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Expanding Sustainable Business Education Beyond Business Schools

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Handbook of Engaged Sustainability
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Abstract

Numerous business schools include sustainability as an elective or required curriculum component. Moreover, an increasing number of businesses are implementing sustainability initiatives and programs. However, the success of this top-down approach to sustainable business may be limited by lack of sustainability awareness among entry-level workers and managers. Therefore, sustainable business education should occur at multiple academic levels, specifically community colleges, wherein students prepare for entry-level trade, management, and professional positions at businesses which have implemented or will implement sustainability programs. In this chapter, we will examine sustainable business education efforts at several community colleges. This “bottom-up” sustainable business education approach will be presented as complementary to the “top-down” approach of business schools. Readers will be invited to reflect on their sustainable business education awareness and experience, and engage colleagues at community colleges to embrace sustainable business education, furthering the development of a cosmic sustainability vision.

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Correspondence to Christopher G. Beehner .

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Beehner, C.G. (2018). Expanding Sustainable Business Education Beyond Business Schools. In: Marques, J. (eds) Handbook of Engaged Sustainability. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71312-0_51

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