Business Ethics: Managing CSR in the Age of Globalization

The course provides a comprehensive overview of the essential theoretical foundations of business ethics and corporate social responsibility (CSR), with a particular emphasis on the ethical challenges posed by a globalized economic system. It also includes practical application examples.

At the beginning of the lecture, we will discuss the necessity of addressing business ethics and CSR. We will examine challenges for business ethics and CSR arising from current developments such as the war in Ukraine and digitalization. Following this, we will delve into the important theoretical foundations of business ethics and CSR, exploring the fundamental relationship between economics and ethics. Key terms will be defined, and distinctions will be made between individual, business, and economic ethics. Building on this foundation, we will describe specific problems of business ethics and CSR in an international context. Various approaches to business ethics and CSR will then be presented and critically discussed to understand their unique characteristics and differences. Moreover, business ethics and CSR are ineffective if their insights are not practically implemented. Therefore, the latter part of the lecture will focus on discussing selected methods for effectively implementing business ethics and CSR in international companies.

This course aims to provide students with a nuanced understanding of the current state of research in business ethics and corporate social responsibility, while also raising their awareness of ethical issues in international competition. Additionally, students will learn how to apply course concepts to practical challenges and critically evaluate the ethical conduct of corporations.

The course includes a lecture and tutorials. Both are taught entirely in English.

Lecture:
The lecture will be held on-site starting on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, from 10:15 to 11:45 a.m. in ESA J (main building of Universität Hamburg). It will then continue every week at the same time and location. It is important to attend the first lecture date as all necessary instructions for the course will be provided then!

Tutorials:
The tutorials will also take place on-site. There are two tutorial groups, both starting on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, in seminar room S29 of VMP 9.

Tutorial 1 is from 12:15 to 1:45 p.m.

Tutorial 2 is from 2:15 to 3:45 p.m.

The tutorials will be held every two weeks. As both groups cover the same material, students only need to register for one group.

The tutorials are designed to deepen students’ understanding of the lecture content, encourage active participation in discussions, improve their comprehension of academic texts, and enhance their argumentation and reflection skills. The tutorials particularly emphasize the differences between theory and practice, as students apply the theoretical concepts from the lectures to practical situations through case studies. By attending the tutorials, students will learn how to solve case studies, a skill that will be required in the exam. Therefore, for each tutorial session, students must prepare a scientific article and a case study.

Course Attendance
Important: We strongly recommend that students attend both the lecture and the tutorials in person. The content of both is essential for the exam, and there will be no recording or streaming of classes.

Becker, Christian U. (2024): Business Ethics. Methods, Theories, and Application, 2nd Edition, New York, USA: Routledge. https://ebookcentral-1proquest-1com-100f089ru0169.emedien3.sub.uni-hamburg.de/lib/subhh/reader.action?docID=30957396&ppg=1.

Hahn, R. (2022). Sustainability Management – Concepts, Instruments, and Stakeholders from a Global Perspective. Fellbach: Rüdiger Hahn, c/o Block Services. https://katalogplus.sub.uni-hamburg.de/vufind/Record/1790033047?rank=1.

Rasche, A.; Morsing, M. & Moon, J. (2017). Corporate social responsibility: strategy, communication, governance. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. https://katalogplus.sub.uni-hamburg.de/vufind/Record/869304739?rank=1.

Wickert, Ch. & Risi, D. (2019). Corporate Social Responsibility. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. https://katalogplus.sub.uni-hamburg.de/vufind/Record/1671378784?rank=2.

The exam will take the form of an on-site exam (90 minutes). Students are not allowed to use any additional resources (no open book exam!). The exam dates and further information on the exam will be provided on STiNE and in class in due time.