The Open University
Public University • UK
Showing 4 courses from The Open University
Understanding the need for a sustainable business
The Open University (via Coursera)
This course will help you to discover the features of sustainable business and how you can adopt these for business success. You will gain a high-level understanding of the critical ‘big picture’ issues facing humanity today and learn how we can address them through innovation development and implementation. You’ll consider implications for businesses arising from UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). You will assess existing business design and innovation approaches to problem solving in a sustainability context. 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.
Critical thinking for sustainable business solutions
The Open University (via Coursera)
This course will help you to discover how to flip your logical thinking and reasoning mind to enable you to generate a wide range of innovative ideas. Using techniques such as the SCAMPER (Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put, Eliminate, Reverse) method to assist in generating ideas, you will assess when to apply the different thinking modes appropriately in the ideation process. You’ll apply critical reflective thinking to avoid personal biases and unintended consequences when you develop potential solutions. You will also analyse proto-concepts critically to ensure their suitability and the likelihood of positive impact. 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.
From prototyping to validating business models
The Open University (via Coursera)
On this course, you’ll discover what sustainable business value means in the context of prototyping and validating business models. You will appraise your value proposition to stakeholders and its likely impact across people, planet, profit, and progress. You’ll develop a comprehensive snapshot of your business model value from three levels of analysis: environmental, social and business, and learn how to effectively pitch your sustainable business concepts. 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.
Thinking about sustainable business systemically
The Open University (via Coursera)
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.