SG6014

SUSTAINABILITY AND TRANSFORMATIONAL

LEADERSHIP
Term(s): ONE (OCTOBER SEMESTER)

Module Guide 2023/24 p. 1

 Royal Docks School of Business and Law

CONTACT INFORMATION ....................................................................................... 3

MODULE LEADER ........................................................................................................................................ 3
OTHER CONTACT(S) .................................................................................................................................... 3

MODULE INTRODUCTION....................................................................................... 4
MODULE AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES ............................................................................................... 4

KEY INFORMATION ................................................................................................. 5

ASSESSMENT INFORMATION ................................................................................ 7
REASSESSMENT ARRANGEMENTS .............................................................................................................. 9
LATE SUBMISSIONS .................................................................................................................................... 9
RETURN OF WORK AND FEEDBACK ........................................................................................................... 10
ONLINE SYSTEM FAILURES ........................................................................................................................ 10

TEACHING SCHEDULE ......................................................................................... 11

ENGAGEMENT AND ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS ................................................................................. 12

REFERENCING ...................................................................................................... 13
ASSESSMENT FEEDBACK ................................................................................... 13
WHY IS FEEDBACK IMPORTANT? .............................................................................................................. 13
WHERE DO I GET FEEDBACK? .................................................................................................................... 14

READING AND RESOURCES ................................................................................ 14

CORE:........................................................................................................................................................ 14
OTHER RESOURCES AND FORMS: ............................................................................................................. 14

KEY LINKS ............................................................................................................. 15

Module Guide 2023/24 p. 2

 ACCESSIBILITY NOTICE
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CONTACT INFORMATION

MODULE LEADER

Name: Dr Gratien David Pillai

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 020 8223 3333

Room Number: TBC

OTHER CONTACT(S)

Name: add NAME

Role: add ROLE

Email: add EMAIL

Tel: add PHONE

Room Number: add ROOM

The Module Leader/Other Tutors and Contact Details were correct at point of
publication. You will be notified of any changes.

Module Guide 2023/24 p. 3

MODULE INTRODUCTION

This module seeks to enable you to understand the concepts and debates on
sustainability and leadership. By doing so the module focuses on the bigger context
of sustainability innovation within leadership and responsible enterprise. Thorough
study of the module will help students to understand and respond to the opportunities
of sustainability innovation as “business in society” and overall leadership qualities.

Students will seek to understand and critically evaluate the role of leadership in
implementing change. To this end engagement with traditional and critical
perspectives on “leadership” will be discussed to reflect on the role of leadership in
meeting the challenges of environmental and social sustainability on a global level.

MODULE AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Module aim is to enable you to understand the concepts and debates on
sustainability at the firm level and develop a critical appreciation of sustainability
innovation within the triple-bottom-line and the responsible enterprise.

Learning Outcomes:

• Digital Proficiency - Code = (DP)

• Industry Connections - Code = (IC)
• Social & Emotional Intelligence - Code = (SEI)
• Physical Intelligence - Code = (PI)
• Cultural Intelligence - Code = (CI)
• Community Connections & UEL Give Back - Code = (CC)
• Cognitive Intelligence – Code = (COI)
• Enterprise and Entrepreneurship (EE)

At the end of this module, you will be able to:

Knowledge

1. Identify the challenges facing business from megatrends (COI)

2. Discuss concepts and purpose of Agenda 2030 (COI)
3. Analyse different styles of leadership and show an understanding of the
effectiveness of different styles of leadership. (COI)
4. Understand pre-requisites of ethical transformational leadership (SEI )

Thinking skills

5. Evaluate the role of leadership in meeting the challenges of change in the

industry environment (COI, SEI )

Module Guide 2023/24 p. 4

Subject-based practical skills

6. Analyse challenges posed by megatrends and identify the changes required

to achieve business sustainability (SEI )
7. Evaluate the role of leadership within the management profession (COI, SEI )

Skills for life and work (general skills)

8. Ability to gather empirical evidence from secondary sources and public data.

KEY INFORMATION

This is a Level 6 core module for students studying in BSc Business Management course.

