Balancing Growth and Sustainability: Insights from a Business Simulation on Responsible Management Education

In response to growing sustainability imperatives, business education must equip future graduates with the ability to balance economic growth with responsible management. This study examines how postgraduate students navigated that challenge through a simulation-based learning experience, framed by Responsible Management Education (RME) and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Using a mixed-methods approach, the research combined performance data from SimVenture Evolution with qualitative reflections from student teams. Results revealed diverse strategies in balancing growth and sustainability: some teams integrated sustainability into long-term planning, while others prioritised short-term gains. These variations presented ethical tensions and trade-offs, prompting critical reflection on sustainability as both a strategic and values-driven concern.

Notably, the study highlighted confusion between authentic sustainability and performative efforts like greenwashing, signalling a need for deeper pedagogical scaffolding. Simulations proved effective in developing RME competencies, particularly systems thinking and ethical reasoning.

The findings underscore the value of experiential learning in preparing graduates to lead responsibly in dynamic business environments and offers practical insights for educators embedding sustainability into business curricula.