Holding a sustainability bearing through cutty-grass and clearings: Implementing sustainability during disruptive organisational changes

Type of content
Journal Article
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Journal Title
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Date
2013
Authors
North, Chris
Jansen C
Abstract

This article explores our experiences as faculty implementing a five year sustainability strategic plan within the Outdoor and Environmental Education (OEE) curriculum centre during a time of organisational restructuring. This paper builds on the work of Jansen and Boardman (2011) who describe the process of developing the strategic plan and some initiatives arising from it. Now at the end of the five year timeframe and with the benefit of hindsight, we describe some of the problematic aspects of our sustainability initiative. The role of a strategic plan appears crucial in providing a general bearing, however remaining ‘true’ to a small centre and its vision also limited possibilities for interdisciplinary sustainability. We discuss how disruptive organisational changes provided unexpected opportunities for our sustainability initiative. The ongoing journey through ‘cutty-grass thickets’ and ‘clearings’ for sustainability is described with a view to providing inspired self generalisation for others on a similar journey.

Description
Citation
North C, Jansen C (2013). Holding a sustainability bearing through cutty-grass and clearings: Implementing sustainability during disruptive organisational changes. Australian Journal of Outdoor Education. 16(2). 2-11.
Keywords
sustainability education, higher education, outdoor education
Ngā upoko tukutuku/Māori subject headings
ANZSRC fields of research
39 - Education::3903 - Education systems::390303 - Higher education
39 - Education::3904 - Specialist studies in education::390403 - Educational administration, management and leadership
35 - Commerce, management, tourism and services::3507 - Strategy, management and organisational behaviour::350702 - Corporate social responsibility
41 - Environmental sciences::4104 - Environmental management::410403 - Environmental education and extension
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