Fashion Futures: A Role-Playing Exercise in Sustainable Stakeholder Negotiations

Abstract

This article presents an innovative experiential learning exercise designed to engage undergraduate students in the complex challenges of sustainable fashion. The exercise employs a role-playing simulation that immerses students in stakeholder negotiations, fostering a deep understanding of the multifaceted issues surrounding sustainability in the fashion industry. Grounded in stakeholder theory and environmental ethics and aligned with the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) i5 Playbook, the activity encourages students to explore the tensions between economic growth, environmental protection, and social equity. Participants assume roles representing key stakeholders, and through structured rounds of position development, policy negotiation, and evaluation, students grapple with real-world challenges that help develop critical thinking skills, enhance their understanding of stakeholder management, and gain practical experience in collaborative problem-solving. This exercise contributes to management education by offering a hands-on approach to teaching sustainability concepts, preparing future business leaders to navigate the complexities of implementing sustainable practices in a global industry.

Keywords

sustainable fashion societal impact experiential learning stakeholder negotiations environmental ethics PRME i5 playbook

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

AACSB. (2023, February). AACSB and societal impact: Aligning with the AACSB 2020 business accreditation standards. https://www.aacsb.edu/-/media/documents/accreditation/aacsb-and-societal-impact.pdf

Bedor

S. A.

Kamis

Shafie

Puad

F. N. A.

Jamaluddin

Rahim

M. B.

(2021). Issues and trends in fashion education sustainability. Asian Journal of Vocational Education and Humanities, 2(1), 9–18.

Bhardwaj

Fairhurst

(2010). Fast fashion: Response to changes in the fashion industry. The International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research, 20(1), 165–173.

Brennan

(2021). Environmental ethics. In Zalta

E. N.

(Ed.), The Stanford encyclopedia of philosophy (Winter 2021 ed.). https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2021/entries/ethics-environmental/

Cantor

J. A.

(1995). Experiential Learning in Higher Education: Linking Classroom and Community. ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report No. 7. ERIC Clearinghouse on Higher Education, Graduate School of Education and Human Development, The George Washington University.

Eyler

(2009). The power of experiential education. Liberal Education, 95(4), 24–31.

Fletcher

Grose

(2012). Fashion & sustainability: Design for change. Hachette UK.

Freeman

R. E.

(2010). Strategic management: A stakeholder approach. Cambridge University Press.

Henninger

C. E.

Alevizou

P. J.

Oates

C. J.

(2016). What is sustainable fashion? Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal, 20(4), 400–416.

10.

Jamaludin

K. A.

(2024). Pedagogical approaches for sustainable fashion design curriculum: A systematic literature review. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development, 13(1), 1719–1738.

11.

Kolb

A. Y.

Kolb

D. A.

(2005). Learning styles and learning spaces: Enhancing experiential learning in higher education. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 4(2), 193–212.

12.

Kozlowski

Searcy

Bardecki

(2018). The reDesign canvas: Fashion design as a tool for sustainability. Journal of Cleaner Production, 183, 194–207.

13.

Kuh

G. D.

(2008). High-impact educational practices. Peer Review, 10(4), 30.

14.

Minhus

S. M.

Wang

Hui

(2024). Sustainable education empower large-scale revolution for fashion industry. IntechOpen. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.112170

15.

Mitchell

R. K.

Agle

B. R.

Wood

D. J.

(1997). Toward a theory of stakeholder identification and salience: Defining the principle of who and what really counts. The Academy of Management Review, 22(4), 853–886. https://doi.org/10.2307/259247

16.

Niinimäki

(2015). Ethical foundations in sustainable fashion. Textiles and Clothing Sustainability, 1(1), 1–11.

17.

Niinimäki

Peters

Dahlbo

Perry

Rissanen

Gwilt

(2020). The environmental price of fast fashion. Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, 1(4), 189–200.

18.

Papamichael

Chatziparaskeva

Voukkali

Navarro Pedreno

Jeguirim

Zorpas

A. A.

(2023). The perception of circular economy in the framework of fashion industry. Waste Management & Research: The Journal of the International Solid Wastes and Public Cleansing Association, ISWA, 41(2), 251–263. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X221126435

19.

Pookulangara

Shephard

(2013). Slow fashion movement: Understanding consumer perceptions—An exploratory study. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 20(2), 200–206.

20.

Rahman

Fung

B. C. M.

(2023). A systematic literature review of fashion, sustainability, and consumption using a mixed methods approach. Sustainability, 15(16), 12213. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151612213

21.

Sahimaa

Miller

E. M.

Halme

Niinimäki

Tanner

Mäkelä

Rissanen

Härri

Hummel

(2024). From simplistic to systemic sustainability in the textile and fashion industry. Circular Economy and Sustainability, 4, 1115–1131.

22.

Thorisdottir

T. S.

Johannsdottir

(2019). Sustainability within fashion business models: A systematic literature review. Sustainability, 11(8), 1–26.

23.

United Nations Principles for Responsible Management Education. (2024). Digital impactful five (i5) playbook. https://www.unprme.org/resources/digital-impactful-five-i5-playbook/

24.

von Busch

. (2022). “What is to be sustained?”: Perpetuating systemic injustices through sustainable fashion. Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy, 18(1), 400–409.

25.

Wagner

M. M.

Heinzel

(2020). Human perceptions of recycled textiles and circular fashion: A systematic literature review. Sustainability, 12(24), 10599.