Abstract:

In the realm of business education, sustainability has emerged as a pivotal element, necessitating a nuanced understanding that transcends mere economic rationale. This study seeks to embed a triple-layered vision of sustainability within business models by incorporating it into academic curricula and classroom methodologies. The primary aim is to examine the influence of explicitly integrating environmental and social sustainability criteria on the decision-making processes of students in supply chain management, with a specific focus on supplier selection.

A practical exercise was devised for students, who assumed the role of cafeteria managers, to choose between two distinct orange suppliers: a commercial retailer and a local farmer. The students were instructed to establish five evaluation criteria, mandating the inclusion of at least one environmental and one social factor, assign weights to each criterion, and subsequently score each supplier based on these parameters. The ultimate decision depended on the aggregated weighted score.

The findings revealed a tendency among students to prioritize conventional criteria such as cost, quality and availability. Environmental considerations often pertained to transportation pollution and product mileage, while social factors encompassed support for local trade and adherence to labor rights. Despite the dominance of economic factors in their decision-making, environmental and social criteria were discernibly less influential. Nevertheless, a significant majority leaned towards the local supplier when all sustainability criteria were considered, indicating a shift in decision-making dynamics with the integration of sustainability aspects.

The research demonstrates that integrating sustainability considerations significantly sways student choices, advocating an educational paradigm shift. This pedagogical approach not only fosters awareness of sustainability's critical role in business management but also underscores how education can be instrumental in shaping future professionals cognizant of their environmental and social impact.

Keywords:

Sustainability, Business Education, Supply Chain Management, Decision-Making, Environmental and Social Criteria.