Does Management Learning and Education Address Climate Change Imperative? A Systematic Review and an Urgent Call for Research

Abstract

While climate change initiatives are increasingly addressed by Management Learning and Education (MLE) institutions and actors of higher and continuing education, the existing literature remains constrained by the lens of Responsible MLE, limiting a broader and transformative perspective on this unprecedented challenge. This article has two main objectives: (1) to examine how the MLE literature incorporates climate change and (2) to propose a specific framework for the emerging and evolving field of Climate Change MLE. To achieve these objectives, we conducted a systematic literature review following the PRISMA protocol, which identified 22 relevant articles. The review reveals three distinct yet complementary approaches that collectively shape a progressive Climate Change MLE: (i) climate change knowledge, (ii) Earth System Science, and (iii) the Anthropocene. Furthermore, this emerging literature is supported by three foundational pillars: (a) Imagination, (b) Radicalization, and (c) Collaboration. These pillars provide transformative pathways to move beyond Responsible Management Education and reimagine MLE in response to the climate crisis. The article concludes with an urgent call for further research to design and implement a new, alternative Climate Change MLE that meets the scale and urgency of climate change.