Overview of Course

Increasingly business enterprises are called upon to address broader societal challenges such as climate change, food insecurity, income inequality, mental health problems, poverty, literacy, and health care access—among many others. Such areas of social responsibility require proper assessment of the ethical foundations for taking leadership in these domains as well as developing proper tools for working with a variety of external stakeholders.

We will examine a framework for assessing the management challenges associated with firms that seek to address the broader societal context and serve as agents of change as a part of their corporate social responsibility. Emphasis will be placed on creatively solving social problems while also maintaining an ability to ensure viability through sustainable business practices. A foundation for assuming leadership with cross-cultural challenges necessarily includes attention to individual integrity, fairness, justice and truth, as well as having courage and conviction.

In addition to developing a conceptual frame and analyzing the necessary tools and skills, students will learn through evaluation of in-depth case studies, videos, articles and examples of CEOs, leaders and social entrepreneurs who have achieved organizational success in these areas. All efforts will be made to include cases and examples relevant to our cross-continental voyage.