Teaching/ learning methods/strategies used to enable the achievement of learning

outcomes:

• Lectures
• Seminars and workshops
• Guided reading and independent study
• Case studies
• Virtual learning environment (additional materials on Moodle)

Your classes

All your classes will take the form of a two-hour face-to-face lecture, followed by a two-hours
seminar also on campus.

The module is structured such that you get the subject-related theoretical knowledge in the
lectures. The seminars are based around action-based learning where you should then be
able to apply the subject-based knowledge to practical examples, case studies etc. to see
how sustainability and leadership is actioned in the real world. In the seminars, you will have
more chance to discuss ideas with fellow students and with your seminar tutor. You will be
expected to participate in full, sharing your thoughts and observations with the class.

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 Indicative learning and teaching time Activity
(10 hrs per credit):
1. Student/tutor interaction, face-to-face: 48 hours • Lectures
• Seminars and workshops
• Assessment clinic
2. Student learning time: 152 hours • Reading and preparation for seminars
• Assignment preparation
• Research of documented industry practice
Total hours (1 and 2): 200 hours

What is expected from you?

We expect you to be committed to your studies and to demonstrate this through your
attendance and general level of engagement. You are expected to attend regularly, come
fully prepared, and punctuality is important.

To get the best from your studies and achieve your goals, the school expects you:

• Compulsory attendance – you must attend classes on campus as per your timetable.
• You are expected to attend regularly and keep up with the work that is expected of
you every week through the course of this module.
• To undertake self-study in preparation for workshops, seminars, lectures, and
assessments
• All the relevant information (lecture slides, seminar schedules, assessment briefs,
announcements, notices) will be published on the SG6014 Moodle site. Important
information regarding timetable changes or class cancellations etc. will also be
uploaded to Moodle in the first instance – so please check your outlook mailbox and
the site regularly.
• To complete and hand in all assignments by the appropriate deadline, as applicable.
• To ensure you do not breach the University Regulations with regard to cheating,
plagiarism, and ethical issues to comply with any University and external regulations
affecting your studies.
• Mutual respect: Students are expected to treat all staff and fellow students in a
courteous, respectful, and non-discriminatory manner. All staff are here to support
you with your studies, and they should be treated with respect. Academic staff are
experts in their field and are involved in research and/or other academic duties in
addition to their teaching. They are available for consultation during their student
hours or by appointment.

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ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

Assessment:

Individual Portfolio (3,000 words) + or – 10%

The green economy— a way to obtain and use resources—is a product of the Fourth Industrial
Revolution and concentrates many of the achievements of Industry 4.0. The related structural
shifts in the economy are caused by the emergence of new industries of waste recycling, zero-
emission energy production, absorption of greenhouse gases emissions, green urbanism, and
post-mining. These shifts should be matched by a parallel increase in productivity and labour
safety, improved access to drinking water, food, energy, as well as in joining the efforts of
national states and businesses in the fight against climate change, in replacing minerals with
renewable resources.

However, a true transition to a green economy is possible only with the sustainable
development of all industries and the saturation of both production and consumption with
green technologies. Green production should be developed in basic industries (mining,
energy, engineering, chemistry, transport), as well as in high-tech industries that set new
horizons for environmentally oriented modernisation. These processes, integral to sustainable
development, are united in the “green growth” concept, the main trend of green economy
development, which consists in increasing the production of so-called “sustainable goods and
services”, the main feature of which is recycling and zero emissions of toxic substances.

1- Identify a national or international organisation and discuss how would

they respond to the above scenario. Critically analyse the leadership and
sustainability practices and/or policies of the organisation utilising the
range of strategy content.
2- Discuss and classify how the sustainability offerings (products, services,
procurement, or business model facilitation) of your chosen company
specifically focus on environmental sustainability. Make use of the
company’s Annual Report or its Sustainability Report(s) and cite such
reports where used. Answer this question:

What is the company’s approach to making profit from sustainability?

3- Analyse how the challenge was managed by the organisation, with a focus
on sustainability, leadership, and transformational aspects of the context.
4- Critically discuss how the organisation altered or evolved as a result of the
change or impact.
5- Make at least two detailed and valid recommendations on potential sustainability
practices which could benefit the organisation and all stakeholders in the future. This

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 could include new technology, policies (ethics, etc), restructuring/leadership,
megatrends (AI/Cryptocurrencies), sustainability strategies, etc.

