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Thinking about sustainable business systemically

This course is part of Sustainable Business Strategy for Future Leaders Specialization

Instructor: Haider Ali

Included with

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4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

1 week to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

1 week to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Go beyond the limitations of existing methodologies and business design approaches to serve complex ecosystem needs and problems
Design and implement new sustainable business concepts and business models grounded in People, Planet, Profit and Progress centric thinking and doing

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

9 assignments

Taught in English

91%

of learners achieved a positive career outcome

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

Learn more about Coursera for Business

logos of Petrobras, TATA, Danone, Capgemini, P&G and L'Oreal

Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the Sustainable Business Strategy for Future Leaders Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 4 modules in this course

On this course, you’ll examine the process, methodology and impact of global circular economy initiatives.

You’ll use systems thinking and mapping to understand the underlying dynamics and interaction of your problem-opportunity space and explore the likely impacts and effects of changing and/or influencing key elements of your systems. You’ll also identify key ‘leverage points’ of potential change across your systems map that you can address through future business interventions. Via text-based resources and task books, you’ll gain comprehensive understanding and benefit from in-depth reference points as you formulate your ideas and plans.

Module details

This week, you will learn about the benefits of a circular economy and examine what steps you should take to frame a specific challenge before you attempt to solve it.

What's included

2 videos11 readings2 assignments1 discussion prompt

2 videosTotal 15 minutes

Video 2.1 Helen Burdett, Head of Circular Economy at the World Economic Forum – Interview 1 (7 mins)8 minutes
Video 2.2 Helen Burdett, Head of Circular Economy at the World Economic Forum – Interview 2 (7 mins)7 minutes

11 readingsTotal 51 minutes

Welcome to the course4 minutes
Course requirements6 minutes
Engaging with your tasks7 minutes
Reintroducing the circular economy6 minutes
Your task: World Economic Forum’s Scale360° initiative to enable circular economy (Part 1)3 minutes
Thoughts from your course instructor2 minutes
Your task: World Economic Forum’s Scale360° initiative to enable circular economy (Part 2)4 minutes
Thoughts from your course instructor2 minutes
Your sustainable challenge domains5 minutes
Your task: Defining your business challenge space10 minutes
Week 1 summary2 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 60 minutes

How much do you know already?30 minutes
Week 1 assignment30 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes

Your task: Introduce yourself10 minutes

This week, you will address complex issues within multi-stakeholder settings, often with divergent perspectives. You will learn how to create, map and analyse problems across stakeholders using systems thinking to understand complex dynamics and their interrelatedness across your chosen challenge space.

What's included

1 video14 readings3 assignments1 discussion prompt

1 videoTotal 10 minutes

Video 2.3 introducing systems mapping10 minutes

14 readingsTotal 195 minutes

Welcome to Week 22 minutes
Introduction to systems thinking3 minutes
What is a system?8 minutes
Traditional problem thinking: in search of a single solution5 minutes
Combining systems thinking and design thinking5 minutes
Systems mapping2 minutes
When to create a system map10 minutes
Systems boundaries and dynamics5 minutes
Your task: System dynamics45 minutes
Stakeholder interviews: primary research6 minutes
How to conduct stakeholder interviews68 minutes
Summarising your stakeholder interview insights30 minutes
Other primary data sources to consider4 minutes
Week 2 summary2 minutes

3 assignmentsTotal 70 minutes

Your task: Differences between systems thinking and design thinking10 minutes
Week 2 self-assessment30 minutes
Week 2 assignment30 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 20 minutes

Your task: Write your problem statement20 minutes

This week, you will pick up threads from the three preceding lessons and move on to building a systems map related to your challenge space.

What's included

6 readings2 assignments

This week, you will decide what to include and exclude from your map given the underlying complexities of your stakeholder ecosystem, and decide where you might need to intervene within your system.