Content
This course explores the relevance of theory for business research, and in particular for sustainability management research. The students get to know selected theories from social sciences and other disciplines, and reflect on their use and usefulness for business research in general, and more specifically research on business sustainability and corporate social responsibility. Thereby, attention is also given to the pre-assumptions and limits of single theoretical lenses and the opportunities and pitfalls of merging theoretical perspectives for gaining powerful tailored instruments for answering specific research questions in the realm of sustainability management.
Goals and objectives
- Get acquainted to a number of theoretical lenses that are relevant for business research, and in particular for sustainability management research
- Reflect on the applicability of various theories for studying phenomena and problems in the field of sustainability management and corporate (social) responsibility
- Scrutinize pre-assumptions, limits and possible integration of various theories
- Gain experience in working in a team, in how to make decisions in a group and how to manage time and resources
Content
In this seminar, students will learn about different tools that can support decision-making in sustainability management. After a theoretical introduction to some tools, including Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and system dynamics modelling, students will gain in-depth practical experience by working with a selected tool. In terms of a project seminar, students will successively develop a system model to solve a specific problem in the field of sustainability management and subsequently report and reflect on the approach to model development and the results.
Goals and objectives
- Get acquainted to decision support tools that are applicable for problems in the realm of sustainability management
- Get in-depth insights and gain first experience in building a system model
- Reflect on the assets and limitations of various decision support tools
- Gain experience in working in a team, in how to make decisions in a group and how to manage time and resources
Diversity management has moved quickly from being a niche topic to becoming an integral part of many corporate strategies. The course will give students an introduction to this multi-faceted approach. We will explore a different angle on diversity management and related concepts every week. This includes:
- the history of diversity management and global workforce trends
- relevant theories (e.g. similarity-attraction theory, self-categorization theory, social identity theory, upper echelons theory)
- intersectionality
- inequality in organisations
- effects of diversity management
- legitimizing diversity management (the business case vs. the moral case)
- global and local approaches
Die Veranstaltung zählt zu den Grundlagen im Schwerpunkt „Nachhaltiges Wirtschaften". Sie wendet sich insbesondere an Studierende der Wirtschaftswissenschaften, des Wirtschaftsingenieurwesens, der Wirtschaftspädagogik und des Wirtschaftsrechts. Die Lerninhalte zielen auf die zentralen Herausforderungen einer nachhaltigen Unternehmensführung. Sie umfassen: Grundlegende Begrifflichkeiten, Begründungen und Konzepte nachhaltiger Unternehmensführung, Akteure der Nachhaltigkeit und unternehmerische Herausforderungen, Instrumente nachhaltiger Unternehmensführung, nachhaltige Unternehmensführung in unternehmerischen Funktionsbereichen.