• Demonstrate a mature nuanced understanding of the complexities associated with the role firms play in comtemporary global society
• Demonstrate a strong theoretical understanding of the key literature and frameworks that guide contemporary business responsibilities
• Build a tool kit for examining the interplay of business, environment, and social impacts understanding the data necessary to make informed decisions
• Demonstrate creative innovative thinking with regard to social responsibility

Course content:

This course will examine the role of firms in society, specifically addressing how they can simultaneously manage shareholder demands for growth, employee desires for meaningful dignified work, and societal expectations related to sustainability and social impact. We will begin by examining the historical context of firms as agents of social and community development as well as their interaction with governments and civil society. We will then move to examine the contemporary environment with particular emphasis on various models for firms to act as responsible innovative corporate citizens. As part of this course students will learn about various frameworks and tools which firms use to develop, implement, assess, and communicate about their social and environmental impacts. We complete our study with a look to toward the future. Throughout the course, a particular focus will be on business innovation as a path for achieving economic growth and addressing the sustainable development goals.

Course structure:

Preliminary Assignment: To help students get maximum value from ISUP courses, instructors provide a reading or a small number of readings or video clips to be read or viewed before the start of classes with a related task scheduled for class 1 in order to 'jump-start' the learning process.

Course timetable is available on https://www.cbs.dk/uddannelse/international-summer-university-programme-isup/courses-and-exams

We reserve the right to cancel the course if we do not get enough applications. This will be communicated on https://www.cbs.dk/uddannelse/international-summer-university-programme-isup/courses-and-exams in March 2021.

Mandatory readings:

Conscious Capitalism: liberating the heroic spirit of business. Boston, Mass.: Harvard Business Review Press. Mackey, John, 1954- and Rajendra. 

For the preliminary assignment:

Mackey, J. & Sisodia, R. (2013). Conscious capitalism: liberating the heroic spirit of business. Boston, Mass.: Harvard Business Review Press.--  Introduction and Parts 1 and 2  

Hsieh, N. H. (2017). The responsibilities and role of business in relation to society: Back to basics?. Business Ethics Quarterly, 27(2), 293-314.

Giuliani, E. (2018). Regulating global capitalism amid rampant corporate wrongdoing—Reply to “Three frames for innovation policy”. Research Policy, 47(9), 1577-1582.

Fyke, J. P., & Buzzanell, P. M. (2013). The ethics of conscious capitalism: Wicked problems in leading change and changing leaders. Human Relations, 66(12), 1619-1643.