This version of POLECON POLECON 230 is especially focused on sustainability: Environmental problems are viewed as money left on the table; solving them is a business opportunity. In some cases, the problems arise because of weak regulation, while in other cases companies succeed only by interacting constructively with nonmarket players such as politicians, interest groups, activists, regulators, and bureaucrats. These players all work within the public institutions that determine the "rules of the game" for market activity. The goal of the course is to build a deeper understanding of, and appreciation for, what goes on beyond the market, and to develop tools and frameworks with which to analyze the situation and build integrated strategies. The course is case-based, drawing on case studies from a variety of countries and institutional environments.
2 units · GSB Letter Graded
This version of POLECON 230 is especially focused on sustainability: Environmental problems are viewed as money left on the table; solving them is a business opportunity. In some cases, the problems arise because of weak regulation, while in other cases companies succeed only by interacting constructively with nonmarket players such as politicians, interest groups, activists, regulators, and bureaucrats. These players all work within the public institutions that determine the "rules of the game" for market activity. The goal of the course is to build a deeper understanding of, and appreciation for, what goes on beyond the market, and to develop tools and frameworks with which to analyze the situation and build integrated strategies. The course is case-based, drawing on case studies from a variety of countries and institutional environments.
Offered in Spring 2026 at Stanford University.