My UBIS ONLINE Class: CSR Final Assignment

My UBIS ONLINE Class: CSR Final Assignment: FINAL ASSIGNMENT  Deadline of submission: 30 April 2014 email: atandres@ubis-geneva.ch Write an Analysis report for ANY FOUR Ques... Please choose 4 questions out of these 24 questions for your final assignment.

CSR Module 10 Main Slides

CSR Module 5 Main Slides

CSR Module 1 Main Slides

CSR Module 4 main slides

CSR Final Assignment

FINAL ASSIGNMENT 

Deadline of submission: 30 April 2014

email: atandres@ubis-geneva.ch

Write an Analysis report for ANY FOUR Questions. 

Please make sure you provide detail answers, in complete sentences. 

Do not copy verbatim from the textbook but please respond to the question in your own words. 

If you cite, please give credit by properly citing your work.

1.   What historical trends have affected the social responsibilities of business? How have recent scandals affected the business climate, including any changes in responsibilities and expectations?

2.    Consider the role that various business disciplines, including marketing, finance, accounting, and human resources, have in social responsibility. What specific views and philosophies do these different disciplines bring to the implementation of social responsibility?

3.      How do legitimacy, urgency, and power attributes positively and negatively affect a stakeholder’s ability to develop relationships with organizations?

4.      What is reputation management? Explain why companies are concerned about their reputation and its effects on stakeholders. What are the four elements of reputation management? Why is it important to manage these elements?

5.      What role does executive compensation play in risk-taking and accountability? Why do some people partially blame compensation for the failures of the subprime mortgage and financial industries in 2008-2009?

6.   Why are internal controls and risk management important in corporate governance? Describe three approaches organizations may take to managing risk.

7.   How do political action committees influence society, and what is their appropriate role in a democratic society? 

8.  Why should an organization implement the Federal Sentencing Guidelines for Organizations (FSGO) as a strategic approach for legal compliance? 

9.    What are the potential benefits of an emphasis on procedural justice?

10. Why are we seeing more evidence of widespread ethical dilemmas within organizations?

11.  What is a code of conduct and how can a code be communicated effectively to employees?

12.  What role does leadership play in influencing organizational behavior?

13.  Describe the differences between workplace diversity and equal employment opportunity. How do these differences affect managerial responsibilities and the development of social responsibility programs? 

14. Why are organizations developing work-life programs? What trends have contributed to these programs? 

15. How can companies strive for successful relationships with consumers, including meeting their economic, legal, ethical, and philanthropic expectations? 

16. How will consumer rights and activism change over the next decade? Will the movement strengthen or decline? Why? 

17. What role does top management play in developing and implementing a strategic philanthropy approach? 

18. Describe the four-stage process for planning and implementing strategic philanthropy. 

19. Many people believe that the government should regulate business with respect to privacy online, but companies say self-regulation is more appropriate. Which approach would most benefit consumers most? Business?

20. How can a strategic technology assessment help a company?

21. Think of instances of greenwashing that you have encountered. What is the harm of greenwashing?

22. What federal laws seem to have the greatest impact on business efforts to be environmentally responsible?

23. How can organizations create stronger engagement with employees? What would be the effects on social responsibility? How would social responsibility affect engagement?

24. What is national competitiveness? Describe the ways in which the three drivers of the Responsible Competitiveness Index (RCI) affect business and vice versa.

My UBIS ONLINE Class: CSR Module B: Question for Assignment mid-term

My UBIS ONLINE Class: CSR Module B: Question for Assignment mid-term: Dear Students, I have posted a few videos on the Global Financial Meltdown for you to watch and use as case study for this module. I also...



Dear Class,

Today is already 23 April and I have yet to receive your assignment which will be graded as mid-term assignment. So far, only Kay has submitted his assignment on time. What about the rest of the class? Please make sure you do not miss out the final assignmentwhich I will post today, with deadline as the 30th of April. Those who do not submit both assignments will get an F and will have to repeat this class. Thanks.

My UBIS ONLINE Class: The Truth behind the Global Economic Collapse (Ful...

My UBIS ONLINE Class: The Truth behind the Global Economic Collapse (Ful...

