Module BUSS3191: CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY

Department: Business School (Business) [Queen's Campus, Stockton]

BUSS3191: CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY

Tied To

• N102: Business with Placement Year (see Undergraduate Handbook 2014-2015 for details)
• N200: Business (see Undergraduate Handbook 2014-2015 for details)
• N302: Accounting and Finance with Business Placement
• N304: Accounting and Finance with Study Abroad
• N400: Accounting
• NN34: Accounting and Finance with Placement Year (see Undergraduate Handbook 2012-2013 for details)
• NN43: Accounting and Finance

Pre-requisites

Corequisites

Excluded Combinations

Aims

• This module provides a foundation upon which students can understand and critique the role of business in society. It provides a framework, based on the International Guidance Standard (ISO26000) for the critical analysis of corporate social and environmental responsibility, discusses responsibilities in relation to different stakeholder groups, and explores mechanisms for managing corporate responsibilities.

Content

• Introducing CR
• Defining CR
• Understanding CR: Corporate moral responsibility
• Understanding CR: Normative ethical theories
• Understanding CR: Alternative ethicial theories
• Fundamental Practices: Stakeholders
• Fundamental Practices: Society
• Core Subject: Organisational Governance
• Core Subject: Human Rights
• Core Subject: Labour Practices
• Core Subject: The Environment
• Core Subject: Fair Operating Practices
• Core Subject: Consumers
• Core Subject: The Community
• Integrating CR: Ethical Decision-making
• Integrating CR: Organisational Justice
• Integrating CR: Reporting & Accounting
• Integrating CR: Systemic CR

Learning Outcomes

• To understand and critique the role and purpose of business in society
• To understand ethical theory at a basic level and be able to apply it to business organisations
• To understand ethical decision-making in a business context
• To understand the nature of responsibility in business organisations and apply this analysis to different stakeholder groups
• To understand and critique mechanisms for managing corporate responsibility

• Application of ethical decision-making in an organisational context;
• Integration of corporate responsibility throughout an organisation;
• Application of international standards (e.g. ISO26000) to organisations

• Research appropriate periodicals, websites, books, other references to draw together required information.
• Having located relevant information from a variety of sources, to bring it together and present it in a coherent argument.
• Consider issues from a range of perspectives and draw upon appropriate concepts/values to reach a critical assessment.
• Think laterally and inventively, to develop original approaches in defining and solving problems.
• Prioritise tasks, manage and achieve results on time and manage other constraints.
• Construct grammatically correct and well written/spelt essays and reports, using the most appropriate style for the purpose.
• Openly listen to and engage with alternative perspectives without prejudice, and question assumptions.
• Seek, store, retrieve, synthesise, use and present information in ways appropriate to the task, including the use of computer applications to the level required as appropriate.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Teaching is by lectures and seminars. At least one external speaker will be invited to provide a practitioner perspective. Learning takes place through attendance at lectures, preparation for and participation in seminars (including a group seminar presentation), and private study. Formative assessment is by means of an individual assignment. Summative assessment is by means of a multiple choice examination and individual assignment. The multiple choice examination is based on the content of the lectures and the seminars. The individual assignment is designed to provide the students with an opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of the complexity and interrelationship of concepts and issues and their ability to relate what they have learned to relevant literature and draw on that to support their argument and discussion.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment

One individual assignment and a group seminar presentation.