After the 1997-98 Asia financial crisis and the 2008-09 financial tsunami Europe and the United States, corporate governance and social responsibility have attracted widespread public attention and debates. In the past few decades, our Asian organizations have undergone dramatic transformations in their governance strategies and practices. However, what are the characteristics of corporate governance in Asia? How are Asian organizations adapting their governance in response to the dynamic business and regulatory environment? What are the impacts? Most of these questions are still under-explored. This is mainly because we do not fully understand our institutional and business environment and how these factors affect corporate and managerial behaviors. This course is designed to provide a theoretical framework to analyze these questions.

Note: This course is not open to candidates who have taken or are taking MACC7011 or PMGM7021.

Many countries have enacted or are enacting new rules and laws to regulate corporate behaviors or investment activities. For example, investment funds must follow through their ESG labels and objectives. One of the goals of such rules and laws is to curb greenwashing. Firms need to manage their activities to comply with regulations and achieve desired ESG outcomes. This course presents major ESG regulations around the world, especially in EU, China, and US. It will also discuss how corporations and investment firms can best cope with regulations to benefit stakeholders.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has regularly released comprehensive reports on climate change, global warming and environmental crisis in the past three decades. However, there are still debates and skepticism on the current status, causes and consequences of climate change. This course covers relevant topics related to the economic, scientific, and engineering issues on climate change. Measurement and methodologies for climate change issues will be discussed, with linkage to climate finance tools. Understanding such issues help students to understand technological solutions to climate change such as carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS).

Firms and people can first and foremost manage their own behaviors on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues, such as reducing their own carbon footprint. However, doing so alone is probably not enough to achieve net-zero, especially without strictly enforced government regulations. This course discusses the life cycle assessment of products and processes. It provides systematic analysis of sustainable supply chain management. Besides discussions on producers, how consumers can help rein in ESG activities by corporation is also examined.

The landscape of market practices in environmental, social and governance (ESG) is fast changing. One useful learning method to grasp ESG concepts and products is to participate in actual business scenarios, such as internships or international trips. This course allows students to gain first-hand experience and knowledge about ESG practices and developments. Students are required to submit a proposal with learning objectives for approval in order to enroll into this course. The project can be conducted locally or overseas, with an external corporation or organization. It can be in the form of internship or field study. Students will need to submit a final report, endorsed by the industry sponsor, to the programme for assessment.

The practices and research in the field of sustainable finance and ESG are fast developing. This course provides a venue to discuss current hot and important topics in the relevant areas. The content of this course will not overlap with that of other courses and can vary over time. The exact topics including potential research projects and debates will be determined by the course instructor.

This course introduces the basic principles and analysis of environmental and resource economics. It covers market developments, policies and regulations on natural resources. Basic concepts and analytical tools are illustrated, with a focus on current debates. The overall cost and benefit of environmental and resources use will be discussed. Incentives of market players and government bodies will be examined.

This course is designed to provide students an opportunity to acquire first-hand knowledge of international business environment. Experiential learning and knowledge exchange will be applied throughout the study field trip to develop students’ understanding of international business environment in a different cultural context and help them construct a global perspective. Firm visits and cultural related activities will be arranged during the study field trip to arouse students’ awareness in cultural diversity and enhance their understanding of how culture can impact international business strategy.

Note: This course is not open to candidates who have taken or are taking MACC7025, ECON6100, MFIN7057, PMGM7016, MSBA7034 or MSMK7020.

This course explains the most current and emerging developments in data-driven approaches to sustainability management and climate risk assessment. It serves as a bridge between academic studies and industry practice through direct engagement with leading data scientists, climate risk modelers, sustainability data officers, and fintech innovators who are actively shaping the future of climate analytics and risk management in Hong Kong, Asia, and globally. The course has both lectures and features distinguished industry speakers from climate data platforms, regulatory bodies, asset management firms, and carbon accounting startups, as well as policy makers. The cutting-edge topics include climate scenario analysis, physical and transition risk modeling, ESG data aggregation and quality control, natural language processing for climate disclosures, and machine learning applications in carbon footprinting. Students will gain firsthand insights into the practical challenges and opportunities facing practitioners who harness data analytics for sustainable accounting and finance.

This course introduces current topics on sustainability, technology, and business. This is a professional seminar-style course designed to provide students with real-time exposure to the most current and emerging developments at the intersection of sustainable practices, technological innovation, and business transformation. This course serves as a bridge between academic theory and industry practice through direct engagement with leading sustainability strategists and entrepreneurs who are actively shaping the future of responsible business in Hong Kong, Asia, and globally. The course employs an interactive seminar format featuring distinguished industry speakers as well as policy advisors and other experts. The course covers cutting-edge topics including the role of artificial intelligence in decarbonization, blockchain for supply chain transparency, and ESG data analytics. Students will gain firsthand insights into the practical challenges and opportunities facing practitioners who leverage technology to advance sustainability goals.