Project Seminar "ERS: Ethics, Responsibility, Sustainability"

Master 2022/2023

Type: Compulsory course (Strategic Management and Consulting)

Area of studies: Management

Delivered by: Department of Strategic and International Management

Where: Graduate School of Business

When: 2 year, 2 module

Mode of studies: offline

Open to: students of all HSE University campuses

Instructors: Ekaterina Ivanova

Master’s programme: Стратегический менеджмент и консалтинг

Language: English

ECTS credits: 3

Contact hours: 24

Full Syllabus Ask Question

Abstract

In response to global environmental, social and governance (ESG) challenges that humanity faces, responsible business leaders around the world are urged to make ethics, responsibility and sustainability a new normal way of doing business. The simplistic idea of corporations as wealth creating organizations with no obligations to their key stakeholders (customers, employees, suppliers, investors, society and the environment) is no longer acceptable in the public eye. The reformed capitalism and professional managers with a purpose to serve society and make a meaningful impact are becoming a response to an outdated shareholder-driven view of business. Today businesses with purpose are expected to act as agents of world benefit and make an active contribution to meeting the 17 United Nations Sustainable Developments Goals (SDGs). This course provides key concepts and frameworks for integrating ethics, responsibility and sustainability into the core business practice. The course is designed in a very innovative way to enable students to develop a sustainability mindset by engaging them in reflective practices on their own values and lifestyle to enable changing habits, connecting to transformational life stories of guest-speakers, discussing cases of transition to circular business models, applying cinemalogy and participating in group learning projects on ESG-driven strategies to address business contribution on global challenges in the Russian context.

Learning Objectives

To introduce students to the evolution, main concepts and practices of business ethics, responsible business and sustainable development with focus on implementing the 17 UN’s SDGs.
To expose students to integrated sustainability business strategies, developed and communicated in line with the generally accepted international frameworks and standards (e.g. the UN Global Compact, ISO 26000, GRI, etc.) and approaches for addressing the environmental, social and governance (ESG) challenges at the operational level.
To provide students with the experiential learning opportunities, based on learning from inspiring case studies and reflecting upon the interaction with ethical, responsible and sustainable business practices from the guest-speakers.
To train students to develop critical and appreciative view of the world, facilitate cultivation of the sustainability mindset, by taking into account contemporary debates on the role of business in society and nature with respect to local culture.
To empower students to develop stories of local sustainability champions for the AIM2Flourish.com platform by addressing one or several of the UN’s SDGs.

Expected Learning Outcomes

• Basic ICT competences for communicating, retrieving and elaborating on the UN SDGs research project
• Be aware of, and understand the appropriate relevant research literature on CSR and Sustainability (both academic and practitioner based)
• Conduct a research project both independently and in groups in a multicultural context
• Develop an ability to critically evaluate courses of managerial action in cases relating to CSR and Sustainability
• Develop an ability to critically evaluate courses of managerial action in cases relating to responsible and sustainable business
• Develop proficiency in analyzing complex organizational situations, identifying key problem areas, and formulating strategies for CSR und Sustainability
• Interlink different subjects and disciplines on a specific, theoretical, methodological and empirical level
• Synthesize material, write and debate analytically on current CSR and Sustainability problems in national and international contexts
• The central theories, concepts, and their managerial implications in CSR und Sustainability
• The centrality of stakeholder theory and how to apply stakeholder analysis
• The changing roles and expectations in the relationships between business, governments and society in different national contexts
• The companies’ CSR und Sustainability communication and how to critically analyze non-financial reporting
• The role of CSR and sustainable innovations in modern organizations (purpose-driven organizations, social enterprises, cooperatives, etc.)
• The role of international and industry standards in promoting CSR und Sustainability
• The UN Global Agenda 2030 and implementation of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals
• Through self-learning train how to effectively manage time, extract essence from large amount of information, and approach it analytically
• Translate a complex societal problem into a scientific research question, develop a research design for a study to answer it, by applying up-to-date social empirical methods, such as appreciate inquiry interview

Course Contents

Introduction. Business Ethics, Responsible Business and Sustainable Development: Meaning, Central Concepts and Debates
Stakeholder Capitalism, Sustainable Business Models and Responsible Business Norms
Globalization and Sustainable Development
Group Presentations and Discussion: Sustainability Book “Good Morning Beautiful Business” and Cases
Implementing and Communicating Responsible Business
Social Entrepreneurship and Future of Sustainability
Experiential Learning on ESG-transformation in Action
Group Project Presentations on AIM2Flourish and Discussion

