Universität Wien
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040180 SE Global Corporate Citizenship and Sustainability (MA) (2025W)

4.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 4 - Wirtschaftswissenschaften
Continuous assessment of course work
Moodle

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 24 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Thursday 16.10. 15:00 - 16:30 Seminarraum 6 Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1 1.Stock
  • Thursday 23.10. 15:00 - 16:30 Seminarraum 5 Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1 1.Stock
  • Thursday 30.10. 15:00 - 16:30 Seminarraum 5 Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1 1.Stock
  • Thursday 06.11. 15:00 - 16:30 Seminarraum 5 Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1 1.Stock
  • Thursday 13.11. 15:00 - 18:15 Seminarraum 5 Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1 1.Stock
  • Thursday 20.11. 15:00 - 16:30 Seminarraum 5 Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1 1.Stock
  • Thursday 27.11. 15:00 - 16:30 Seminarraum 5 Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1 1.Stock
  • Thursday 04.12. 15:00 - 18:15 Seminarraum 5 Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1 1.Stock
  • Thursday 15.01. 15:00 - 18:15 Seminarraum 5 Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1 1.Stock
  • Thursday 22.01. 15:00 - 18:15 Seminarraum 5 Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1 1.Stock
  • Thursday 29.01. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal 16 Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1 2.Stock
    Seminarraum 5 Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1 1.Stock

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

The course aims to familiarize students with corporate sustainability and citizenship and analyze the key drivers and challenges influencing MNEs' adoption of sustainable business practices and performance. To this end, the course explores the role of multinational enterprises (MNEs) in fostering sustainable development and global citizenship within contemporary global business practices and challenges. Students will learn about the growing responsibilities of international firms towards society and the environment, considering the interconnectedness of ethical, environmental, social, and governance challenges on a global scale.

Through case studies, discussions, and interactive learning activities, students will analyze the nonmarket strategies and practices adopted by MNEs to address sustainability issues and contribute to positive social and environmental impact worldwide. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the complexities of corporate citizenship, stakeholder engagement, ethical decision-making, and integrating sustainability principles into core business operations across various industries and geographical contexts. The course adopts a learning method based on lectures, active student interaction, case study analysis, guest speakers, and assignments.

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

-Critically analyze the key drivers, frameworks, and challenges shaping multinational enterprises’ (MNEs) adoption of sustainable and responsible business practices.
-Evaluate how MNEs integrate ethical, environmental, social, and governance considerations into their global strategies and nonmarket activities.
-Apply conceptual and analytical tools to assess the role of MNEs in advancing sustainable development and corporate citizenship across diverse institutional contexts.

https://international-business.univie.ac.at/studies/master-courses/

Assessment and permitted materials

Attending the first session is mandatory.
• Active class participation (10%)
• Mid-term quiz (20%)
• Group case study project (30%)
• Final written exam (40%)

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

It is absolutely essential that all registered students attend the first session (Introduction/Vorbesprechung) as failure to do so will result in their exclusion from the course. Students should also regularly check our homepage and Moodle for any changes in dates/times.

Attendance is compulsory throughout the semester. Absence from two course units is possible. A course unit is a 90-minute session. Further absences will automatically result in a “fail” grade. Attendance is compulsory during assessment (e.g. final exam, presentations etc.).

88% - 100% | 1
75% - 87% | 2
63% - 74% | 3
50% - 62% | 4

Examination topics

All the discussed topics during lectures.

Reading list

- Textbooks:
•Rasche, A., Morsing, M., Moon, J., & Kourula, A. (Eds.). (2023). Corporate Sustainability: Managing Responsible Business in a Globalised World. Cambridge University Press.
•Carroll, A. B., Brown, J., & Buchholtz, A. K. (2017). Business & society: Ethics, sustainability & stakeholder management. Cengage Learning; 10th Edition.
- Selected academic articles such as:
•Bridoux, F., & Stoelhorst, J. W. (2022). Stakeholder governance: Solving the collective action problems in joint value creation. Academy of Management Review, 47(2), 214-236.
•Ciulli, F., & Kolk, A. (2023). International Business, digital technologies and sustainable development: Connecting the dots. Journal of World Business, 58(4), 101445.
•George, G., Howard-Grenville, J., Joshi, A., & Tihanyi, L. (2016). Understanding and tackling societal grand challenges through management research. Academy of Management Journal, 59(6), 1880-1895.
•Kolk, A. (2016). The social responsibility of international business: From ethics and the environment to CSR and sustainable development. Journal of World Business, 51(1), 23-34.
•Saka-Helmhout, A., Álamos-Concha, P., Polo-Barceló, C., Edwards, T., & Murray, G. (2024). Corporate social innovation by multinationals: A framework for future research. International Business Review, 102273.
•Wood, G., Pereira, V., Temouri, Y., & Wilkinson, A. (2021). Exploring and investigating sustainable international business practices by MNEs in emerging markets. International Business Review, 30(5), 101899.

Association in the course directory

Last modified: Tu 20.01.2026 12:45