How can business schools transform to address the pressing social and ecological challenges of our time? This study, recently published in the Journal of Management Studies, reveals that transformation requires more than incremental changes. Drawing on insights from social-ecological systems and social innovation research, it argues that management education must shift from a narrow focus on market efficiency to a broader, civic-oriented approach. 

This transformation isn’t just about tweaking curricula or introducing new courses on sustainability; it involves rethinking the fundamental assumptions that underpin teaching and learning in business schools. By adopting five transformative pathways, the article offers actionable strategies for educators and institutions to foster systemic change in management education, rooted in ecological and human flourishing.  

Management Education at a Crossroads 

Today’s business schools face a critical choice: remain anchored in dysfunctional, profit-driven approaches or embrace transformative change to tackle the social-ecological crises of our time. Climate change, biodiversity loss, global conflicts and widening social inequalities demand a new approach to education. Management education has, unfortunately, played a role in perpetuating these challenges by prioritizing narrow, self-interested and mechanistic perspectives. Yet, it also holds immense potential to equip future leaders with the tools and vision to create sustainable and equitable systems. 

What Needs to Change? 

To understand how management education can transform, we must first clarify what transformation entails. Unlike adaptation, which involves incremental changes to fit within existing systems, transformation requires questioning and reshaping fundamental assumptions. This means moving beyond teaching self-interest, instrumental rationality, profit-maximization and mechanistic approaches to management and embracing a broader vision that considers businesses as embedded within and reliant on healthy social and ecological systems. 

Balancing Structure and Agency 

One of the key tensions in transforming management education lies in balancing structure and agency. Structural barriers, such as performance pressures in academia, often stifle change and reinforce vicious cycles. However, deliberate and collective action by students and educators can challenge these structures and create new possibilities. Transformation requires educators to navigate these constraints with courage and humility, demonstrating that agency, when exercised collectively, can drive significant shifts. 

Five Pathways to Transform Management Education 

A combined lens of social-ecological systems and social innovation reveals five distinct transformation pathways: 

1. Scaling Deep: Changing Cultural Roots 
   Transformation begins with shifting foundational assumptions and values within management education. For instance, introducing frameworks like the planetary boundaries and fostering systems thinking can help students understand the interdependence of business, society, and the environment. 

2. Scaling Down: Redefining Power Relations 
   Challenging hierarchical and competitive structures within academia is essential. For example, reducing the emphasis on performance metrics can create space for educators to focus on fostering collaboration and critical thinking. 

3. Scaling With: Strengthening Partnerships 
   Collaboration across disciplines and institutions can amplify transformative efforts. Networks like the MEND collective exemplify how educators can support each other in implementing post-growth pedagogical practices. 

4. Scaling Out: Extending Reach 
   Sharing successful practices and ideas widely, such as open access to teaching materials or mentoring colleagues, can help spread transformative approaches. 

5. Scaling Up: Influencing Policies and Regulations  
   Institutional buy-in is crucial for lasting change, and student activism can be a powerful catalyst. At the University of Barcelona, student protests led to a mandatory climate change module for all students, demonstrating how student activism, combined with institutional commitment, can drive significant shifts in management education. 

Why This Matters 

Transforming management education is not just about addressing the challenges within business schools but about equipping society to navigate and address complex global issues. By embedding civic and ecological principles into the core of education, we prepare leaders to prioritize sustainability, equity, and resilience in their decision-making. 

For educators, transforming management education means rethinking curricula, pedagogy, and their roles within institutions. For instance, educators can design assignments that encourage students to assess the sustainability of business practices through lenses like planetary boundaries or social justice. Exploring outdoor learning and embodied experiences can also help students connect with the real-world implications of management decisions.  

For policymakers, this transformation means supporting reforms that prioritize public good over market competition. For example, policies that foster sustainability-focused education can create the institutional environment necessary for meaningful change. 

For students, it means engaging critically with the systems they study and aspiring to lead transformative change. Encouraging students to critically evaluate business practices and engage in civic activities empowers them to apply their knowledge beyond the classroom.  

Finally, institutional support is critical to enable educators and students to experiment with and adopt transformative practices. This includes fostering interdisciplinary work, which is fundamental for addressing complex and interconnected challenges.  

Ultimately, transformation requires a commitment to continuous reflection and action across multiple levels. Transforming management education is essential for equipping future leaders with the tools to navigate the world’s most pressing challenges.