Subject

Corporate Social Responsability

  • code 12841
  • course 3
  • term Semester 2
  • type op
  • credits 6

Main language of instruction: English

Other languages of instruction: Catalan, Spanish,

Teaching staff

Head instructor

Dra. Maria del Carmen LLOVET - mdcllovet-alumni@uic.es

Office hours

After class or we can find a time together. Beta Building 3rd floor Desk D6. 

Introduction

Course introduction

CSR is a crucial strategy for organizations that impact the reputation and sales, but most importantly influence the sustainable development of society. Consumers identify meaningful brands among those that provide personal and collective wellbeing plus functional benefits. Factors such as reports of scandals from the media, citizens’ consciousness, empowerment and activism have contributed to the more and more commitment of organizations and the urgency of Governments’ policies. Real cases of companies have been reported in documentaries and movies to claim for better working conditions and good governance. Due to the relationship of bad practices with the periods of crisis, the main values for companies and non-profit organizations to grow in trust and loyalty are transparency and participation.

Pre-course requirements

There are no prerequirements to take this course

Objectives

Course objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to understand CSR as a business management model and the relevance of communicating CSR for the management of organizations. In order to integrating CSR into organizations, communication-centered approach is needed as a duty that organizations have with society in order to build up values and commitments. The stakeholder management perspective personalizes relationships and facilitates analyzing and implementing strategies in an ethical or moral fashion.

Competences / Learning outcomes of the degree programme

  • 07 - The ability to work in a group
  • 10 - The ability to develop an ethical attitude
  • 11 - The ability to make judgments and well-argued critical assessments
  • 14 - Ability to analyse
  • 17 - The ability to confront difficulties and resolve problems
  • 22 - The ability to generate debate and reflection
  • 53 - The ability to design and critique an audiovisual or media product
  • 64 - Knowledge and mastery of bibliographic repertories
  • 87 - The ability and capacity to use technology and communicative techniques
  • 88 - The ability to relate to people and the environment without losing autonomy
  • 96 - The ability to objectively analysis reality and the extraction of valid considerations
  • 97 - To be able to read and understand literature in the field of communication in the English language
  • 99 - To be able to understand the principal ideas in a conference in the English language
  • 16 - The ability to detect newsworthy events
  • 77 - The ability and capacity to take responsibility for the communication area of an organisation
  • 85 - The ability and skill to act as experts in the strategic management of corporate image
  • 86 - The ability and capacity to identify, value, manage and protect the intangible assets of a company

Learning outcomes of the subject

Building on courses taken in their majors, students will learn that responsible companies are not only the ones that do social marketing, organize fundraising events and get better scores in reputation rankings. To the contrary, responsible organizations are mainly those whose core activity is responsible with human and natural resources. It is important to perform consistent with several responsibilities: maximizing earnings-operating in a competitive position and profitable (economic responsibilities), expectations of the government and law-federal, state and local regulations (legal responsibilities), societal and ethical norms- (ethical responsibilities) and expectations of society-voluntary and charitable activities, assistance to educational institutions and projects that enhance a community’s quality of life (philanthropic responsibilities). CSR implies action of a social role and higher performance of responsibilities. Philanthropy is expected and prized by society but less important than the other categories of CSR.

CSR is designed to make the student value the power of bidirectional communication. This course gives the student knowledge of typical forms of communication used by communication departments such as sustainable reports. Best practices have become business standards that sustainable leaders in the industry put into practice thorough tools and insights.

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able:

  1. To understand the main ideas related to corporate social responsibility.
  2. To identify the essential stakeholders’ responsibilities and content of the values they are responsible for.
  3. To work effectively in teams on projects.
  4. To analyze a specific audience for organizations.
  5. To identify sources to communicate the CSR.
  6. To apply ethical principles to the main activity of an organization.
  7. To discuss, analyze sustainability reports.

To prepare a written report in APA style on a company’s CSR.