Assessment Elements

Book presentation “Good Morning Beautiful Business” (group assignment)
Cases on sustainability practices (group assignment)
Reflections on the walk in nature, visiting museum, guest-speakers’ talks (individual assignment)
UN SDGs research project AIM2Flourish.com and in-class presentation

Interim Assessment

2022/2023 2nd module
0.2 * Reflections on the walk in nature, visiting museum, guest-speakers’ talks (individual assignment) + 0.4 * UN SDGs research project AIM2Flourish.com and in-class presentation + 0.2 * Book presentation “Good Morning Beautiful Business” (group assignment) + 0.2 * Cases on sustainability practices (group assignment)

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

Ackerman, B. A., & Alstott, A. (1999). The Stakeholder Society. New Haven, Conn: Yale University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=52977
Andriof, J. (2002). Unfolding Stakeholder Thinking : Theory, Responsibility and Engagement. Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=561573
Baker, R. W. (2005). Capitalism’s Achilles Heel : Dirty Money and How to Renew the Free-Market System. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=139656
BENYUS, J. M., & M. PAULI, G. A. (2009). The Business of Biomimicry. Harvard Business Review, 87(2), 28–29. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=bsu&AN=96710398
Carroll, A. B. (1991). The pyramid of corporate social responsibility: Toward the moral management of organizational stakeholders. Business Horizons, (4), 39. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsrep&AN=edsrep.a.eee.bushor.v34y1991i4p39.48
Clarkson, M. E. (1995). A Stakeholder Framework for Analyzing and Evaluating Corporate Social Performance. Academy of Management Review, 20(1), 92–117. https://doi.org/10.5465/AMR.1995.9503271994
Cooperrider, D. L., Stavros, J. M., & Whitney, D. K. (2008). The Appreciative Inquiry Handbook : For Leaders of Change (Vol. 2nd ed). Brunswick, OH: Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=260682
Corporate communication and impression management - New perspectives why companies engage in corporate social reporting. (2000). Journal of Business Ethics, 27(1–2), 55–68. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsnar&AN=edsnar.oai.pure.rug.nl.publications.f6023382.c9b1.431c.89e7.a3d39e9713dd
Eisler, R. T. (2007). The Real Wealth of Nations : Creating a Caring Economics (Vol. 1st ed). San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=260689
Elkington, J., & Hartigan, P. (2008). The Power of Unreasonable People : How Social Entrepreneurs Create Markets That Change the World. Boston, Mass: Harvard Business Review Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=675039
Eva Waginger, Dürrmichael Gorbatschow, Vaclav Havel, Dennis Meadows, Ernst Ulrich Von, & Day Day. (n.d.). – Brundtland Report 1987-“Our Common Future ” of the World. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.E350C6A8
Gore, A. (2006). AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH. (cover story). Mother Earth News, (218), 54. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=f5h&AN=22401823
Hammann, E.-M., Habisch, A., & Pechlaner, H. (2009). Values that create value: socially responsible business practices in SMEs – empirical evidence from German companies. Business Ethics: A European Review, 18(1), 37–51. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8608.2009.01547.x
Hawken, P. (1992). The ecology of commerce. Inc, 14(4), 93. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=f5h&AN=9204207284
Heckman, L. (2009). Confessions of a Radical Industrialist: Profits, People, Purpose——Doing Business by Respecting the Earth. Library Journal, 134(17), 87. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=asn&AN=44668871
Holliday, C. O., Schmidheiny, S., & Watts, P. (2017). Walking the Talk : The Business Case for Sustainable Development (Vol. First edition). London: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1619286
Jenkins, H. (2009). A ‘business opportunity’ model of corporate social responsibility for small- and medium-sized enterprises. Business Ethics: A European Review, 18(1), 21–36. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8608.2009.01546.x
Korten, D. C. (1999). The Post-corporate World : Life After Capitalism (Vol. 1st ed). San Francisco, Calif: Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=41334
Laszlo, C. (2003). The Sustainable Company : How to Create Lasting Value Through Social and Environmental Performance. Washington, DC: Island Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=118249
Meadows, D., Mesarovic, M., Pestel, E., & Chatfield, M. V. (1975). The Limits to Growth: A Report for the Club of Rome’s Project on the Predicament of Mankind/Mankind at the Turning Point: The Second Report to the Club of Rome. Harvard Business Review, 53(4), 160. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=bsu&AN=12326700
Mitchell, R. K., Agle, B. R., & Wood, D. J. (1997). Toward a Theory of Stakeholder Identification and Salience: Defining the Principle of Who and What Really Counts. Academy of Management Review, 22(4), 853–886. https://doi.org/10.5465/AMR.1997.9711022105
Morsing, M., Schultz, M., & Nielsen, K. U. (2008). The “Catch 22” of communicating CSR: Findings from a Danish study. Journal of Marketing Communications, 14(2), 97–111. https://doi.org/10.1080/13527260701856608
Nidumolu, R., Prahalad, C. K., & Rangaswami, M. R. (2009). WHY SUSTAINABILITY IS NOW THE KEY DRIVER OF INNOVATION. (cover story). Harvard Business Review, 87(9), 56–64. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=bsu&AN=43831035
Orsato, R. J. (2009). Sustainability Strategies : When Does It Pay to Be Green? Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=283282
Pauli, G. A. (2010). The Blue Economy : 10 Years, 100 Innovations, 100 Million Jobs. Taos, NM: Redwing Books [Paradigm Publications Imprint]. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=483120
Raworth, K. (2017). Doughnut Economics : Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st-Century Economist. White River Junction, Vermont: Chelsea Green Publishing. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1850087
Rimanoczy, I. (2013). Big Bang Being : Developing the Sustainability Mindset. Sheffield: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=760627
Satish Kumar. (2013). Soil Soul Society : A New Trinity For Our Time. East Sussex, UK: Ivy Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1033463
Steger, M. B. (2003). Globalization : A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=264792
Sternad, D., Kennelly, J. J., & Bradley, F. (2017). Digging Deeper : How Purpose-Driven Enterprises Create Real Value (Vol. First edition). London: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1592336
Tommi Lampikoski. (2012). Green, Innovative, and Profitable: A Case Study of Managerial Capabilities at Interface Inc. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.3180231B
Wood, D. J. (1991). Corporate Social Performance Revisited. Academy of Management Review, 16(4), 691–718. https://doi.org/10.5465/AMR.1991.4279616

