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Business & Entrepreneurship & Economics

Sustainable Business Relationships: What, Why, and How?

When:

14 July - 18 July 2025

School:

ELTE Business Economics Summer University

Institution:

Eötvös Loránd University

City:

Budapest

Country:

Hungary

Credits:

3 EC

Fee:

390 EUR

Early Bird deadline 30 April 2025
Interested?
Sustainable Business Relationships: What, Why, and How?

About

In today’s increasingly interconnected and environmentally conscious world, businesses face growing pressure to develop sustainable relationships with their stakeholders. This means considering the economic, environmental, and social impacts of these relationships and acting ethically and responsibly. Business relationships enable exchanges between companies and serve as pathways for organizational, environmental, and societal change. They bring together buyer and seller organizations, along with their employees, for potentially long periods of time, fostering mutual learning and the development of shared norms. The dynamics within and around business relationships can have significant consequences across supply chains and distribution channels, either driving or hindering sustainable development.

This course introduces the fundamental principles, challenges, and practices involved in building and maintaining sustainable business relationships. Through a combination of theoretical frameworks, real-world case studies, and interactive discussions, students will examine what sustainable business relationships are, why they are essential for long-term business success, and how they can be effectively implemented across industries and cultural contexts.

Course leader

Ilkka Ojansivu is an Associate Professor of Marketing at the Oulu Business School, University of Oulu, Finland. His research interests include business relationships, business networks, and B2B projects, with a focus on sustainability, interaction processes, institutionalization, boundaries, temporary organizations, and ontology.

Target group

BA and MA students, recent graduates

Course aim

After completing this course, students will be able to:
- Explain the concept of sustainable business relationships and their relevance in modern business environments.
- Analyze the benefits and challenges of implementing sustainability in business relationships.
- Apply frameworks and strategies to build sustainable relationships with diverse stakeholders.
- Evaluate real-world cases of sustainable and unsustainable business relationships.
- Reflect on societal, cultural and ethical dimensions of sustainability in business contexts.

Fee info

Fee

390 EUR, regular

Fee

290 EUR, early bird until 30 April

Interested?

When:

14 July - 18 July 2025

School:

ELTE Business Economics Summer University

Institution:

Eötvös Loránd University

Credits:

3 EC

Early Bird deadline 30 April 2025 Visit school

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