Learning objectives
a. Knowledge and understanding: The course aims to provide students with fundamental knowledge in the field of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and help them understand business strategies and advantages and necessities for companies. Strategic and operational aspects of social responsibility and communication aspects are covered. Students learn concepts relating to the governance and management of enterprises, focusing on social responsible management. In communication, the course aims to provide the knowledge necessary to understand the main instruments of social accountability through the knowledge of the standards and content guidelines most widely used in Italy and overseas.
b. Applying knowledge and understanding: Students will be able to understand and interpret the initiatives and CSR strategies adopted by companies, as well as critically interpret main reporting tools.
c. Making judgments: Student will be able to read with critical awareness the most frequent tools for social reporting produced by companies, understanding the meaning of the policies and strategies, and evaluating them critically.
d. Communication skills: By the end of the course the student will acquire problem solving skills, interpersonal skills and ability to discuss different topics with different stakeholders using appropriate language.
e. Ability to learn: The course aims to foster student learning through optimized individual study, guided exercises and case studies in the classroom. Testimonials and presentations of case studies are designed to stimulate understanding of application of concepts to the real world of business.
Prerequisites
No
Course unit content
The course deals with the issue of corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a way of corporate governance that requires the definition of strategies able to balance the interests of all stakeholders; encompassing financial aspects as well as social and environmental aspects related to sustainability. It focuses on the aspects of management, organization and communication of companies adopting socially responsible behavior. It discusses the theoretical aspects of CSR (definition, voluntary nature, motivations and themes) and the main issues of governance for socially responsible companies, with special attention to social enterprises and social cooperatives. It also discusses communication related to CSR, the main tools of social reporting and the most common standards and content in Italy and internationally.
Full programme
The course is divided into two modules.
In the first module the following topics are addressed:
Corporate social responsibility (CSR)
Voluntary nature of CSR -
CSR otmivations and CSR issues
Studies on CSR
CSR and corporate governance
Code of ethics
In the second module the following topics are addressed:
CSR and social enterprise: the social cooperative
CSR and corporate information
CSR and social reporting
Bibliography
K. Furlotti, Strumenti e processi di comunicazione della responsabilità sociale d'impresa, McGraw-Hill, 2009.
Slides of the lectures and Journal article, edt. by the teacher.
For consultation:
F. Balluchi, K. Furlotti, CSR disclosure by Italian companies. An empirical analysis, LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing, 2013
Teaching methods
Acquisition of knowledge: lectures
Acquisition of the ability to apply knowledge: Exercises
Acquisition of judgment: Specialist contributions and classroom discussions
Acquisition of learning skills: development of guided exercises and case studies in the classroom.
Acquisition of technical language: The meaning of commonly used terms is explained and classroom discussions aim to encourage the correct use of terminology.
Assessment methods and criteria
Written examination.
a. Knowledge and understanding will be assessed through open questions and short questions. The questions cover the entire syllabus taught during the course: the broad questions intended to assess the knowledge of the subjects and the student's ability to make connections between them, the short questions cover a wider range of content and are designed to test the knowledge of all the topics covered by the program.
b. Ability to apply knowledge and understanding, c. Making judgments, e. Learning skills will be assessed through the open questions formulated to require students to make connections between the topics studied and to express a personal contribution (examples of application of the concepts, case studies presented in the classroom with documentation available on course website).
d. Communication skills will be assessed through open questions requiring appropriate language and through short specific questions to verify the correct understanding and appropriate use of the terminology.
The exam also will consider the incurrence of intermediate tests during the course, as well as the active participation of the student to analysis and discussion of case studies, group work or seminars.
On these, in particular, is planned an ad hoc assessment, necessary to pass the exam which will focus on the content of the seminars for students attending or on teaching materials indicated at the beginning of the course and on the website for non-attending students.
Other information
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2030 agenda goals for sustainable development
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