Center Course Offerings

Undergraduate Courses

Undergraduate Roadmap 2008-2009 (PDF Format)

Strategic Corporate Responsibility & Projects

Business Ethics for the 21st Century (UGBA 177)

Offered: Spring 2009

Ethical decisions are far more than just "tough choices." Ethics comes from the Greek root ethos, meaning essential character. When we make ethical decisions, we are, each time, actually re-creating ourselves, our relationships, our own lives, and the world we live-in. At the same time, however, traditional sources of wisdom (elders, families, ethnic traditions, classical religions) are frequently incapable of providing substantial and concrete orientation and guidance in the complex, fast-paced, multi-ethnic, evolving global society where we find ourselves today. Furthermore, more than at any other time in history, business is re-shaping the way we think, feel, choose, relate, and, in fact, live. Beyond any other human force, business is impacting every aspect of all life on Earth, and is altering fundamental planetary dynamics. Business Ethics for the 21st Century strengthens students' abilities to anticipate, critically analyze, appropriately respond to, and provide personal and professional leadership regarding, the ethical issues that will arise both specifically during a career in business and generally in life.

[top of page]

Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility & Projects (UGBA 192P)

Instructor: Jo Mackness

Offered: Fall 2008

Leading businesses understand that being socially and environmentally responsible is integral to long-term success and serves as a means of mitigating risk as well as a source of competitive advantage. However, despite a growing body of knowledge, companies continue to struggle with the fundamental challenges of embedding CSR into their day-to–day business operations and management.

This course focuses on CSR as a corporate strategy that is integrated with core business objectives and core competencies to create business value and positive social change. It also allows for students to roll their sleeves up and work on live consulting projects for real companies grappling with CSR issues.

In Classroom: We will investigate "good practices" of companies who have implemented socially responsible strategies. Students will develop their own repertoire of tools and implementation strategies that can be utilized across industries and sectors to set up CSR strategies that yield both financial and social value.

On Projects: Projects might include, but are not limited to, the following: social entrepreneurship; socially responsible investing; branding; communication strategies; stakeholder engagement; transparent reporting; public/private partnerships; strategic philanthropy; consumer segmentation and awareness. Projects are an opportunity for students to put their newly learned theory into practice.

Students will emerge ready to develop and implement strategic CSR within their own companies and industries through any job function as a viable and necessary business strategy.

[top of page]