BUS-436-20, Socially Responsible and Sustainable Business Practices (SP13)

INSTRUCTOR:  Dr. Patricia B. Brelsford

SCHEDULE/DAY/TIME:  B/Thurs./6-8:45 PM

CONTENT: 

Focuses on describing and analyzing the increasing pressures on organizations to make the right decisions by acting in ways that benefit society and reduce negative environmental impacts.  Students will complete research on organizations using sustainable and responsible models, will use case studies to identify current and best practices, and will develop guiding principles for decision making. 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

1. Describe historical and contemporary examples of socially responsible approaches to doing business (Quaker capitalism, welfare capitalism, social entrepreneurship).

2. Evaluate the impact of the current green movement on organizational decision making.

3. Identify and describe the components of the Triple Bottom Line (people, planet, profits) and the Balanced Scorecard approaches to developing organizational strategies.

4. Evaluate organizations using guiding principles developed through research and analysis of benchmark organizations.

REQUIRED TEXT: 

Young, Scott T. and Dhanda, Kathy.  Sustainability:  Essentials for Business. Los Angeles:  Sage Publications, 2013. ISBN:  978-1-4129-8284-9  Note:  This book was due to be published in December, 2012 so it may not yet be available.  It will not be needed until later in the semester.       

Additional readings will be assigned and will be posted on Joule. 

METHODS OF INSTRUCTION: 

Methods will include but are not limited to class discussions, lectures, case studies, and structured exercises.

REQUIREMENTS/ASSIGNMENTS: 

A variety of evaluation components will be used as follows:

Project for Social Responsibility - 325 Points

Project for Sustainability - 325 Points

Service-Learning Project - 250 Points

Participation - 50 Points

Presentation - 50 Points

Total - 1,000 Points

READING TO BE DONE PRIOR TO THE FIRST CLASS: 

Will be posted on Joule.