This class exists in these courses :
• IÉSEG > IESEG Degree - Programme Grande École > Semester 2 > 2,00 ECTS

Learning outcomes

In this course our main ambition is twofold:

1) First, to support and develop the eagerness of young people seeking to prepare for a business career to place values and responsibility at the heart of their professional ambition, learning and attitudes.
2) Second, to provide them with analytical and practical tools that enable them to engage in critical thinking about the ethical, social and environmental dimensions of business activities.

The course will equip students with references, models and illustrations of best practices, allowing them to approach and analyze managers’ and organizations’ philosophical, cultural, and strategic features, to evaluate their relevance from a societal responsibility perspective, and to sort out the various concurring positions.

At the end of the course students should be able to:

- Identify paths through which business organizations can generate positive social and environmental impact;
- Develop a vision for business organizations that emphasizes sustainable value creation, innovation, and responsible leadership;
- Use concepts, models and analytical tools to address responsibility- and sustainability-related questions at different levels of the business organization;
- Understand how perspectives and challenges linked to ethics, responsibility and sustainability can influence individual managers' behavior inside organizations and in their interaction with their stakeholders.

Course description

In this course, we will reflect upon the role and purpose of business organizations in society and explore challenges related to notions such as stakeholder management, corporate social responsibility (CSR), sustainable development, new business models, and responsible leadership. We will examine themes such as social and environmental performance and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while values-based business and management models will also be explored. These elements will be approached through interactive sessions (lectures, discussions and work sessions) in which students will work towards a final poster presentation and an accompanying group work.

All along this 2 EC course, students’ questioning about their own perceptions, aspirations and future role as individuals and potential leaders in business organizations and society will also be fostered, both during the sessions and in the ‘learning logs’. The course departs from the idea that responsible leadership and decisionmaking are essential at all levels of the organization to develop business activities that meet current and future societal needs and expectations. All this will culminate in an analysis of the changing role of business in society, and the role of managers therein.

Class type

Class structure

Teaching methods

• Case study
• E-learning
• Interactive class
• Project work

Assessment

Internet resources

• Students are expected to check the IÉSEG Online page of the course on a regular basis. Required readings and relevant material will be provided on this page. Assignments need to be submitted through this page as well.