NBA 6600 - Corporate Social Responsibility

Fall. 1.5 credits.

D. Radcliffe.

Most large companies and many medium-sized firms regularly undertake projects intended to help address urgent social and environmental concerns. These initiatives, commonly viewed as efforts in “corporate social responsibility” (CSR), stem from the growing conviction-among senior executives as well as other stakeholders-that business must be “part of the solution” of problems that threaten communities and even the planet itself. At the same time, corporations are not charities, and corporate managers must strive (within legal and ethical constraints) to serve the interests of shareholders. Consequently, firms that engage in CSR must find ways to meet social needs and protect the natural environment that are in line with the companies’ strategic goals. Drawing from the recent literature on CSR, this course uses articles and book excerpts to acquaint students with current ideas and best practices in the field. The readings are generally supplemented by at least one guest speaker from a leading corporate practitioner of CSR. Class discussion of case studies gives students the chance to analyze CSR challenges confronted by specific companies and to identify and critically evaluate possible responses to those challenges. A final project, assigned to two-person teams, entails students’ developing recommendations-supported by detailed analysis-for a particular company in its pursuit of “strategic CSR.”