Abstract
This study assesses the effectiveness of new didactic interventions aimed at developing a paradox mindset—a capability to manage contradictions between interdependent elements for decision-making—among students. Conducted through a Randomized Controlled Trial (N=120), the research involves an 8-hour teaching intervention, incorporating active learning strategies using case studies, multiple-goal quizzes, polarity mapping tool, and systems thinking modeling to discuss paradoxical tension, multiple goals pursuit, and interdependence between sustainability and profitability. We find that a stronger paradox mindset enhances the integration of sustainability and profitability goals. While the teaching intervention can develop a paradox mindset among students, the effect is heterogeneous. Students with an average paradox mindset prior to the intervention show significant development in the paradox mindset scale. However, students with a low initial paradox mindset show a reduction in the paradox mindset scale after intervention. These findings suggest that students’ paradox mindset is a ‘state’ that can be situationally activated and potentially enhanced depending on students’ initial background.