Syllabus

January (21, 23, 28, 30)
Tasks
  • Reading paper: Carroll, A.B. (1991) The Pyramid of Corporate Social Responsibility: Toward the Morai Management of Organizational Stakeholders. Business Horizons, 34, 39-48
  • Work in class- Assignment one: choose company, search for CSR communication channels

Contents

CSR FROM A COMMUNICATIONS POINT OF VIEW

Greenwashing and Perceptions

•Dove evolution campaign •Body image Documentary The illusionist •Activist Children vs. Fashion

CSR AND PR- the organizational stakeholder-management

February (4, 6, 11, 13, 18, 20, 25, 27)

Tasks

  • Reading papers: 
  1. Schnackenberg, A. K., & Tomlinson, E. C. (2016). Organizational Transparency: A New Perspective on Managing Trust in Organization-Stakeholder Relationships. Journal of Management, 42(7), 1784–1810
  2. Villagra, N., López, B. & Monfort, A. (2015) The management of intangibles and corporate branding: Has anything changed in the relationship between business and society?. Revista Latina de Comunicación Social, 70, pp. 793 to 812.
  3. Walker, K. (2010). A Systematic Review of the Corporate Reputation Literature: Definition, Measurement, and Theory. Corporate Reputation Review (2010) 12, 357 – 387.
  • Presentation assignment 1

Contents

CSR CONTEXT: crisis, the power of image, corresponsibility of civil society, get trust back, moral authority

CSR FOUNDATIONS: ethics, sustainability (intellectual capital, transparency, reputation&perception), corporate governance

March (3, 5, 10, 12, 24, 26)

Tasks

Exam, results and coaching Work in class and presentation assignment 2 Reading papers: 
  1. Biggemann, S. & Buttle , F. (2007).The Ford Explorer – Firestone Tires Crisis: a Rules Theory Analysis of Relationships. 23rd. IMP-Conference in Manchester, UK.
  2. Campbell, J. L. (2018). 2017 Decade Award Invited Article Reflections on the 2017 Decade Award: Corporate Social Responsibility and the Financial Crisis. Academy of Management Review, 43(4), 546–556. 
  3. Carroll, A.B.& Brown, J.A. (2018), Corporate Social Responsibility: A Review of Current Concepts, Research, and Issues, in James Weber and David M. Wasieleski (eds.) Corporate Social Responsibility. Business and Society, 360, (2) Emerald Publishing Limited, pp.39 - 69.
  4. Eberle, D. , Berens, G. & Li, T. (2013). The impact of interactive corporate social responsibility communication on corporate reputation, Business Ethics, 118, 731-746.
  5. O’ Rourke, J. (2001). Bridgestone/ Firestone, Inc. and Ford Motor Company: how a product safety crisis ended a hundred-year relationship. Corporate Reputation Review, 3, 255-264.
Contents   CSR ROLE, CHARACTERISTICS AND BENEFITS
  • Influence the sustainable development of society
  • Communication to empower communities
  • CSR impact on reputation and brand personality
  • Communication impact on purchase intentions
  • CSR for economic conditions

April (2, 14, 16, 21, 23, 28, 30)

Tasks

  • Assignment 2 Presentation
  • Mentoring project
  • Reading papers: 

    Sánchez de la Nieta, M.A., Monfort, A. & Fuente Cobo, C. (2015). Editorial charters and newsroom councils in media corporations: a view from the perspective of corporate social responsibility. Communication & Society 28(2), 55-72.

Contents

TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION PRACTICES

  • Risks and opportunities
  • Code of conduct
  • Corporate statement
  • CSR report: financial, social, environmental
  • Testimonies, coverage, brochures, websites, posters, advertising, events
  • Internal communications plan
CSR PROGRAM
  • Mission, vission, values, principles, policies
  • Responsible indicators: economic, social and environmental
  • Plan according to stakeholders expectations
  • Control, follow-up, audit report and improvement actions
CORPORATE SOCIAL ACTION
  • Cause-related marketing: nonprofit organizations, associations, activist groups
  • Partnerships, sponsorship, patronage. Fundraising campaigns, Crowdfunding
  • Corporate founders and corporate voluntary service

May (5, 7, 12, 14)

Tasks:

  • Report/research paper delivery
  • Project presentations and discussion
  • Exam first sitting- All materials from January to May will be evaluated.
Contents:   RECOGNITION RECEIVED FOR THE RESPONSIBLE ACTION: Awards, Survey of corporate sustainability reporting, Global 100 index, 100, World’s most ethical companies …   SYNERGIES WITH THE SUSTAINABILITY ACTORS- World Business Council for Sustainable Development, “Club de Excelencia en la Sostenibilidad”

