{"id":78420,"date":"2025-09-30T00:06:43","date_gmt":"2025-09-30T04:06:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/world.edu\/?p=78420"},"modified":"2025-09-30T00:06:43","modified_gmt":"2025-09-30T04:06:43","slug":"are-business-schools-priming-students-for-a-world-that-no-longer-exists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/world.edu\/are-business-schools-priming-students-for-a-world-that-no-longer-exists\/","title":{"rendered":"Are business schools priming students for a world that no longer exists?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Endless economic expansion isn\u2019t sustainable. Scientists are telling us our planet is already\u00a0beyond its limits<\/a>, with the risks to communities and the economy made clear in the federal government\u2019s recent\u00a0climate risk assessment<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Sustainability is a hot topic in Australian business schools. However, teaching about the possible need to limit economic growth \u2013 whether directly or indirectly related to sustainability \u2013 is uncommon.<\/p>\n

Typically, business school teaching is based on concepts of\u00a0sustainable development<\/a>\u00a0and \u201cgreen growth<\/a>\u201d. Under these scenarios, we can continue to grow gross domestic product (GDP) globally without continuing to grow emissions \u2013 what is known as \u201cdecoupling<\/a>\u201d. It\u2019s a \u201chave your cake and eat it too\u201d promise for sustainability.<\/p>\n

Our new research published in the journal\u00a0Futures<\/a>\u00a0shows business students themselves are interested in learning the skills they would need under an alternative post-growth future.<\/p>\n

Emerging alternatives to \u2018growth is good\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

There is\u00a0mounting evidence<\/a>\u00a0of the difficulty of \u201cdecoupling\u201d economic growth from emissions growth. The United Nations goals of sustainable development are \u201cin peril<\/a>\u201d.<\/p>\n

This has led to increased interest in no-growth or post-growth economic models and to the movement towards degrowth.\u00a0Degrowth<\/a>\u00a0means shrinking economic production to use less of the world\u2019s resources and avoid climate crisis.<\/p>\n

Explicit teaching of degrowth rejects the belief in endless growth. This presents a challenge to traditional concepts in business education, including profit maximisation, competition and the notion of \u201cfree markets\u201d.<\/p>\n

The issue, and one that degrowth invites students to consider, is that green growth and sustainable development are underpinned by the need for continued economic growth and development. This \u201cgrowth obsession<\/a>\u201d is pushing the planet and society to its limits.<\/p>\n

Students are keen<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Our new study provides a snapshot of students\u2019 interest in alternative systems. It reveals 90% of respondents are open to learning about different economic models.<\/p>\n

The study found 96% of students believe business leaders must understand alternative models to continued economic growth. Yet only 15% were aware of any alternatives that may exist. Most (71%) believed viable alternatives exist, but they admitted to lacking sufficient knowledge.<\/p>\n

The study had 61 participants currently studying a masters of business administration (MBA) in a top Australian institution.<\/p>\n

The research raises the question: if future business leaders are not made aware of alternatives, won\u2019t they continue to assume growth is \u201cinherently good\u201d, and perpetuate the business practices that have pushed humanity beyond planetary boundaries?<\/p>\n

The trouble with endless growth<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Advocates of the \u201cbeyond growth<\/a>\u201d agenda argue endless growth is not possible. They promote alternate\u00a0measures of progress<\/a>\u00a0to GDP, such as the recent\u00a0Measuring What Matters<\/a>\u00a0report.<\/p>\n

Degrowth proposes scaling back the consumption of resources as part of a transition to\u00a0post-growth economies<\/a>. Their aim is what economist Tim Jackson calls\u00a0prosperity<\/a>\u00a0without growth. This entails businesses sharing value with communities, and reducing production of things like fast fashion, fast food and fast tech.<\/p>\n

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A post shared by Breana Davidson (@breeonabudget)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n