TEACHING

The Strategy Capstone is a unique course at business schools around the world. It is expected to reinforce students’ prior learning in core business disciplines, to introduce theories and tools of strategic management, and to provide experiential learning opportunities that prepare students for their future careers. As emerging technologies and pedagogical innovations reshape business education, the Capstone must evolve to meet these challenges while maintaining its integrative role. The Strategy Capstone PDW brings together an international panel of scholar-teachers to address foundational challenges and emerging developments in Capstone education. The panelists represent diverse perspectives that range from senior chaired professors to emerging scholars. The interactive discussion and audience Q&A will cover such topics as: innovative teaching methods and final deliverables; the increasing importance of artificial intelligence in strategic management, both as a teaching tool and as a subject of study; integration of sustainability frameworks and objectives (e.g., UNPRME); and opportunities to enhance cross-functional integration among various business disciplines and student experiences. Building on the success of the first Strategy Capstone PDW in Boston 2023, the three co-moderators bring a combined 40+ years of experience teaching capstone and inter-disciplinary classes. The session aims to strengthen our community of Strategy Capstone educators while advancing traditional best practices and creative approaches to enhance student learning outcomes.

This course equips executive leaders and board members with the critical tools to govern sustainability effectively in a rapidly evolving business landscape. Participants will explore the strategic importance of ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) integration, including its impact on fiduciary duties, stakeholder relations, risk management, and long-term value creation. Through real-world case studies—like Ant Forest and Olam—and practical frameworks, executives will learn to lead ESG transformations, set credible targets, and align reporting with global standards. The course emphasizes boardroom literacy in sustainability, offering actionable insights into regulatory compliance, culture change, and performance accountability, preparing leaders to ask the right questions and steer their organizations toward resilient, purpose-driven growth.

The Capstone course allows students to apply a cross-disciplinary approach while considering both business model architecture and the formulation of business solutions. It prepares students for the complex business environment of today by emphasising the application of academic knowledge accumulated from a range of prior core courses to solving real world problems. The course develops in students an ability to: strategically position the client and its challenge within an environmental context; appropriately scope the challenge of the client; develop and execute a workplan to address the challenge; and develop solutions by establishing a fact-base through directed primary and secondary research, drawing out relevant insights through analytic review, and engaging in abstract idea generation. The course exposes students to the uncertainties and ambiguity that exists within real-world business landscapes and organisational environments of industry clients, as well as, the challenges with engaging busy business executives and convincing them and their organisation of innovative solutions that have been devised by the students that address the client’s real-world challenges.