Indian Institute of Technology- Kharagpur

Dept of Humanities and Social Sciences

Masters in Human Resource Management Program
Autumn 2016
Course Title:
Course No.:
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Corporate Social Responsibility

HS60069
2-0-0 (2 credits)
Tuesday 4-6 PM
Language Lab Dept of HSS

Prof. Chhanda Chakraborti

S 302 B, Dept of Humanities & Social Sciences, Main Building
83602 (within campus) / 03222-283602 (from out of campus location)
chhanda@hss.iitkgp.ernet.in

Course Objectives:
The course aims to develop students theoretical and practical knowledge of corporate
social responsibility in contemporary economies and to reflect upon and understand CSR
as an evolving management practice.
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) used to refer to the efforts of business towards:
Community involvement

However, lately CSR now also refers to:

Socially responsible employee relations
Socially responsible products, services, practices

Backed by the UN initiatives of Global Compact and Millennium Development Goals,

CSR is now the benchmark of responsible corporate performance in the globalized era of
business.
The course aims to teach a student of HR:

To translate the meaning of CSR and its different aspects into management
practice suitable for their future professional careers.

To develop expertise in the analysis and verification of CSR,: why it takes

place, how it is enacted and what difference it makes
To adopt a multi-dimensional view of CSR: human rights, environment etc.

To learn about the CSR standards, reporting and implementation tools:

AA1000 series, GRI, ISO 26000 guide, etc.

Topics :
1. CSR and the Evolution of the concept: India and other countries,
Stockholder Theory (Friedman) Vs. the Stakeholder Theory (Freeman).
2. CSR: Understanding the concept, A B Carroll; CSR as distinct from
philanthropy and volunteerism; Next Generation views of CSR: Zadek
3. CSR and Organizational Stakeholders
4. CSR and the Global context: Millennium Development Goal (MDG), United
Nations Global Compact (UNGC), CSR as a developmental tool
5. CSR and New Companies Act (2013), India
6. CSR implementation process: How to; Norms and Best practices: India and
abroad.
7. CSR as a corporate strategy; Corporate branding
8. CSR and Social Reporting, and Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) index,
9. CSR opportunities CSR as Business Ethics: Corporate Citizenship, Risk
management
10. CSR reporting norms, Sustainability reporting, GRI
11. CSR Tools: 3BL or Triple bottom-line; ISO 26000
12. Integrating and mainstreaming CSR in organizational culture
13. New Direction: CSR by MSMEs, Startups and the concept of Responsible
Business Practices (RBP), RBP performance Criteria
Textbook:
1. Jon Burchell, Corporate Social Responsibility: A Reader, Routledge, 2008,
paperback. ISBN-10: 0415424348, ISBN-13: 978-0415424349

2. Andrew Crane, Dirk Matten and Laura Spence, (eds.), Corporate Social
Responsibility: Readings and cases in a Global Context, eds. paperback.
Routledge; 2 edition 2013, ISBN-10: 0415683254, ISBN-13: 978-0415683258
3. Blowfield, M. and Murray, A. Corporate responsibility - A Critical introduction,
Oxford

University

Press,

2008.

ISBN-10: 019920909X,

ISBN-13: 978-

0199209095
4. Bob De Wit and Ron Mayer, Strategy: An International Perspective, Cengage
Learning EMEA, paperback, 5th Revised edition 2014, ISBN-10: 1408082675,
ISBN-13: 978-1408082676

Supplementary material will be cited in the class.

Teaching methods
The course includes lectures and presentations. Active and problem-based learning is
emphasized. Students are expected and encouraged to participate actively during class
sessions. Students are expected to plan and take responsibility for self-studies, including
reading assigned course literature, and structuring and completing assigned written tasks.
Students will be asked to submit reports on various companies.
During the course, concepts, methods and tools within CSR are discussed. The course
utilizes both good and bad examples of how companies practices CSR.
The course is appropriate for all with an interest in Corporate Social Responsibility, in
greater responsibilities of the companies, including those who wish to actively work in
CSR in their professional careers.
Attendance policy: As per the Senate of IIT Kharagpur Rules. Absences should be
explained in writing. Unjustified and prolonged absences may lead to deregistration.

Course content and Tentative session plan

Course: HS60069:2-0-0:2 Credits

IIT Kharagpur Autumn 2016
Sl
No.
1.
2

4.

5
6
7

8
9

Topic

Dates

Topic 1, Responsibility of a corporation,

Evolution of the CSR concept
Topic 2 Understanding Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR)

July 19

Topic 3 Conceptual Tool for Managing

CSR : Organizational Stakeholder
theory
Topic 4 CSR and the Global context,
Human Rights, CSR as a
Developmental Tool, Sustainable
Development

Aug 2,

Topic 5, CSR and the new Companies

Act (2013)
Topic 6 CSR implementation process
MID SEM EXAM
Topic 7 CSR, Social Reporting and
Socially Responsible Investment
AUTUMN BREAK

July 26

1.
Jeremy Moons
3 waves of CSR, Simon
Zadeks 3 Waves of
CSR. Which wave is
prevalent in Indian
Companies?
Justify
your selection of the
companies.
2.
What is CSR
Rating? How is it
done? What are the
parameters?
Related
topic:
Sustainability
Rating

Aug 9, 16

Aug 23

Aug 30, Sept 6

Sept 13- 21 2016 NO CLASSES
Sept 27,
Oct 4
Oct 10 14,
2016
Oct 18
Topic 8 CSR as a corporate strategy
Topic 9 CSR opportunities CSR as Oct 25
Business Ethics

10

Textbook Chapter / Case

study / Reading
Material/ Assignments

Topic 10 CSR reporting norms, CSR

and

Sustainable

Development,

Nov 1

Sustainability reporting
11

Topic 11 CSR Tools: 3BL, ISO 26000

12.

Topic 11 CSR and MSME, concept of Nov 15

RBP, Criteria of RBP
Total No. of Classes
END SEM EXAM

Nov 8

30
Nov 21-29, 2016