Program Overview

Master of Science in Communication and Economics in Marketing and Transformative Economy

The Master of Science in Communication and Economics in Marketing and Transformative Economy is a program that explores the role of corporations in society, with a focus on corporate social responsibility. The program delves into the complexities of the interplay between business and society, examining the background of sustainable development and corporate responsibility.

Program Description

The program discusses the latest trends in standardizing and reporting corporate social responsibility (CSR), implementing CSR in supply chains, and the role of the consumer. It also explores the philosophical foundations of CSR and the concept of Corporate Digital Responsibility. The program aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the complex relationships between business, society, and the environment.

Objectives

The objectives of the program are to:

• Understand the complex interplay between business and society
• Understand the background of sustainable development and corporate responsibility
• Learn about the state of the art in CSR management, including key performance indicators (KPIs), reporting, supply chain management, and strategy
• Examine different theoretical stances of CSR theory
• Identify best practices of CSR
• Recognize pitfalls of CSR, including greenwashing, machinewashing, and wokewashing
• Explore CSR in the digital age, including corporate digital responsibility

Teaching Mode and Learning Methods

The program is taught in presence, with learning methods including lectures and case studies. Attendance is encouraged.

Examination Information

The examination is 100% based on a final exam.

Required Material

The required material includes:

• Core Readings:
  • Edward Freeman: Stakeholder Theory The State of the Art (2010)
• Further Readings:
  • Lock, Irina; Seele, Peter (2016): The credibility of CSR reports in Europe. Evidence from a quantitative content analysis in 11 countries. Journal of Cleaner Production. 122. 186-200.
  • Porter, M.; Kramer, M.: Creating Shared Value. Harvard Business Review (2011) 63-77
  • Scherer, Palazzo, and Baumann: Global Rules and Private Actors. Business Ethics Quarterly (2006) 16 (4): 505-532.
  • Seele, Peter; Gatti, Lucia (2017): Greenwashing Revisited: In Search for a Typology and Accusation-based Definition Incorporating Legitimacy Strategies. Business Strategy and the Environment.
  • Werther and Chandler: Strategic CSR (2011) Ch.4,5 and 6
  • Schwarz, M: CSR an Ethical Approach (2011)
  • Kolk, A; Kourula, A; and Pisani, N. (2017) Multinational Enterprises and the Sustainable Development Goals: What Do We Know and How to Proceed? Transnational Corporations, 24(3), 9-32
  • Loureiro, S; Guerreiro, J; Tussyadiah, I (2021) Artificial intelligence in business: State of the art and future research agenda Journal of Business Research Volume 129, 911-926