At the end of the course, the student should have developed an acute comprehension of the importance of ethical and responsible behavior in management practice and corporate activities. In particular, the student should be able to:
1. Critically examine the values and ethical assumptions brought to business decisions, both by himself and by others;
2. Identify societal issues and considerations linked to business activity and question ‘business as usual’ practices;
3. Evaluate arguments for and against “corporate social responsibility” ideas being included in corporate strategy and suggest ways of integrating stakeholder input into corporate decision-making processes;
4. Apply theory to practice by emphasizing how business and non-business actors can collaboratively contribute to the creation of positive social and environmental change.
(This is a preliminary description of the course content – It is likely to be slightly adapted before the start of the course)
Module I: Introduction to business / managerial ethics and individual responses to ethical issues
1. Introduction: Business, society and the case of managerial and corporate ethics.
2. Back to the roots: Ethical theories and models of ethical decision-making.
Module II: Organizational responses to ethical issues
1. Never-ending questions: The role of business in society and the corporate responsibility debate
2. Designing stakehoilder-oriented corporate social responsibility policies: A critical perspective
3. One step further: Companies as political actors
Module III: Alternative ways of creating ‘shared’ value
1. The corporate side
2. The plural sector side
3. Towards a new collaborative logic
Module IV: Responsible leadership
1. Connecting individual and organizational challenges: The need for globally responsible leadership
