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2018/2019 KAN-CCBDO1007U CSR ‐ A Path to Sustainable Development?
| English Title | |
| CSR ‐ A Path to Sustainable Development? |
Course information |
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| Language | English |
| Course ECTS | 7.5 ECTS |
| Type | Mandatory |
| Level | Full Degree Master |
| Duration | One Quarter |
| Start time of the course | Second Quarter |
| Timetable | Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk |
| Study board |
Study Board for BSc and MSc in Business, Language and Culture,
MSc
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| Teaching methods | |
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| Last updated on 13-06-2018 | |
Relevant links |
| Learning objectives | ||||||||
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| Course prerequisites | ||||||||
| The most important qualification you need to participate is intellectual curiosity and a willingness to examine and challenge your own assumptions about what corporate social responsibility (CSR) is, and how it works in developing country contexts. Students returning from or intending to undertake internships or fieldwork in the broad area of business and development studies might find the “hands-on” approach of this course particularly useful. | ||||||||
| Examination | ||||||||
| The course shares exams with | ||||||||
| KAN-CCBDO1004U | ||||||||
| Course content and structure | ||||||||
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In the last twenty years several international media and NGO reports have highlighted poor labor and environmental conditions at the base of the global production networks of internationally branded companies such as Nike, Puma, Apple, and Levi’s. The emergence of so-called sweatshops in formal factory, semi-formal workshops, or home-based settings has prompted these companies to develop ethical guidelines that they require their suppliers in developing countries to abide by. More recently, multi-stakeholder initiatives have emerged in which brands, factories/farms, NGOs, governments, and other organizations join hands in trying to address CSR challenges in export-oriented industries in developing countries.
In this course, we explore the potential and limitations of CSR/sustainability in global production networks in relation to improving poor work and environmental conditions in export-oriented industries in developing countries. We do this through the lens of global value chain and global production network analysis. GVC and GPN analysis helps us understand the transnational organization of industries and power relations within these industries, as we map the linkages that exist in the global economy between consumers, brands, suppliers, workers and communities that reside in different parts of the Global South. In particular, we zoom in how the CSR/sustainability policies of global brands travel through GVCs/GPNs and touch down in different localities, differentially impacting upon local firms/farmers, workers, and local communities.
After a general introduction to CSR/sustainability in the Global South and their relations to the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations, the course is divided into two sections. The first deals with labor issues, the second with environmental issues. In the labor part of the course, we will first discuss different approaches to assessing the impact of CSR in GPNs. This leads onto a discussion of buyers, supplier and worker perspectives of CSR in GPNs. In the environmental part of the course, we first look at green capital accumulation in the Global South and power in sustainability governance before turning to environmental upgrading and multi-stakeholder sustainability initiatives in GVCs. |
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| Description of the teaching methods | ||||||||
| The course is structured in such a way that
theory and practice are closely related. It combines theories of
global production networks/global value chains; economic, social,
and environmental upgrading; as well as labor agency with a
practical, action-oriented, case, and dialogue-based approach to
teaching. Attention is paid to developing students’ ability to
consider a variety of options and devise solutions to the complex
‘real-life’ dilemmas faced by corporate executives, NGO workers,
trade union representatives, and government policy-makers that work
with CSR in developing countries.
Mostly, the first part class is devoted to a practical, case or video-based exercise and subsequent discussion of a real-life CSR and development dilemma. The use of small group discussions is employed to promote individual learning. Common points are subsequently discussed in a plenary forum. During the second part of each class this is often followed by a more traditional lecture-based presentation that links class discussions during the first part with insights from the course literature, particularly the theories and concepts that are covered as part of the course. Students may also be asked to prepare in groups at home in order to be able to take part in a discussion of CSR dilemma cases in the next class session. Invited guest lecturers who are working directly with the topics covered in the course will also contribute to the students’ understanding of the real-world challenges faced by CSR and development practitioners. In the final session, an overview of the course contents are introduced, and we discuss the exam requirements in greater detail. |
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| Feedback during the teaching period | ||||||||
| The principal way for students to obtain feedback on their readings and work for this course is through active participation in class. Students are therefore expected to attend lectures and classes and to come prepared and ready to participate actively. Mid-way through the course we will test your understanding of key concepts and their definitions through a multiple choice test. In addition, students are given limited supervision in connection with their exam assignments. Feedback is also obtained as part of the question and answer session at the oral exam and students are given an explanation of their grade immediately after the oral exam. Finally, students have the possibility of receiving individual and group feedback during regular consultation hours. | ||||||||
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| Further Information | ||||||||
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This is a joint exam with the course entitled “Governance and Development”. See the course description of “Governance and Development” for the detailed information regarding the exam. |
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| Expected literature | ||||||||
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To be announced on Learn |