New conceptual framework for fashion business ideation, negotiation, and implementation undergraduate curricula for sustainable development

Abstract

Fashion business curricula pay little attention to soft-skills that are directly helping to achieve sustainability goals. This study offered a new conceptual framework based on extensive review of literature in the areas of creativity, communication, leadership, and sustainability while incorporating essential skills needed for enhancing sustainability goals of fashion business operations. To ensure sustainability goals are being met, the study argued that during the idea generation stage, creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration skills are necessary; during the negotiating stage, active listening, interpersonal skills, and emotional control skills are critical; and the implementation stage requires administrative skills and creative visioning skills. The conceptual model could be useful for future fashion business curriculum development that would emphasise the achievement of sustainability by incorporating these skills. This research calls for new educational research agendas to investigate how these unique skill sets could be taught and learned in fashion business classes.