Macquarie MBA Prof. Says Programs Must Focus on Climate Change: MBA News

By Pavel Kantorek Updated Apr 30, 2016

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The Role of Business Schools? Asks Macquarie MBA Professor

Macquarie MBA Prof. Says Programs Must Focus on Climate Change: MBA News main image

MBA programs must tackle the business issues of climate change, writes a Macquarie MBA professor in the Financial Times.

Professor John Mathews teaches innovation, as well as marketing and strategic management, at Macquarie Graduate School of Management in Sydney, Australia. He points out that while international initiatives such as the Global Climate Fund suffer as member countries "squabble over how to raise the $200m" deemed necessary to tackle climate change, other organizations say that far more money is needed.

The Role of Business Schools? Asks Macquarie MBA Professor

"Here, then," writes Mathews, "is the ultimate mismatch that business and business schools should be expected to address. We see a vast challenge and entrepreneurial opportunity opening up - with completely inadequate public funding being discussed to meet it. Private finance will have to step in to the breach and take control of a process that is floundering.

"A perfect moment for business schools to prove their worth. Yet where do we find serious discussion of these issues and financing opportunities?"

The Macquarie MBA professor argues that many "Green MBA" programs currently focus more on corporate social responsibility issues, rather than addressing the problem of climate change and how the world's future business leaders might be able address the problem. Meanwhile, financially focussed modules on MBA programs seem to be concerned with traditional aspects of finance, and might fail to include topics focussed on 'green finance.'

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Pavel Kantorek

Mansoor is a contributor to and former editor of TopMBA.com. He is a higher and business education specialist, who has been published in media outlets around the world. He studied English literature at BA and MA level and has a background in consumer journalism.