News

2nd MBA Program Worldwide in Corporate Social Responsibility

IE’s MBA program among the top 10 worldwide in Aspen Institute’s sustainability ranking

2007 Global Champions of Sustainable Innovation

Teaching

Teaching Social Impact Management at IE takes place in every academic area, both in core courses as well as on electives. Training managers for the future requires a global view and understanding of the social and environmental context within which a business operates, thus contributing with the increase and broadening of the student’s accountability for every decision they make, not only taking into account short term and shareholder value maximization, but a blended value approach. Therefore, each academic area covers issues of social impact management from their own context, scope and perspective. These areas of knowledge are:

Accounting & Management Control
Economic Environment
Entrepreneurship
Finance
Human Resources & Organizational Behaviour
Information Systems & Technologies
Law
Marketing
Operations & Technology
Strategy

More than 60 courses address triple bottom-line issues not only on a horizontal basis (Finance, Accounting, Marketing, Operations Management, etc.) but also vertically, bringing added depth through elective courses (Social Entrepreneurship, Social Marketing, etc.). A brief description of some of these courses follows. A description of other courses and activities can be seen at BeyondGreyPinstripes.

Business, Government & Society

This course focuses on the non-market forces that managers encounter. The emphasis is on the political, regulatory, social, and natural environment in which business operates. Business operates in both a market and a non-market environment. Successful corporate strategy aligns the firm’s capabilities with the demands of both its market and non-market environment. This course systematically examines the political, regulatory, societal, and natural factors that shape business’ non-market environment. Students learn how to analyze and proactively manage the non-market environment through integrated market- and non-market strategies.

Social Impact Management topics in this course include: What is a market?; The Limits of Profit Maximization; International Business and Trade Policy; Regulation in the Global Economy; Crisis Management; Blaming Business; Sustainable Development and Product Innovation in Europe; Sustainable Development as Integrated Strategy; What is Corporate Social Responsibility?; International Business, Corruption, and Business Ethics; Activists, Boycotts, and Private Politics; Business, Government & Society Head-to-Head. Using the various tools learned in the course, students analyze significant aspects of the non-market environment of a firm and sketch how it has, should, or will influence the formulation of an integrated corporate strategy.

Social Entrepreneurship

Social entrepreneurship is not a new field or discipline. It is a term that captures a unique approach to applying market principles to problems of unsustainable livelihoods, an approach that cuts across sectors and disciplines. Young professionals aiming for careers in business, intergovernmental or governmental organizations or the civil sector are well-advised to familiarize themselves with this new space and the options it offers to those who want to combine professionalism and entrepreneurship with the pursuit of a social purpose.

Social Impact Management topics in this course include: Application of entrepreneurial talents to address market and public sector failures; Innovation: different organizational models that social entrepreneurs choose for achieving their theory of change; feasibility and desirability of setting up a standard measuring system for all civil society organizations; social entrepreneurship in the context of globalization; sources of support for social entrepreneurs including trends in philanthropic and corporate efforts.

For additional information on Social Impact Management content in these and other courses offered at IE Business School, contact us at sim@ie.edu

Suggestions