledge and experience from throughout the MBA curriculum, this course combines strategic analysis and management, organization design and development and the functional areas of management to explore how and why key strategic decisions are made and implemented in organizations, placing them in both conventional and sustainability contexts. A thorough application of the strategy "toolkit," especially strategy maps, is combined with development of consulting skills, mentors/advisors who are experienced practitioners, and engagements with real organizations to generate insights and useful recommendations.

MBAS625 - Global Systems Seminar

• 1 credit
• Expected to be taught in Winter, 2013; Winter, 2014; Spring, 2013; Spring, 2014; Fall, 2012; Fall, 2014; Spring, 2012; Fall, 2013
• This is a required course

This course is designed to familiarize students with critical global ecological and human systems, how they are interrelated, their current condition and trends, and what the informed, engaged business practitioner must know about them in order to manage for sustainability and drive societal change in line with that aim (i.e., "Change the climate of business").