Weighting:

100%

Due date / time:

12th December 2023 at 15:00 (UK time)

Learning outcomes assessed:

Learning outcomes assessed by the task (LO1 – LO8)

Assessment criteria:

(i) Critical analysis of the strategy of the organisation, applying theories

and conceptual frameworks covered in the module (30%)
(ii) Critical application of leadership and management of change
models/theories to analyse the context in question (30%)
(iii) Discussion and synthesis of the strategy and change aspects of the
selected challenge; evidence of wider reading critically applied in your
analysis (30%)
(iv) Presentation, structure, grammar and referencing (10%)

How to submit your work:

All submissions for this component(s) of this Module must be submitted according to
these instructions. If you fail to submit this component as directed, a mark of 0 will be
awarded for the component.

Turnitin (via Moodle) is required for coursework assessments, such

as report/research papers or projects in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and in PDF
format.

There are two main reasons we want you to use Turnitin:

1. Turnitin can help you avoid academic breaches and plagiarism. When you
use Turnitin before a submission deadline, you can use the Originality Report
feature to compare your work to thousands of other sources (like websites,
Wikipedia, and even other student papers). Anything in your work that identically
matches another source is highlighted for you to see. When you use this
feature before the deadline, you will have time to revise your work to avoid an
incident of academic breach/plagiarism.

Module Guide 2023/24 p. 8

 Turnitin saves paper. When using Turnitin to electronically submit your work, you will
almost never have to submit a paper copy.

Return of your work:

Work submitted will be returned to you online through Turnitin within 15 days of the
due date. Please note that these marks will not be final and are subject to ratification
by the Final Exam Board.

REASSESSMENT ARRANGEMENTS

1. You have submitted at the first opportunity but failed: The student should use the
provided feedback for the first submission and complete the assessment again by
improving their first submission. The time/day of the submission – TBC.

2. You have not submitted at the first opportunity: in this case you have to complete
this assessment (please see above). The time/day of the submission – TBC.

LATE SUBMISSIONS
You should aim to submit all coursework by the deadline set. Meeting deadlines is
an essential employability skill, and an expectation for your course. Should you be
unable to submit your assignments on time, one of the following may be available:

• You may submit coursework up to 24 hours after the deadline. Work

submitted within 24 hours of the deadline will be subject to a fixed penalty of
5% of the total marks available (as opposed to marks obtained). Please note
that if you submit both before the deadline and during the 24-hour late
period, then the second submission will be marked and 5% deducted.
Students submitting at resit will not be eligible to submit 24 hours late.

• You may be able to request an automatic 7-day extension. You have two
opportunities to request automatic extensions in one academic year (one per
term). Follow this link to find out more about how to request an automatic
extension.

These rules normally only apply to coursework. It does not apply to examinations,
presentations, performances, practical assessments or viva voce examinations. If
you are unable to take advantage of these opportunities, then you will need to apply
for extenuating circumstances, or accept that you will receive a zero mark.

Extenuating Circumstances are circumstances which:

• impair your examination performance prevent you from attending

examinations or other types of assessment, or
• prevent you from submitting coursework or other assessed work by the
scheduled deadline date, or within 24 hours of the deadline date

Such circumstances rarely occur and would normally be:

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 • unforeseeable - in that you could have no prior knowledge of the event
concerned, and
• unpreventable - in that you could do nothing reasonably in your power to
prevent such an event, and
• expected to have a serious impact on performance

You can make an application for extenuating circumstances by following this link.

RETURN OF WORK AND FEEDBACK

Formal results are ONLY available in UEL Direct, and will be published within 8
working days of the Board, where results are formally confirmed. Any other results
are provisional / indicative but not approved.

You will receive feedback throughout your course through the following:

one-to-one or individualised (i.e. tutorials, conversations with supervisors, or

individualised comments on assignments)
generic feedback (i.e. use of rubrics, ‘Quickmarks’ in Turnitin or
standardised forms)

peer feedback (i.e. feedback from other students)

informal feedback (i.e. through in-class discussions or online forums)

self-evaluation (i.e. online checklists or reflective submissions)

other (see below)

Feedback and students’ marks should be provided within 15 working days of the due
date for summative work (i.e., work that counts towards the final course grade) and
formative work (i.e., work that is developmental and designed to help you improve).

