A case for assessing ethics and CSR in master’s programs. From Universidad Icesi

Abstract

Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is one of the key topics in the learning objectives of all master’s programs at Icesi’s Business School. Alumni from these programs should be able to judge the personal, organizational and social implications of the decisions they make as well as the ethical responsibilities associated with those decisions. This case describes how the business school has assessed the level of achievement related to this learning objective. We focus on the challenge of assessing such topics outside the Ethics and CSR classrooms in order to avoid social desirability bias. We addressed this challenge by developing a case study presented to students in their last semester, which simulates an everyday managerial decision. The case includes a range of activities that allow for evaluation of the reflexive process involved in dealing with the dilemmas that arise when choosing an appropriate business partner and when managing crises.