Subject description

Subject title:

Entrepreneurship and sustainable development

Content:

Sustainable development is a topic of current interest, especially in the debate on energy consumption.
It represents not only ecological perspectives though; sustainable development is also about long
lasting and sound development of economic and social areas of the society.

Different actions that hold ideas on sustainable development have been taken by governments’ world
wide during the recent years. One example is common regulations concerning carbon emission trade in
the EU. Another is the United nations Environment program (UNEP) which is working on what has
become known as a “New green deal“. Characteristic for these kinds of regulations and programs are a
tendency of limiting existing markets, something that on the other hand create possibilities for
entrepreneurs to discover and develop new markets.

The demand for products and services within societies implementing the ideas and concepts of
sustainable development will most likely increase in large scale during the next decade. But how may
entrepreneurs implement ideas of sustainable development in their businesses? One concrete way is to
develop new products and services that take into account the critical conditions of a sustainable
development business environment. This environment is a window of opportunity for those
entrepreneurs who embrace it.

Learning objectives:

 Provide examples of entrepreneurial activities in the Northern Europe region within sustainable
development businesses
 Describe conditions specific for entrepreneurial activities within sustainable development
businesses

Working methods:
Literature research and research of other sources; discussions within the student group; during their
presentation they should use practical examples and exercises involving the audience.

Literature/Other Sources:

Broekhoff D, Zyla K (2008) Outside The Cap: Opportunities and Limitations of Greenhouse Gas
Offsets, Available online: http://www.wri.org/publication/outside-the-cap
Heilmayr R, HouserT, M Shashank (2009) A Green Global Recovery? Assessing U.S. Economic Stimulus
and Prospects for International Coordination, Available online: http://www.wri.org/publication/green-
global-recovery

Nef (2008) UK needs ‘Green New Deal’ to tackle ‘triple crunch’ of credit, oil price and climate crises,
Available online: http://www.neweconomics.org/gen/greennewdealneededforuk210708.aspx, published
21/07/08

The Stern report. (2009) Available at: http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/stern_review_report.htm

Time magazine (2009) Denmark's Wind of Change, Available at:

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1881646,00.html , published 25/02/09

Contact information of supervisor:

Assistant professor Mathias Cöster

Gotland university

mathias.coster@hgo.se

Expected outcomes:

 Group report = 10-15 pages (one page approx. 2600 characters incl. spaces)
 Presentation = 5 minutes/student for each presentation (all group member ought to present)