Policy Lab: Redesigning Global Business in the 21st Century

(1 Credit Hour) · Undergraduate

Under increasing pressure from consumers, investors, stakeholders and activists, corporate leaders are reconsidering their core value proposition and operating principles. A narrow focus on the shareholder alone is no longer a defensible position for corporate CEOs who are reimagining the core purpose of their firm in terms of their environmental contribution and social impact. Focusing on sustainability, corporate CEOs try to redesign their operations to reflect new norms and values. How do corporate leaders assess what is at stake for their corporation while engaging with corporate social responsibility? What are the challenges they face, and what are the successful and failed cases we see? What should global business look like in the 21st century when the world is becoming increasingly interconnected? Using case studies, this class will present a range of sustainability challenges faced by corporate leaders and at times their adversaries about what it costs to transition toward a more sustainable and yet profitable business model. It addresses issues such as new corporate values, investment of time and money to drive change, building the organizational culture and customer trust and loyalty that sustain the change, all of which point to a mindset shift in the way that we think about global business.