Dr. Marc Faber; " World Central Banks Are Going To Bankrupt The World!

CSR Module B: Question for Assignment mid-term

Dear Students,

I have posted a few videos on the Global Financial Meltdown for you to watch and use as case study for this module. I also included a video on Dalai Lama, considered as the greatest spiritual leader on his views about ethics in the modern world.

1. http://myubisclass.blogspot.ch/2014/04/under-occupation-global-hostile.html
2. http://myubisclass.blogspot.ch/2014/04/marc-faber-predicts-economic-disaster.html
3. http://myubisclass.blogspot.ch/2014/04/the-truth-behind-global-economic.html
4. http://myubisclass.blogspot.ch/2014/04/compassionate-ethics-in-difficult-times.html

Question for Assignment:

Determine why Ethics is so important in conducting business? 
According to some experts in the field who expressed their opinions in the video, determine:

- Who are responsible for the Global Financial Meltdown or Global Collapse? 
- What measures do they suggest can be taken to get out of the crisis, at what level? 
- What are the biggest challenges the Corporate world is facing today? 

From the Dalai Lama's talk on Ethics, determine the causes and consequences of the lack of ethics by certain organisations, leading to the present global crisis. Analyze his viewpoints as a spiritual leader and proposal to deal with the situation.

From Snowden's interview, suggest some solutions to improve the state of world affairs.

IMPORTANT

This assignment will be counted as mid-term assessment. 
Deadline of submission: 15 April 2014.
Study Material: I will send to you the related material on CSR for self-study by email.

Professor Anh Tho Andres
atandres@ubis-geneva.ch

Compassionate Ethics in Difficult Times - The Dalai Lama

Edward Snowden: Here's how we take back the Internet

The Truth behind the Global Economic Collapse (Full Documentary)

Marc Faber predicts economic disaster in 2009 part 1 of 2

Under Occupation - Global Hostile Takeover - FULL MOVIE

Week 1: Social Responsibility Framework

Course material: Business & Society, A Strategic Approach to Social Responsibility and Ethics, 4th Edition, Thorne, Ferrell, Ferrell

CHAPTER 1: Social Responsibility Framework 

What do you believe organizations should be responsible for accomplishing?

Social responsibility (CSR) is

• The adoption by a business of a strategic focus for fulfilling the economic, legal, ethical and philanthropic responsibilities expected of it by its stakeholders
• Businesses should look beyond their self-interests and recognize that they belong to a larger group that expects responsible participation.

CSR Applies to all types of businesses

• Small businesses
• Large businesses
• Sole proprietorships
• Multinational corporations

CSR Adopts a strategic focus

• Requires a formal commitment from top management (Communicated through mission and vision statements, annual reports, websites, and public relations)
• Requires action and results 
• Depends on collaboration and coordination across business and among constituencies 
• Large companies often create specific positions and departments to support social responsibility programs

CSR Fulfills societal expectations

• Provides a return on investment for owners
• Obeys the law and regulatory agencies
• Acts in a just, fair, and correct manner
• Promotes human welfare and good will

What is Precisely Ethics ?

What is precisely ethics?

A sociologist posed that question to business people and got these answers:
Quote

• Ethics has to do with what my feelings tell me is right or wrong.
• Ethics has to to with my religious beliefs.
• Being ethical is doing what the law requires.
• Ethics consists of the standards of behavior our society accepts.
• I dont know what the word means...

Unquote

What is considered as Unethical behavior? Give examples in

• Government
• Business
• Sports
• Education
• Non-profit organisations
• Religious organisations
• Public Relations

Are we doing the right thing?

Definition of Ethics by The Josephon Institute: 

- Standards of conduct that indicate how one should behave based on moral duties and virtues.

In general, ethics are the values that guide a person, organisation, or society, concepts such as right and wrong, fairness and unfairness, honesty and dishonesty.

An individual's conduct is measured not only against his or her conscience but also against some norm or acceptability that society or an organisational has determined.

Philosophers throughout the ages have debated the essence of ethics

• Utilitarianism suggests considering the "greater good" rather than what may be best for the individual.
• To Aristotle, the golden mean of moral virtue could be found between two extreme points of view
• Kant's categorical imperative recommended acting "on that maxim which you will be to become a universal law"
• Mill's principle of utility recommended "seeking the greatest happiness for the greatest number"
• The traditional Judeo-Christian ethic prescribes "loves your neighbor as yourself". Indeed, this golden rule makes good sense as well in the practise of public relations.

