Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Convenor
A/Prof Cynthia Webster
Contact via globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
Teaching Assistant
Billy Bruce
Contact via globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
Academic Program Director
A/Prof Lan Snell
Contact via globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
|
---|---|
Credit points |
Credit points
2
|
Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
Admission to GMBA
|
Corequisites |
Corequisites
|
Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
|
Unit description |
Unit description
Trust in business and CEOs is declining around the world. According to the 2017 Edelman Trust Barometer, only 52% of people globally trust business to do the right thing, with the credibility of CEOs falling to just 37%. Large corporate scandals continue to make headlines, and issues such as environmental destruction, corporate tax evasion, and the growing pay gap between executives and employees continue to draw widespread criticism. Why do some business leaders behave unethically? And how might this be prevented? Do corporate scandals have underlying systemic causes? And why, ultimately, should issues of ethics, societal impact and sustainability be of key strategic concern to CEOs? In this unit you will expand your strategic thinking skills beyond a firm’s competitive environment to include the company’s impact on the broader society. You will be challenged to grapple with the tensions between maximizing financial returns and societal impact in order to be able to manage a sustainable balance between the two.
|
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Extensions
Please note that no extensions will be granted. There will be a deduction of 10% of the total available marks made from the total awarded mark for each 24 hour period or part thereof that the submission is late (for example, 25 hours late in submission = 20% penalty). This penalty does not apply for cases in which an application for special consideration is made and approved.
For any questions regarding your assignment submission or to apply for special consideration, please send an email to globalmba.support@mq.edu.au.
-----------------------
Formatting instructions
These instructions pertain only to written assignments. In the case of other formats (e.g., slide decks) specific formatting instructions may apply. Written assignments should be in 11 point Arial font with 1.5 line spacing. Each page of the report should be numbered and have at minimum 2.5 cm margins from the left and right edges and top and bottom of the page. The word count is strictly enforced. The actual word length of the document, not including references or appendices, should be clearly stated on the title page of the report. Written assignments should have the following structure:
-----------------------
Referencing
Please use the American Psychological Association (APA) 6th edition reference style. This means that when referring to an article or book etc, you indicate the author’s name followed by the year of publication (Jones, 1989). For multiple authors include all names (Jones, Smith, & Wilson, 1990). If you use a direct quote put the quoted words in “quotation marks” and include the page number with the reference (Jones, 1989, p. 76). A reference list should be presented in alphabetical order at the end of the paper. Further information on APA style is available at http://libguides.mq.edu.au/content.php?pid=85232&sid=634282
-----------------------
Submission
You will submit your assessment tasks via your online unit on Coursera.
For individual submissions, please use the following naming convention for your file:
lastname-firstname-GMBAxxx-A1.*
lastname-firstname-GMBAxxx-A2.*
For group submissions, please use the following naming convention for your file:
team-number-GMBAxxx-A1.*
team-number-GMBAxxx-A2.*
Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
---|---|---|---|
Scoring sustainability | 40% | No | 15 July 2019, 11:59pm AEST |
Addressing global challenges | 60% | No | 7 August 2019, 11:59pm AEST |
Due: 15 July 2019, 11:59pm AEST
Weighting: 40%
Length: max 1,000 words (excl. references)
Format: Written report
Task: In this written report, you will be asked to identify and compare two organisations’ sustainability strategies, identifying their strengths and weaknesses. You will need to provide recommendations for the organisations to move forward to meet environment, community, and responsible business imperatives.
Please refer to the section Course Resources - Assessment Information in your online unit for detailed information on this assignment as well as the marking criteria. You will be asked to submit your completed task via the Assignment submission link in your online unit.
Due: 7 August 2019, 11:59pm AEST
Weighting: 60%
Length: max 15-20 minutes
Format: Voice-over/Video presentation
Task: In this assignment, you will be working together in a group. You will choose one of the Sustainable Development Goals to examine. Create a video presentation detailing the innovative ways in which organisations are addressing the issue.
Please refer to the section Course Resources - Assessment Information in your online unit for detailed information on this assignment as well as the marking criteria. You will be asked to submit your completed task via the Assignment submission link in your online unit.
There is no required textbook for this unit. Please refer to the weekly required readings in your online unit. All readings are available via the Macquarie University library and do not need to be purchased separately.
This unit will be delivered entirely online via the Coursera Learning Management System. Access to a personal computer is required to access the resources and learning materials on Coursera.
Unit Schedule
For this unit, Live Events (via the web conferencing software Zoom) will take place on Thursdays from 12.00pm (noon) to 1.00pm (AEST), starting from 4 July 2019 and finishing on the 8 August 2019. The links to the events are available via Live Events in the online unit. Students are strongly advised to attend all live events.
Recordings of the live events will be made available within 24 hours of the event and can be accessed via Course Resources in the online unit.
Students are expected to complete all asynchronous learning activities (videos, discussion prompts, quizzes and peer-reviews) for that week before the scheduled Live Event in order to successfully participate in the event.
Week |
Module |
---|---|
Week 1 Webinar: Thursday 4 July 2019, 12:00 (noon) -1:00pm (AEST) |
The nature of sustainability |
Week 2 Webinar: Thursday 11 July 2019, 12:00 (noon) -1:00pm (AEST) A1 due: Wednesday 15 July 2019 |
Concerns with business impacts |
Week 3 Webinar: Thursday 18 July 2019, 12:00 (noon) -1:00pm (AEST) |
Strategic responses to sustainability |
Week 4 Webinar: Thursday 25 July 2019, 12:00 (noon) -1:00pm (AEST) |
The difficulty of being ethical in organisations |
Week 5 Webinar: Thursday 31 July 2019, 12:00 (noon) -1:00pm (AEST) A2 due: Wednesday 7 August 2019 |
New and emerging sustainable business strategies |
Week 6 Webinar: Thursday 7 August 2019, 12:00 (noon) -1:00pm (AEST) |
Taking sustainable strategy forward |
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Undergraduate students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct
Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
Our postgraduates will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in their chosen fields.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be capable of utilising and reflecting on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments. A characteristic of this form of thinking is the generation of new, professionally oriented knowledge through personal or group-based critique of practice and theory.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be capable of systematic enquiry; able to use research skills to create new knowledge that can be applied to real world issues, or contribute to a field of study or practice to enhance society. They will be capable of creative questioning, problem finding and problem solving.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their professional responsibilities and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and country and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their professional roles for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues
This graduate capability is supported by: