BPH_COSR Corporate Social Responsibility

Faculty of Economics and Administration
Spring 2013
Extent and Intensity
0/2. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
prof. Earl Molander (lecturer), Ing. Petr Smutný, Ph.D. (deputy)
Mgr. Ing. Viktor Kulhavý, Ph.D., MSLS (assistant)
Guaranteed by
Ing. Petr Smutný, Ph.D.
Department of Business Management – Faculty of Economics and Administration
Contact Person: Ing. Bc. Bohdana Čechová
Supplier department: Department of Business Management – Faculty of Economics and Administration
Timetable
Mon 22. 4. 12:50–18:00 S301, Tue 23. 4. 14:35–19:35 S307, Wed 24. 4. 7:40–11:00 S310, 12:50–14:30 S309
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is offered to students of any study field.
The capacity limit for the course is 22 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/22, only registered: 0/22, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/22
Course objectives
This primarily on-line course is designed to introduce the international business or economics student to how non-economic factors in the corporate environment influence business operations and decision-making. These non-economic factors include: the actions of government and non-governmental organizations, social issues, culture, changes in technology, international relations and ecological problems in particular as they are presented to the business enterprise and manager as issues of corporate social responsibility and sustainability.

It is important to understand that this course is taught from the perspective of the enterprise, with the business manager or enterprise as the focal decision maker. The student who successfully completes this course will have the majority of the analytical tools necessary to confront the full range of issues that fall within the broad framework of “corporate social responsibility” or “CSR” and sustainability.
Syllabus
  • The course structure will consist of a total of 12 Modules organized into four separate Installments (A, B, C and D) of three Modules each. In general, it is expected that the student will complete each module weekly, beginning with the week of February 18-22 or soon thereafter, although there is no requirement to do so on a weekly schedule. However, in order to proceed to a subsequent Installment, the student must complete the three Modules in the preceding Installment. For example, in order to move to Installment B (Modules 4, 5 and 6), the student must complete Installment A (Modules 1, 2 and 3).
  • Always feel free to ask questions by email if you do not understand any of the conceptual content assignments. The only required assignments will be your analysis and decision of the case for the week.
  • The course strategy is to introduce the background and conceptual foundations of the course in the first three Modules (Installment A) and then in subsequent Modules introduce key topic areas, the models and tools of analysis for these topic areas, and how to apply them to the issues of CSR and Sustainability as they are presented to enterprises and managers. This application of models and tools for analysis is then demonstrated in a case analysis exercise in each Module.
  • Installment A
  • Module 1: Introduction to the Course. Overview of the Conceptual Content and the Corporate and Managerial Decision Making Perspective of the Course; Case #1
  • Module 2: The History of CSR and Sustainability in the US and Developed Countries; Case #2
  • Module 3: Property Rights and Social Contract; Case #3
  • Installment B
  • Module 4: Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Other New Stakeholders Challenging Business; Case #4
  • Module 5: Analyzing and Diagramming Power Relations; Case #5
  • Module 6: Environmental Monitoring; Case #6
  • Installment C
  • Module 7: Environmental Forecasting and Scenario Building; Case #7
  • Module 8: The Public Policy Process in a Pluralist Democracy; Case #8
  • Module 9: Developing a Political Strategy; Case #9
  • Installment D
  • Module 10: Business Ethics and Resolving Ethical Dilemmas; Case #10
  • Module 11: Sustainable Business Practice and Sustainable Development; Case #11
  • Module 12: Comparative Political Systems: How Big Decisions Are Made; Case #12
Literature
  • In US business schools, similar courses (which go by many different names) typically use a large, hardcover textbook that focuses primarily on the business environment in the US.
  • Such a textbook is therefore not useful for a course taught to an international student audience with a strong international focus.
  • Rather, we rely on a series of short readings and cases focused on key topics, with assignments to highlight the major issues that each topic presents to the business manager and develop one’s analytical skills and their decision making dilemmas.
  • TEXTS AND MATERIALS:
  • 1. This Syllabus
  • 2. Modules and Accompanying Cases
  • 3. Student Cases for Discussion, to be distributed via email on April 15
Teaching methods
The course will be offered primarily on-line, supplemented by 3 consecutive days of intensive lectures and discussions (April 22-24) and individual consultations with students on their case-writing projects (April 20-25).
Assessment methods
The course requires the submission of a minimum of five (5) analyses of the cases associated with Modules 4-12. It also requires preparation of a case of your own choosing and an accompanying analysis. Your cases will be discussed during the 3-day intensive session during the week of April 22-26. The final exam for the course is optional.

GRADING
The method of grade calculation will be as follows:

25% Weekly Case Analyses (best 5 of 9 case analyses for Modules 4-12 (due prior to the end of the Installment)
20% Case You Write (due April 14)
20% Analysis of Your Own Case (due May 3)
20% Analysis of Other Student Cases (due in class April 22-24)
15% Final Examination Case (if taken) (due May 18)
100% Total
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2013, Spring 2014, Autumn 2014, Spring 2015, Autumn 2015, Spring 2016, Autumn 2016, Spring 2017.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2013, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/econ/spring2013/BPH_COSR