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MN50480: Principles of corporate social responsibility

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2012/3
Follow this link for further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: School of Management
Follow this link for further information on credits Credits: 6
Follow this link for further information on unit levels Level: Masters UG & PG (FHEQ level 7)
Follow this link for further information on period slots Period: Semester 2
Follow this link for further information on unit assessment Assessment: CW 100%
Follow this link for further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment: Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Follow this link for further information on unit rules Requisites:  
Follow this link for further information on unit content Description: Aims:
Corporate social responsibility is an increasingly important aspect of the contemporary business world. This course examines corporate social responsibility (CSR) and focuses on exploring the responsibilities of private, public and voluntary organisations in respect of a range of contemporary environmental and social issues and in the context of differing ethical frameworks.
The unit builds upon prior knowledge of theoretical and empirical perspectives including stakeholder theory, institutional theory and ethical theories. The unit is designed for students with some prior experience of corporate responsibility and will enable students to practically apply this knowledge to complex ethical, social and environmental issues that arise within today�s global business environment. The course aims to equip them with tools and approaches necessary for the practical application of theory.

Learning Outcomes:
Upon completing the course, students will be able to:
* Demonstrate the application of different ethical principles which constitute CSR, and how these perspectives inform various codes of conduct and self-regulatory standards for CSR that are advocated by stakeholder groups and companies.
* Understand the current and future challenges being faced by businesses as they negotiate their relationship with their physical and social environments in fast changing conditions, and the key questions these pose for corporate action, strategies and purposes.
* Propose strategies that balance conflicting business and social responsibilities and critique different managerial approaches to working with stakeholders
* Apply the theoretical and practical aspects of corporate responsibility to a range of contemporary social and environmental problems.
* Critically and creatively assess different approaches to the management of CSR issues and evaluate the prospects and limits of different policy approaches related to these issues.

Skills:
Studying the unit will help students to develop the skills to:
* Coherently discuss, defend, and communicate perspectives relating to CSR in writing (T, F, A)
* Identify and evaluate salient CSR challenges facing business organisations from multiple perspectives (T, F, A)
* Evaluate and critically assess strategies for responding to social and environmental issues (T, F, A)
* Interpret data and evidence concerned with companies and their social responsibilities (T, A)
* Apply theories from strategy, economics, law and political science to real world cases relating to social responsibility (T, A)

Content:
The course will draw upon existing cases of CSR and responsible business models to develop a practical appreciation of opportunities and limitations of emerging sustainable business models and more ethically orientated strategies. Such models may include social enterprise, cooperatives, and green business. The course will also cover implemented strategies of global corporations forming a critical perspective of how these strategies may be improved to consider environmental, social and economic outcomes.
Follow this link for further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

MN50480 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

School of Management
  • TMMN-AFM20 : MSc Management with Corporate Social Responsibility (Full-time)
  • TMMN-AFM30 : MSc Sustainability and Management (Full-time)

MN50480 is Optional on the following programmes:

School of Management
Notes:
* This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2012/13 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2013/14 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2012/13.
* Programmes and units are subject to change at any time, in accordance with normal University procedures.
* Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.