EXTENDED ESSAY

Risk-taker. That is one of the IB Learner Profile attributes. Right after finishing the essay, I felt anxious about my unorthodox analysis of sustainability in relation to Amazon’s growth, especially since sustainable practices are not conventionally considered in business management case studies. I felt as if the last section of the essay was my Achilles’ heel. Yet, at this moment of doubt, looking at the Learner-Profile attributes reminded me that pursuing an unexpected path is not wrong; in fact, this element could add to the depth of analysis by providing an unconventional perspective. We live in an increasingly environmentally-conscious society, and I believe that business should not be left behind. Looking back at the entire process of my essay, I realized that this subject remained so relevant to me precisely because the connection to sustainability was always looming in my mind. In a strange way, my extended essay became a tool for me to freely explore the connections between business, growth, and sustainability. I certainly had my mistakes: I took way too much time to narrow down the scope of my research and I got frustrated when my research didn’t uncover the results I sought; however, I definitely learned a lot from this rocky path.