Lebensentwürfe im Spannungsfeld von Ökonomisierung, Selbstverwirklichung und unternehmerischer Nachhaltigkeit

Buzzwords such as “work-life balance”, “sabbatical”, “purpose-driven business”, “sustainability” and “mindfulness” are currently shaping everyday working life. At their core, all of these terms deal with the question of the good life in business and describe an individual process of finding a balance between the professional demands of business on the one hand and personal values and ideas about life on the other. We are all part of a culture and an economic system with prevailing institutions, processes and ideologies. In order to lead a self-determined and satisfied life, we must therefore come to terms with both ourselves and the economic culture that surrounds us. However, the economy is usually approached in an “objective” form - in figures, data, facts and theoretical modeling - but not from the very personal perspective of individual life plans. This entails the risk that the economy is ultimately no longer there for people, but people for the economy.

In this seminar, we pursue an innovative and unconventional approach that takes the individual lifeworld and biography of the students as the starting point for a joint critical reflection on the topic, incorporating further cultural and conceptual impulses. The seminar includes, among other things:

• Self-reflection through the writing of personal texts on one'sown "economic education"
• Constructive-critical group discussions on economic thinking styles and strategies of economic self-realization
• Film screenings and discussions in which we explore the cultural representation of "economics"
• In-depth exploration of selected topics in the context of group presentations

(Please not the special scheduling structure associated with this methodological approach when planning your course).

In the two events on Friday, October 20, 2017 from 12:15 - 16:00 and on Saturday, November 4, 2017 from 08:15 - 13:15, general basics of business and corporate ethics will be developed and the topics for the term papers will be presented. Students can express their preferences for the topics at the kick-off event on October 20. In the event on November 4, the topics will be assigned and general information will be provided on the content expectations for a term paper and the formal requirements for writing an academic paper. Your term paper should contain high-quality, scientifically sound explanations of the respective topics, drawing on current and relevant specialist literature.

After November 4, 2017, the writing phase begins, in which students work on their topic independently. After almost three weeks of familiarization, students will have the opportunity to discuss a first draft outline with their supervisor on 24 November.

After submitting the term paper (January 4, 2018), each group that has worked on the same topic will receive brief feedback on further preparation of the group presentation if desired. The peer review process will be used on the two presentation days. As a result, each group takes on two additional tasks:

• Expert feedback: Each group prepares for the topic of a presentation group using selected literature and thus becomes an expert on this topic. The expert group is given the first word after the presentation.
• Feedback on presentation technique: In addition, each group takes on the task of giving a presentation group brief feedback on their presentation technique.

The criteria and guidelines for this feedback procedure, as well as the literature for the expert groups, will be announced in good time. The tasks will be assigned at the kick-off event.

Graded group presentations and moderated discussions with handouts in the last two sessions.