Better Business for a Better World - SUMMER COURSE

Introduction

Class format: This course is offered as an online summer course. Students may complete the course entirely asynchronously, or may choose to attend optional synchronous discussions. The course is graded as a pass/fail.

Businesses aim to deliver value to consumers. However, many customer decisions have detrimental impacts for consumers, society, and the planet. In this course, we examine why people make decisions that are bad for themselves and others, and ways that firms can influence behavior to improve decision making.

This course examines how business and consumption impact social welfare, happiness, social cohesion, and sustainability, both favorably and unfavorably. We will draw on insights from business research, which include perspectives from psychology, sociology, and economics. 

The course has two major objectives within the program portfolio. First, students will become familiar with critical perspectives and scientific findings about the (potential) impact of their profession on society. Second, students will learn how they can apply their expertise to help firms succeed while also helping to transform society and create a better world.

This course is offered in the following programmes:
MSc in Business
MSc in Strategic Marketing Management
MSc in Digital Communication Management

The course is not open to students on the BI-LUISS Joint Master of Science in Marketing (the contents of this course are covered in GRA 6446)

Course content

Issues covered in the course:

• Firm's potential positive contributions to society. 
• Corporate social responsibility as a business practice.
• Negative impacts of business:  materialism, stereotyping, overconsumption, exploitation, impulsive & compulsive buying.
• Marketing, self-control, and the pursuit of happiness.
• Evolutionary origins of unsustainable consumer behavior.
• Social Marketing.
• Behavioral economics: Nudging of sustainable consumer behavior.
• Moral balancing and rebound effects.
• Effects of political orientation
• The sharing economy. 
• Recycling - circular economy – upcycling.
• The beneficial and detrimental impacts of technology.