MBA course: International Organizations and Sustainability

1. Group #2 Draft Syllabus – by Debbie, Shelley, Suzanne, Sukhbir, Bobby, Susan MBA course: International Organizations and Sustainability

2. Introduction – Ideas behind the course • International Organizations and Sustainability • Sustainable development in emerging economies is of world-wide concern due to the global impacts that the billions of people will collectively have. • MNCs are influential on these nations because of their economic interests and direct involvement in economic development; therefore, the sustainable behavior of MNCs is of high consequence. • International organizations are important for ensuring that MNCs operate in a sustainable way. International organizations can provide policy solutions, act as arbiters, partners, and standards setting bodies.

3. Goals of the Course • An MBA (Masters’ level) syllabus that incorporates learning about what international organizations do in terms of affecting sustainable development in emerging economies through interaction with MNCs • A business course that explains the possible synergies between IOs and MNCs – understand perspectives of both types of organizations • Encourage students to propose additional future roles that IOs may play, how they may learn to become more effective, and how they may evolve

4. Highlights of the syllabus • All of our university logos are on it to highlight our team diversity • The outline includes the following subheadings: • Course Description and Objectives • Student Learning Goals • Prerequisites • Required Materials • Recommended Reference Materials • Course Requirements and Grading • Course Schedule • Course Policies • Honor Code • List of AdditionalResources • We have also included the team project guidelines and a couple of approaches to team feedback forms in this document

5. Highlights of the syllabus MBA 5001: Sustainable Development: Interactions between MNCs and International Organizations • A second year specialist MBA course – students need to have a strong basis in many courses before taking this advanced course • Students learn each type of organization’s perspective (MNCs and IOs) and then think about how the two types of organizations can work together in a direction of sustainable development – the four core books support this progression • Books: • 1) Mahini, Amir. Making Decisions in Multinational Corporations: Managing Relations • with Sovereign Governments. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1988. • 2) Hart, Stuart L. 2007. Capitalism at the Crossroads: Aligning Business, Earth • and Humanity. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Wharton School Publishing. • 3) Iriye, Akira. 2004. Global Community: The Role of International Organizations in the • Making of the Contemporary World. California: University of California Press. • 4) Yaziji, Michael and Doh, Jonathan. 2009. NGOS and Corporations: Conflict and • Collaboration. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

6. Highlights of the syllabus Grade Breakdown Test 1 10% Individual Project (10%) & Presentation (5%) 15% Test 2 10% Final Group Project (15%) & Presentation (10%) 25% In-Class Participation 10% Final Exam 30% Total 100% Due to limited time, we will talk about these two components.

7. Purpose: The student does individual work to build individual strengths in base knowledge, research, and presentations – this builds necessary knowledge/skills to contribute to the team well Individual Project (10%) and Presentation (5%) Individual Project Option a): • Student chooses either a firm or an IO • Student interviews staff to learn about partnerships • the particular organization may entertain and why • compare the reasons the organization has given with • literature that discussesfirm – IO partnerships. Option b): • Student chooses a controversial aspect of MNC – IO collaboration • Student provides a critical evaluation of the concept of partnership and collaboration as it relates to sustainable development • Possible topics: exercise of power in MNC-IO partnerships; local engagement and participation with IOs; North/ South debates over influence on terms of sustainable development; the role of IOs and MNCs in enabling locally determined development. • Includecase examples that illustrate the point of view developed in the paper • Individual Presentation • 10 min review of highlights and 5 min for class discussion

8. Final Team Project (15%) and Presentation (10%) • Help a local MNC to develop/continue a new or existing partnership with an international organization. • A list of sponsoring firms will be provided to students • Interview between firm and MBA team for matching • The goal of the project is to work with the firm, together with an international organization that the firm is interested in partnering with, to outline a potential new project agreeable to the firm and the IO. • Project in another country outside the previous experience of the firm and the MBA team • The MBA group works with the firm and IO over the term to define a project. This will include describing the local country circumstances, problem to be solved, stakeholders, project objectives and design, expected benefits to all stakeholders including the firm as well as economic development in the focal country, and an implementation plan. Purpose: The group project is intended to develop team skills and sophisticated inter-organizational relationship building skills. This project will build student capabilities in business development, project planning, and implementation planning in emerging economies. • Team Presentation • 10 min review of highlights and 5 min for class discussion • all team members involved

9. Thanks in advance for your suggestions for this syllabus! Suggestions from the crowd

10. Appendix - References Types of NGOs http://www.ngo.in/types-of-ngos.html Business-friendly NGOs (BINGOs): http://www.triplepundit.com/2009/12/ngos-business-sustainability/