Business and Society

This course is designed to offer students an overview of the various roles businesses across the for profit, non-profit and governmental sectors play in improving the world. We will examine how companies are responding to social challenges using Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategies and gain an understanding of the role government and philanthropist play in helping/hindering positive societal change. We will examine how to create organizational shared value through a Corporate Social Innovation (CSI) framework, explore specific examples of both successful and unsuccessful attempts to compete using a social purpose agenda and look at the role; the board of directors plays within an organization. Students also have a chance to hear first-hand from practitioners who are working at the forefront of business and societal change.