In this course, we will be exploring the inter-relationships between business and society, including the tensions between various stakeholders and the growing pressures to approach business with corporate responsibility and sustainability as primary underlying influences. With rapidly changing technology and globalization, we must strategize our business decisions with far greater insight and conscientiousness than ever before. This course takes a look at business and society relationships from various global perspectives, including developing countries and societies, and different cultural norms and beliefs. It provides students with insights into the issues surrounding business from both macro and micro level perspectives.

Learning Objectives and Outcomes:

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. Explain why ethical behaviors benefit a company.
2. Identify the major stakeholder groups which interact with business organizations and the kinds of expectations they may hold with respect to their role in the business enterprise and society.
3. Define the areas of corporate social responsibilities of business: economic, legal, ethical, and philanthropic and be able to explain their tensions with one another.
4. Compare the types of decisions that managers must face and dilemmas which they may experience in their professional leadership roles, and will apply their knowledge to making ethical business decisions.
5. Explain the important considerations for business leaders in terms of organizing and managing a diverse workforce.

Course Schedule and Topics

This course will cover the following topics in eight learning sessions, one unit per week.

Week 1: Unit 1: Introduction to Business and Society
Week 2: Unit 2: Corporate Social Responsibility
Week 3: Unit 3: The Social Contract: Time to Redefine?
Week 4: Unit 4: Social Business Enterprise
Week 5: Unit 5: Sustainability
Week 6: Unit 6: Going “Green”
Week 7: Unit 7: Managing Diversity in the Workplace
Week 8: Unit 8: Managing Ethics
Week 9: Unit 9: Final Reflections and Examination

Learning Guide

This course does not have an assigned textbook. The reading assignments are found through links in the classroom. Each week includes a reading assignment, and then one or more of the following: learning journal writing; discussion board dialogue; and unit assignments. Some units also include an ungraded “self-quiz.” Others include graded quizzes. Week 9 includes a final exam.
When posting on the discussion board, you should write posts that are at least 300 words in length. You should also respond to at least 3 of your classmates in each of the discussion boards. These responses should be thoughtful and demonstrative of your understanding of the topics being discussed. You can share examples, stories, or additional information to advance the discussion further.

Unit 1: Introduction to Business and Society

● Read through the Course Syllabus
● Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
● Complete the Sustainability Module (located in the LRC)
● Take the Sustainability Student Experience Survey
● Post, respond, and rate the Discussion Forum
● Make entries to the Learning Journal
● Take the Self-Quiz

Unit 2: Corporate Social Responsibility

● Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
● Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion Forum)
● Complete and Submit Unit 2 Written Assignment
● Make entries to the Learning Journal
● Take the Self-Quiz

Unit 3: The Social Contract: Time to Redefine?

● Assess Unit 2 assignments
● Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
● Participate in the Discussion Forum. Respond to the Discussion Post. Respond to at least three Discussion Forum posts written by your fellow students. These replies must be of high quality, and they are rated and a part of your weekly discussion grade
● Complete and submit Unit 3 Written Assignment
● Make entries to the Learning Journal
● Take the Self-Quiz

Unit 4: Social Business Enterprise

● Assess Unit 3 assignments
● Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
● Participate in the Discussion Forum. Respond to the Discussion Post. Respond to at least three Discussion Forum posts written by your fellow students. These replies must be of high quality, and they are rated and a part of your weekly discussion grade
● Make entries to the Learning Journal
● Take the Quiz

Unit 5: Sustainability

● Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
● Participate in the Discussion Forum. Respond to the Discussion Post. Respond to at least three Discussion Forum posts written by your fellow students. These replies must be of high quality, and they are rated and a part of your weekly discussion grade
● Make entries to the Learning Journal
● Take the self-quiz

Unit 6: Going “Green”

● Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
● Participate in the Discussion Forum. Respond to the Discussion Post. Respond to at least three Discussion Forum posts written by your fellow students. These replies must be of high quality, and they are rated and a part of your weekly discussion
● Complete and submit Unit 6 Written Assignment
● Make entries to the Learning Journal
● Take the Self-Quiz

Unit 7: Managing Diversity in the Workplace

● Assess Unit 6 assignments
● Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
● Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion Forum)
● Complete and submit Unit 7 Written Assignment
● Make entries to the Learning Journal
● Take the Graded Quiz

Unit 8: Managing Ethics

● Assess Unit 7 assignments
● Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
● Participate in the Discussion Forum. Respond to the Discussion Post. Respond to at least three Discussion Forum posts written by your fellow students. These replies must be of high quality, and they are rated and a part of your weekly discussion grade
● Make entries to the Learning Journal
● Complete the Self Quiz
● Take the Sustainability Student Experience Post Survey
● Complete the Course Evaluation

Unit 9: Final Reflections and Examination

• Read the Learning Guide
• Take the Review-quiz
• Take the Final Exam