Whilst feedback will be given on draft/formative work, it shouldn’t be assumed that

every aspect will be identified.

ONLINE SYSTEM FAILURES

If you experience a problem submitting your work online, you should notify your
lecturer/tutor by email immediately.

Deadlines are not extended unless there are significant systems problems. If UEL
finds that the issue with the system was significant, you will receive an email notifying
you of the issue and that you have been given a 24-hour extension. If you don’t
receive any email that specifically states you have been given an extension,
then the original deadline has not been changed.

Module Guide 2023/24 p. 10

 Best advice: Don’t wait until the last minute to submit your assessments
electronically.

• A guide to submitting your work through Turnitin

• A guide to viewing and understanding the similarity report in Turnitin
• Guide to Automatic Extensions
• Guide to Extenuating Circumstances
• Assessment & Feedback Policy

TEACHING SCHEDULE

DATE WEEK LECTURE & SEMINAR GUIDE

Tue & Wed 1 Introduction and Induction Introduction to the module; seminar
3, 4 Oct 23 discussion, questions and answers
Tue & Wed 2 Leadership and Developing an understanding on the
10, 11 Oct 23 Management Styles (Part difference between Management &
One) Leadership; seminar discussion,
questions and answers
Tue & Wed 3 Leadership and Exploring different Leadership Styles,
17, 18 Oct 23 Management Styles (Part case analysis and discussion; seminar
One) discussion, questions and answers;
introduction to the assignment
Tue & Wed 4 Introduction to Create awareness on the impact of
24, 25 Oct 23 Sustainability environmental change; seminar
discussion, questions and answers
Tue & Wed 5 Corporate Social Discuss key conceptual issues
31 Oct 23, 1 Responsibility: People, concerning CSR, identify and evaluate
Nov 23 Planet, Profit, and the key features of the Triple bottom line;
Triple Bottom Line seminar discussion, questions and
answers
Tue & Wed 6 Assignment Clinic Student led debate -Lets fire all
7, 8 Nov 23 managers

Tue & Wed 7 Green & Clean Innovation Discuss key conceptual issues
14, 15 Nov 23 for Sustainability, and concerning closing the loop concept,
Greenwashing Explore sustainability challenges and
advantages in a global context; seminar
discussion, questions and answers

Module Guide 2023/24 p. 11

 Tue & Wed 8 Leadership for Critically examine two of the most
21, 22 Nov 23 sustainability common forms of leadership today –
Transformational and transactional
leadership, consider the evidence in
relation to the extent to which these
forms of leadership exist; seminar
Questions, discussion & answers
Tue & Wed 9 Measuring Sustainability What does a sustainable business look
28, 29 Nov 23 Conduct like using benchmarks as a sustainability
measure, evaluate an organisation’s
sustainability-related metrics; seminar
Questions, discussion & answers
Tue & Wed 10 Guest Lecture / Seminar Questions, discussion &
5, 6 Dec 23 Assessment Focus answers; assessment guidance Q&A

Tue & Wed 11 Toxic Leadership and Seminar Questions, discussion &
12,13 Dec 23 Ethics answers

Tue & Wed 12 Module Overview: Review of Module; assessment – final

19, 20 Dec 23 focus

ENGAGEMENT AND ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS

As a UEL student you are expected to engage with all scheduled sessions, including
lectures, seminars, group work and tutorials. During extended projects and
dissertations, you must engage with dissertation work and follow attendance
guidelines for dissertation supervision set out in dissertation module specifications.

You are also expected to be punctual, to be respectful of others’ time as well as your
own, to participate whilst present, to put in time to study between classes, to prepare
for taught sessions and to be active participants in both groupwork and your own
learning experience. Our Engagement and Attendance policy sets out your
engagement and attendance requirements and why it so important to your success
as a student.

• Link to your personal timetable

• Link to the Docklands Campus Map
• Link to the Stratford Campus Map
• Link to University Square Stratford
• Link to the Guide to Room Numbers

Module Guide 2023/24 p. 12

REFERENCING

As a student you will be taught how to write correctly referenced essays. UEL's
standard Harvard referencing system is from Cite Them Right. Cite them Right is
the standard Harvard referencing style at UEL for all Schools, however professional
body requirements will take precedence for instance the School of Psychology which
uses the APA system.

