The course focuses on possible tensions between what is profitable in business, and what is ethical. The aim is to teach the student how to analyze and understand the strategic side of CSR (how corporate social responsibility affects profitability), and the normative side of CSR (how ought managers/corporations to act, and what is the role of corporations in society). The lectures will draw on theory and evidence from several disciplines, including ethics, economics, management, and political science. Cases and ethically challenging phenomena such as corruption will be discussed to illustrate main points and lessons from the course. After completing the course, the students are expected to have the following:
Knowledge:
Be able to define and understand the main categories of corporate social responsibility.
- Understand and analyze the business case for (or against) CSR
- Understand how CSR can affect demand from consumers and employee motivation
- Discuss socially responsible investment and different ways in which investors take ethical concerns into account in their investment strategies
- Understand the ethics case for CSR, and the implications of different ethical perspectives for CSR
- Understand how globalization affects the responsibilities of corporations and CSR policies
- Discuss the role of business in development
- Acquire an understanding of practices such as corruption and corporate political influence
Understand how international initiatives and regulatory approaches in the CSR area affect corporate conduct
Skills:
- Be able to analyze the impact of CSR activities on the corporation and on stakeholders
- Be able to apply normative reasoning to ethical dilemmas that arise in business
- Be able to analyze the effectiveness of public policies in promoting ethical conduct among corporations
General competence:
- Acquire an ability to analyze the role of business in society and the future of CSR.