 

Teaching and learning activities

In person

  • Lectures- you will need to take notes to remember concepts, ask questions and prepare for in-class discussions-; mentoring; guest speakers. The participation grade is based on your participation class discussions, doing the class activities as well as listening and providing feedback to your peers and the teacher.
  • Case studies- investigations on advertising and public relations from the industries of beauty and fashion will be used due to the impact of those business on self-esteem and wellbeing.
  • Final project- Students in groups of 4 will need to investigate on a specific topic, hand in a report or research paper (minimum 10 pages, maximum 15 pages including academic and specialized sources that needs to be cited properly-APA style) and do a presentation of the report using power point or Prezi. The analysis of the CSR issue will include findings on:
    • description and importance of the issue
    • global controversies: main concerns of society, differences among cultures, advocate groups, controversial advertising
    • impact and challenges for the future of companies along the value chain, economic consequences: removed advertising or reputation damaged, risks for advertising in developing markets
    • specific stakeholders involved- suppliers, employers, media, community, clients, Government, NGO and advocate groups, competence-
    • the critics and interests of those whose expectations or needs were disrespected by the organization: main critics from academia
    • the principles threatened (according to internal codes, self-regulation codes, regulations): main ways to regulate and self-regulate this issue
    • real responses on companies’ side to deal with the issue.
    • CSR plan that includes corporate volunteering, social marketing, annual report…

Evaluation systems and criteria

In person

  • 50% of the course is based on a exam. You must pass the exam in order with a minimum grade of 3/5. If you do not reach a 3/5 in this exam, you can apply for the first sitting (between May 18 and 31) or the second sitting (between June 17 and 30), on the official dates indicated for this course.
  • 2 individual assignments on a topic related to the lecture are 20% of the total grade. Only the students who attend the lecture on that topic can turn the assignments in.
  • 20% group final project/research paper and presentation. You need a passing grade for the entire project in order to pass the course. Delivery: May 7, presentations May 12 and 14
  • Participation completes the remaining 10%. Students are reminded that attendance and participation in class is fundamental to passing the course. Your contribution is also necessary for an effective learning environment. Please arrive on time, come back after the break and not leave early.
For the second sitting and further ones the final grade is based 100% in the results of the exam, that contains questions not only from the ppt and notes but also from the assignments and projects presented in class.

Bibliography and resources

  • Coombs, T. and Holladay, S. J. (2012). Managing Corporate Social Responsibility: A Communication Approach. UK: Wiley Blackwell.
  • Henderson, E. V. and McIlwraith, M. (2012). Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility in the Meetings and Events Industry. UK: Wiley Blackwell.
  • Ihlen, Ø., Bartlett, J.L. AND May, S. (2011). The Handbook of Communication and Corporate Social Responsibility. UK: Wiley Blackwell.
  • Jones, D. (2017). Fixing Business: Making Profitable Business Work for The Good of All. UK: Wiley Blackwell.
  • Kotler, P., Hessekiel, L. and Lee, N. (2012). Good Works! Marketing and Corporate Initiatives that Build a Better World...and the Bottom Line. UK: Wiley Blackwell.
  • Weber , J. & Wasieleski, D. M. (2018). Corporate Social Responsibility (Business and Society 360). UK: Emerald Publishing Limited.

Journals*

  • International Journal of Corporate Social Responsibility
  • Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management
  • Professional Ethics: A Multidisciplinary Journal
  • Journal of Business Ethics Journal of Business Ethics
  • Business and Society
  • Social Responsibility Journal
  • Journal of Global Responsibility
  • Social responsibility review
  • Corporate Reputation Review
Informative focused and trade Journals
  • •Finance/Science Section at newspapers •Business News Daily •Adweek •Marketing Week •Advertising Age •Harvard Business Review •Fortune •Forbes •Euromonitor International •PR news •PR week •Holmes Report •Business Wire •Financial Times •http://www.corporateknights.com/reports/global-100/

* See the list of CSR/Ethics/Sustainability Journals

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