Example: page 140, fig. 6-2 

PRSA (Public Relations Society of America) 

Member Code of Ethics 2000

• Advocacy
• Honesty
• Expertise
• Independence
• Loyalty
• Fairness

Discussion questions (deadline for submission: 10 March 2014)

1. How would you define ethics?
2. How would you describe the state of ethics in business, government, and journalism?
3. How important is the ethical component of the practice of public relations? Give some examples of unethical behavior of some public figure.

Corporate Social Responsibility Definitions

Definitions - Guidelines of the European Council

1. Definition: http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/corporate-social-responsibility.html#ixzz2uuWxMtZA

A company’s sense of responsibility towards the community and environment (both ecological and social) in which it operates.

Companies express this citizenship (1) through their waste and pollution reduction processes, (2) by contributing educational and social programs, and (3) by earning adequate returns on the employed resources.

2. definition: http://ombo.berkeley.edu/name/questions/glossary


The corporate belief that a company needs to be responsible for its actions – socially, ethically, and environmentally.

3. Definition: http://www.mallenbaker.net/csr/definition.php

For instance, the CSR definition used by Business for Social Responsibility is:

Operating a business in a manner that meets or exceeds the ethical, legal, commercial and public expectations that society has of business.

On the other hand, the European Commission hedges its bets with two definitions wrapped into one:

A concept whereby companies decide voluntarily to contribute to a better society and a cleaner environment. A concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis.

4. Definition: http://searchcompliance.techtarget.com/definition/corporate-social-responsibility

Corporate social responsibility is an umbrella term used to describe voluntary corporate initiatives concerned with community development, the environment and human rights.

CSR policies and programs seek to benefit society while simultaneously improving a corporation’s public image and profitability. The term is often criticized for simply being a public relations buzzword. 

5. Definition: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/sustainable-business/corporate-social-responsibility/index_en.htm

The Commission defines corporate social responsibility as

“the responsibility of enterprises for their impacts on society”. To fully meet their social responsibility, enterprises “should have in place a process to integrate social, environmental, ethical human rights and consumer concerns into their business operations and core strategy in close collaboration with their stakeholders”.

CSR Guidelines and Principles

The European Commission encourages enterprises to base their approach to corporate social responsibility on internationally recognised CSR guidelines and principles. This is especially the case for larger enterprises and for enterprises seeking to adopt a more formal approach to CSR.

Five instruments together make up an evolving and increasingly coherent global framework for CSR:


PDF to download


OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises

The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises are far reaching recommendations for responsible business conduct that 44 adhering governments – representing all regions of the world and accounting for 85% of foreign direct investment – encourage their enterprises to observe wherever they operate.

The 10 principles of the United Nations Global Compact

The UN Global Compact asks companies to embrace, support and enact, within their sphere of influence, a set of core values in the areas of human rights, labour standards, the environment and anti-corruption. Companies can sign up to the UN Global Compact, which subsequently commits them to submit a yearly communication on progress report.

ISO 26000 Guidance Standard on Social Responsibility

The ISO 26000 guidance standard on social responsibility is a voluntary international standard. It provides guidance rather than requirements, so it cannot be certified, unlike some other well-known ISO standards. It is aimed at all types of organisations, not just enterprises.

United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights

The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights define what governments and enterprises should do to avoid and address possible negative impacts on human rights by enterprises. Based on the UN Guiding Principles, the European Commission has been developing an introductory guide to human rights for small businesses, and guidance for 3 business sectors.

International Labour Organisation Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises on Social Policy

This declaration offers guidelines to multinational enterprises, governments, and employers' and workers' organisations in such areas as employment, training, conditions of work and life, and industrial relations. This declaration is the only ILO text that is also addressed to enterprises. The ILO provides a help-desk for enterprises on international labour standards.

In addition, for questions related to reporting and transparency, enterprises frequently refer to the Global Reporting Initiative and to the International Integrated Reporting Council.