Module code BML248

Title Sustainable Tourism Enterprise and the Circular Economy

Programme University of Chichester Business School

Level 5

Credits 15

ECTS* 7.5

Contact time 3hrs per week + tutorials

Acceptable for Mandatory for BA (Hons) Tourism Management and BA (Hons) Event Management - option module for other routes

Excluded combinations n/a

Mandatory/Optional Mandatory for BA (Hons) Tourism Management and BA (Hons) Event Management - option module for other routes

Module Co-ordinator Dr Jorge Gutic

Description Businesses are increasingly recognising the importance of considering to the widest range of stakeholders who may be affected or have an influence over their business, giving raise to calls for greater social corporate responsibility, while the wide impact of businesses on the environment has highlighted the need to ensure the long-term viability of the resources they use. This has given raise to the implementation of sustainable development principles in business and the emergence of the concepts such as ‘triple-bottom’ line and ‘circular economy’, where not only economic but also social and environment issues are regarded as important in business planning, and where the concept of product lifecycle is being applied to maximise the benefits of manufactured products and minimise their detrimental effects at every stage of their production and use, from design to eventual recycle or reuse. Thus, the module aims to examine the concept of sustainability applied to the business environment, while critically exploring the concept of sustainable business management by applying it to a range of case studies, including tourism, events and the wider business environment, at a national and international level. The purpose of the module is to enable students to become familiar with the ideological underpinnings, principles and practices relating to sustainable business management, to have a coherent and functional understanding of this concept within a range of business and operational environments, and to be able to practically apply it to a business of their choice.

Outline Syllabus & Teaching & Learning Methods A series of interactive sessions, including lectures, workshops and student seminars will form the basic structure of this module. The lectures will introduce students to the key themes under investigation each week, and students will be asked to supplement these sessions through self-directed activities and contribution to workshops and seminars during each session. Students will be encouraged to critically appraise current understanding and tools used in the sustainable management of businesses, and they will have the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of the subject matter with the development of a training or advisory resource aimed at a specific type of business.

Key areas in the module include:

• Understanding the principles of sustainable development: context, evolution, definitions, principles and application. • UK policy & legal context for sustainability. Legislation, minimum compliance and influencing best practice. • A business case for sustainability: industry needs, customer demands, implementation problems, competitive advantages

derived from sustainability. • Global climate change: causes, consequences for businesses; industry responses. • Sustainability tools: environmental audits, voluntary schemes and environmental impact assessments. • Introduction to certification schemes: GTBS, ISO20121, ISO14001, ISO26000. • Carbon footprint calculation, reduction and management for businesses. • Environmental Management Systems: principles of a management system approach, certification system overview, initial

review, impact identification, policy development, objectives and targets, implementation, measurement and review. • Recycling and waste management: legal obligations, costs, service providers. • Corporate social responsibility, stakeholders and ethical issues, biodiversity, Fairtrade.

Intended Learning Outcomes How assessed**

On successful completion of this module students will be able to: • Debate the evolution of the sustainability agenda, and place business

management within the wider context of sustainable development issues.

• Evaluate and define the concept of sustainable business management and explain the contexts and business areas where it can be applied.

• Assess the principles and practices of sustainable business management.

• Evaluate the frameworks, approaches and tools that have been developed to support sustainable business management.

• Apply management tools used to support the sustainable management of businesses.

• Communicate effectively in written and visual form.

• Demonstrate the ability to research, interpret, evaluate and synthesise material.

Both assessments Outline / content script Both assessments Advice video Advice video Both assessments Both assessments Both assessments

Assessment Scheme: Formative Weighting %

Students will receive support and guidance through in-class discussions on how to approach the different elements of their assessment. Students will be encouraged to reflect on the topics discussed during the sessions and the way they can be related to the module assessments, other modules and their own working spaces.

0%

Assessment Scheme: Summative Weighting %

(i) Outline / content script for sustainable video (1,225 word equivalent): Student will prepare a draft document containing the sustainable goals that their video will promote to their chosen business sector, providing sustainable objectives, measurable targets and indicators for one of the following issues: Venue / Transport / Accommodation / Catering / Communication and Marketing / Purchasing (goods & services) / Waste / Utilities (energy & water). All the information consulted must relate to both the type of business sector chosen for the final assignment (e.g. on small hotels, events or small businesses) and to the specific issues chosen by the student. Students will receive appropriate guidance on the best way to integrate that material into the final video.

Assessment Criteria • Clear and logical structure • Clarity, conciseness and coherence of content • Evidence of integration of the module learning outcomes • Appropriate content in relation to the requirements of the chosen business

sector • Evidence of case studies and reference to the academic literature to support

discussion

35%

(ii) Sustainable management advice video aimed at specific business sector (2,275 word equivalent, about 10 – 15 minutes long video)

Students will need to shoot and produce an advisory document in the form of a video, providing advice to their chosen business sector on sustainable policies, actions, and measures they could implement in order to become more sustainable, with the advice based in best practice from across the same business sector. Students are welcomed to make teams in order to tackle several sustainable issues across the same business sector, but each student must contribute their own segment of the video and each team member’s contribution should be clearly indicated.

Assessment Criteria • Clear and logical structure • Clarity, conciseness and coherence of content • Evidence of integration of the module learning outcomes • Appropriate content in relation to the requirements of the chosen business

sector • Evidence of case studies and reference to the academic literature to support

discussion • Quality of edition, overall design elements and final production

65%

Reassessment Scheme Weighting %

A sustainable business advisory pack in written report format (3,500 word equivalent). The type / sector of business chosen for re-submission must be different to the one chosen for the original submission.

100%

Indicative Reading Lists/Key Texts/Websites/other resources

Avlonas, N. and Nassos, G.P. (2013) Practical Sustainability Strategies: How to Gain a Competitive Advantage, Wiley, Chichester.

Boussabaine, A. and Kirkham, R. (2008) Whole Life-cycle Costing: Risk and Risk Responses. Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford. (E-book)

Edgell, D. (2016) Managing Sustainable Tourism, Routledge, London.

Epstein, M. and Buhovac, R. (2014) Making Sustainability Work: Best Practices in Managing and Measuring Corporate Social, Environmental and Economic Impacts, Berrett – Koehler Publishers, San Francisco. (E-book)

Hitchcock, D. and Willard, M. (2009) The Business Guide To Sustainability: Practical Strategies and Tools for Organisations, Second Edition, Earthscan Publishing, London. (E-book)

Jones, M.L. (2010) Sustainable Event Management: A Practical Guide, Earthscan, London. (E-book)

Lesley, D. (2014) Tourism Enterprise – Developments, Management and Sustainability, CABI, Wallingford, Oxon.

Lesley, D. (2016), New Directions in Tourism Analysis – Tourism Enterprises and the Sustainability Agenda Across Europe, Routledge, London.

Meegan, J. (2014), Sustainable Event Management: A Practical Guide, Second Editio, Routledge, London.

Morana, J. (2013) Sustainable Supply Chain Management, Wiley – ISTE, London. (E-book)

Morris, A. (2004) ISO 14000 Environmental Management Standard: Engineering and Financial Aspects, Wiley, Hoboken. (E-book)

Petersen, M. (2013) Sustainable Enterprise – A Macromarketing Approach, Sage Publishing, London.

Sloan, P., Legrand, W. and Chen, J. (2009) Sustainability in the Hospitality Industry – Principles of Sustainable Operations, Butterworth Heinemann, London.