• Link to Library support for referencing

• Video guide to Getting Started on Zotero
• Video guide to using referencing software Zotero
• Link to the Student Handbook page on Academic Misconduct and Plagiarism

ASSESSMENT FEEDBACK

Feedback is crucial for your learning and it is an important part of the academic
cycle. It tells you what the strengths are of your work, what its weaknesses are and
how it can be improved.

WHY IS FEEDBACK IMPORTANT?

Feedback is the most effective way to:

• Help you understand how to succeed in your assessments;

• Help you produce better work for the future;

• Signpost you to other resources for assistance.

Module Guide 2023/24 p. 13

 If you pay attention to feedback, particularly where the same comment is made in
several modules, you can use the information to improve.

WHERE DO I GET FEEDBACK?

• When a tutor comments on your answers in seminars/lectures/workshops

• General comment on assessment performance in lectures and seminars

• General comment on questions prepared for seminars

• When another student makes comments on your presentation

• When you produce practice questions for a tutor who gives comments

• When you receive written comments on your work submitted either as coursework or
exam

• When you look at general feedback on module performance on UEL Direct.

• When you see your Academic Adviser with all your assessment feedback for general
advice. You should always do this after each assessment period.

• Link to information about Student Engagement, Retention and Success

READING AND RESOURCES

CORE:
Customised KorText,or suggested reading as per session.

OTHER RESOURCES AND FORMS:

On Sustainability and Megatrends

Blowfield, M. (2013) Business and sustainability. Oxford University Press.

Blowfield, M., & Murray, A. (2011) Corporate responsibility, 2nd edn. Oxford University Press.

Module Guide 2023/24 p. 14

Bocken, N.M.P., Short, S.W., Rana, P., & Evans, S. (2014) “A Literature and practice review to develop
sustainable business model archetypes”, Journal of Cleaner Production, 65, pp. 42–56.
Boyle, G. (2012, Ed.) Renewable energy: power for a sustainable future, 3rdedn. Oxford University Press.
Deloite, (no date) Beyond the noise: The megatrends of tomorrows world. Available at
https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/nl/Documents/public-sector/deloitte-nl-ps-megatrends-
2ndedition.pdf
Weetman, C. (2016) A Circular Economy Handbook for Business and Supply Chains: Repair, Remake,
Redesign, Rethink. Kogan Page.

On leadership:

Ancelotti, C. (2017) Quiet Leadership: Winning Hearts, Minds and Matches. Portfolio Penguin.
Anderson, M.H., & Sun, P.Y.T. (2017) “Reviewing leadership styles: Overlaps and the need for a new ‘full-range’
theory’”, International Journal of Management Reviews, 19 (1), pp. 76–96.
Crevani, L., Lindgren, M., & Packendorff, J. (2007) “Shared leadership: A post-heroic perspective on leadership
as a collective construction”, International Journal of Leadership Studies, 3, pp. 40–67.
Reeves, M., Levin, S., Harnoss, J.D., & Ueda, D. (2017) “The five steps all leaders must take in the age of
uncertainty”, MIT Sloan Management Review, 11 July 2017. Available at:
http://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/the-five-steps-all-leaders-must-take-in-the-age-of-uncertainty/.

On sustainability and leadership in context:

Schein, S. (2015) A New Psychology for Sustainability Leadership: The Hidden Power of Ecological Worldviews.
Greenleaf Publishing.
Van Tulder, R., van Tilburg, R., Francken, M., da Rosa, A. (2014) Managing the Transition to A Sustainable
Enterprise: Lessons from Frontrunner Companies. Routledge.

KEY LINKS

• Academic Appeals
• Academic Integrity
• Academic Tutoring
• Assessment and Feedback Policy
• Bus Timetable
• Civic Engagement
• Complaints procedure
• Counselling
• Disability support
• Engagement & Attendance Policy
• Extensions
• Extenuation Procedures
• Frequently-Asked Questions

Module Guide 2023/24 p. 15

 • Health and Safety
• IT Support
• Library Archives and Learning Services
• Manual of General Regulations
• Mentoring
• Office for Institutional Equity
• Student Engagement, Retention and Success
• Track My Future

Module Guide 2023/24 p. 16