Recommended Additional Bibliography

Carroll, A. B. (1979). A Three-Dimensional Conceptual Model of Corporate Performance. Academy of Management Review, 4(4), 497–505. https://doi.org/10.5465/AMR.1979.4498296
CSR Wonderland: Navigating between movement, community and organisation. (2005). The Journal of Corporate Citizenship, 2005, 19–20. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsnar&AN=edsnar.oai.repository.ubn.ru.nl.2066.47175
Cummings, J. L., & Doh, J. P. (2000). Identifying Who Matters: MAPPING KEY PLAYERS IN MULTIPLE ENVIRONMENTS. California Management Review, 42(2), 83–104. https://doi.org/10.2307/41166034
Du, S., Bhattacharya, C. B., & Sen, S. (2010). Maximizing Business Returns to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): The Role of CSR Communication. International Journal of Management Reviews, 12(1), 8–19. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2370.2009.00276.x
Harding, S. (2012). Grow Small, Think Beautiful : Ideas for a Sustainable World From Schumacher College. Edinburgh: Floris Books. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=778325
Lars Thøger CHRISTENSEN, Mette MORSING, & Ole THYSSEN. (2015). The polyphony of values and the value of polyphony. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.BA9F1863
Laszlo, C. (2010). Berkshire Encyclopedia of Sustainability. Great Barrington, MA: Berkshire Publishing Group. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=310671
Laszlo, C., & Zhexembayeva, N. (2011). Embedded Sustainability : The Next Big Competitive Advantage. Sheffield: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=760669
Morsing, M., & Schultz, M. (2006). Corporate social responsibility communication: stakeholder information, response and involvement strategies. Business Ethics: A European Review, 15(4), 323–338. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8608.2006.00460.x
PEDERSEN, E. R. (2006). Making Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Operable: How Companies Translate Stakeholder Dialogue into Practice. Business & Society Review (00453609), 111(2), 137–163. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8594.2006.00265.x
Porritt, J. (2007). Capitalism As If the World Matters (Vol. Rev. pbk. ed). Sterling, VA: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=201637
Taylor, J. B. (2006). My Stroke of Insight : A Brain Scientist’s Personal Journey. N.Y.: Penguin Books. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1123334
Woot, P. D. (2014). Rethinking the Enterprise : Competitiveness, Technology and Society. Sheffield, UK: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=818982

Authors

IVANOVA EKATERINA ALEKSANDROVNA
ZAYTSEVA MARYANA ALEKSANDROVNA

Course Syllabus