Responsible Management Education and Its Potential as an Epistemic Object of Change

Abstract

This study examines whether and how RME can be performed as an epistemic object to broaden business schools’ education on climate change. The research builds on a qualitative case study involving 10 Finnish business schools. The analysis reveals that RME is performed as both an epistemic object and a boundary object, with different implications for its embeddedness within institutions. Our findings show how accreditations have introduced RME as a boundary object enforcing performativity around sustainability themes yet enabling disciplines to maintain their distinct or limited roles. At the same time, RME is met with both resistance and compliance, depending on how well the object fits with disciplinary boundaries and career trajectories. Lastly, as an epistemic object, RME encourages co‐reflexivity, which is essential for climate‐proofing business schools. We discuss the possibilities of a hybrid orientation of RME as both a boundary object and an epistemic object for enforcing climate‐orientation in management education.