The course Introduction to Responsible Organisation offers first-year students a comprehensive introduction to the principles of responsible business and management. You will discover why and how organisations play a crucial role in the creation of social, environmental, and economic value, and explore the ethical, responsible, and sustainable dimensions of professional management. Through a mix of thought-provoking lectures, assignments, real-life cases, and insights from experienced professionals, you learn to identify and analyse the complex interactions between organisations and their external environments. By the end of the course, you will be equipped with a comprehensive understanding of the knowledge, frameworks, and tools that professional managers can use to run profitable, responsible, and sustainable organisations.

Learning Goals

After following this course, you are able to:

1. Explain why organisations play a crucial role in the creation of social, environmental, and economic value.
2. Describe the three dimensions of professional management—ethics, responsibility, and sustainability—and compare their characteristics.
3. Distinguish between different management modes, and recognize the role of ethics, responsibility, and sustainability in each of them.
4. Apply practical and theoretical frameworks relevant to the three dimensions of professional management and the different management modes.
5. Identify and describe the relationships of organisations with their external environment, such as their relationships with stakeholders, socio-economic developments, and technological changes.
6. Demonstrate active engagement and thorough preparation for course activities, including assignments, lectures, and guest lectures.

Assessment

This course incorporates a dual assessment approach to gauge your understanding and engagement. First, there will be a digital exam, designed to test your mastery of the course content in a comprehensive manner. The exam will include various question types to evaluate your knowledge and application of the theories, concepts, and principles we cover. Additionally, your active participation throughout the course will also be assessed on a pass/fail basis. This includes the completion of assignments, contributions to discussions, and involvement in collaborative activities. Your participation is conditional for passing the course. The final grade of the course is determined by the exam.