Business & Organizational Studies (BUSOR-UH)

The purpose of this course is to introduce the concepts and activities that constitute the field of marketing, and to develop an understanding its role in the economy and the modern corporation. We will also devote substantial attention to marketing in multi-cultural and global environments. Our emphasis is on making practical decisions and developing techniques and perspectives that will be useful to the business professional. Towards this end, we will analyze a number of cases covering a broad range of industries, products, and markets. In this course we assume that the goal of the marketing professional is to make decisions that maximize the long run, risk adjusted value of the firm. That is, we seek to commit limited firm resources to the best long run strategic alternatives. The focus is on building businesses that serve buyer needs and wants while meetings appropriate standards of investment return and sustainability. Also, in this course, we explicitly recognize that firms are held to ethical and legal standards by various jurisdictional powers and stakeholders and that, in global civil society, the values embedded in a brand (especially respect for labor rights a commitment to environmental sustainability) often constitute a major portion of the differentiated market value of the brand. This course is a collaborative effort between the students and the instructor. Together we will examine, judge, and debate the theoretical underpinnings of marketing; we will also, through case analysis, construct and critique arguments supporting specific marketing decisions.

This course is best seen as a blend of basic knowledge on how organizations behave and a much deeper exploration of research methods for measuring the actual performance of organizations in achieving their mission, be it profit, environmental sustainability, social responsibility, or innovation. Starting with a short discussion of organizational architecture and behavior, the course then introduces research methods for diagnosing and measuring how organizations produce high rates of return on investment. The bulk of the course engages students in measuring the organizational attributes and performance of selected Abu Dhabi entities as part of the professor's work with the Abu Dhabi Accountability Authority, which oversees nearly 400 Abu Dhabi government, private, and nonprofit agencies, and the Khalifa Fund (Abu Dhabi’s primary venture capital fund for stimulating entrepreneurship). Students must be committed to the highest standards of professionalism in their work, and will be active participants in helping NYU Abu Dhabi contribute to the betterment of Abu Dhabi organizations and society as a whole.

Why do some organizations succeed while others flounder? Whether it be as an employee within a traditional for-profit business, or within one of the wide spectrum of alternative career paths, all of us will ultimately be a part of organizations. This course will help illuminate the key processes and factors that determine why organizations function as they do, drawing upon the fields of management, strategy, sociology, and psychology in the process. Specific topics covered include: Corporate strategy and achieving competitive advantage, Organizational structure and design, Organizational and national culture, Leadership, Motivation and incentives, Groups dynamics, Power & politics within organizations, including a discussion of persuasion & influence and social networks, Judgment and decision-making.

This course is an introduction to the key concepts and principles of strategy formulation, implementation, and analysis. It will focus on the decisions and actions taken by managers, and how these factors impact the performance and survival of firms. Taking a general management perspective, we will examine the knowledge, tools, and skills that managers need to effectively make decisions that align their objectives with organization mission and vision, precisely define firm boundaries, and improve operations and processes. The course will also emphasize devising competitive strategies that position firms to maximize profit (competitive advantage), within the context of uncertainty (e.g., social, political, economic) and competition.

Comparatively little attention has been directed towards the development of business language and the role of messaging in the corporate world. Now imagine the awesome power and influence you'd have if you knew the precise words, visuals and video that had the greatest impact on the greatest number of people. You could change the way they think, the way they interact, even how they behave. That is the purpose of this course: to teach students how to identify and apply the most effective business language and communication techniques in real-world settings.

This course will highlight the components of effective negotiations across cultures and provide you with a framework to analyze your own behavior in cross cultural negotiations. The course allows you the opportunity to develop negotiation skills and understand negotiation in a useful conceptual framework. Several cognitive and emotional aspects that affect negotiation behavior in the global context will be highlighted and discussed. The course uses exercises, simulations and case studies designed to reflect on the role negotiators play in cross-cultural negotiations.

Entrepreneurship can be considered a process of economic or social value creation. Entrepreneurs pursue new business opportunities in an innovative and path-breaking way making entrepreneurship one of the most powerful and influential forces of change in the world. Especially during times of crises and constraints, outdated business models and industries are being disrupted by startups with new and better ideas on how to provide customer value. The course provides a broad understanding of entrepreneurship and its underlying theoretical foundations (lectures) combined with more applied elements (case studies and design sprint). It introduces students to tools and techniques for generating, developing and evaluating ideas for new products, services, and the business models and how to execute these ideas. Using a variety of readings, examples, discussions, and experiential exercises, this course teaches a range of transferable skills required to become an entrepreneur, and raises the students' awareness of the legal, business, managerial, creative, analytical and interpersonal skills relevant to setting up and running an innovative organization.

The goal of the course is to build an understanding of the theoretical and practical aspects of "doing development". It starts with an introduction to the current development landscape by familiarizing participants with key actors in the global development sector as well as with the Sustainable Development Goals. The course then moves on to cover what is involved in planning, funding and managing development projects. It also provides an overview of issues related to understanding and measuring development impact.

This course is an introduction to leadership theory and practice. Students will examine several aspects of the literature, and apply historical and contemporary theories and concepts to advance their knowledge and develop skills. These tools are necessary for analyzing complex issues facing organizations and society, and developing effective courses of action. Students will be able to identify key principles, develop understanding of the behaviors, as well as characteristics of leaders through the lenses of various models. Students will engage in self-reflection, understand various perspectives of leadership, translate theory into practice, and examine the role of leadership in effecting social change. The culmination of these activities will build a foundation for learning and practices that facilitate leadership.

This class explores the challenges and prospects for African nations today, focusing on the history and politics of the African continent, the contemporary economic order, and areas for growth and development in entrepreneurship, technology, and knowledge economies. We will focus on the following questions:1) What were the choices that African independence leaders had before them as they embarked on a journey to develop their economies, and why did they fail to achieve prosperity? 2) What are the principal challenges today on the continent? 3) What are the trends and factors that have led to renewed hope for Africa in the place of the narrative of doom and gloom? 4) What is the place of entrepreneurship, technology and political leadership in establishing new paths to innovation and therefore growth? 5) What has been the broader impact of disruptive innovations on business models, economic growth and societal wellbeing? Through visits with entrepreneurs in Kenya, students will focus on projects that show how young entrepreneurs are changing the way business is done and solving problems in communities through tech-driven initiatives that are innovative and transform livelihoods as a result of their high social impact. Note: Pending feasible international travel conditions, this course will include a seminar in Kenya.

This action-based course will provide a unique learning opportunity to engage with a business partner to solve a real-world business challenge. The course will teach and reinforce key concepts regarding the business consulting process, facilitate the translation of knowledge acquired into practice, and position students to develop essential professional skills. Diverse teams, including students from the host country, will collaborate with a Client in the private, nonprofit, or public sector to conduct a business analysis and generate creative solutions that position the Client for success. The challenge might be related to a service, product, strategy development, operations, or social impact. Students will participate in sessions focused on concepts relevant to the successful completion of their project, prior to their engagement with partners. Teams will be expected to propose solutions that are context-specific and valuable, from multiple perspectives (e.g., social, economic, political, cultural), and specify courses of action that are feasible and facilitate implementation of solutions.

In the world of trade, banking and energy, city-states such as New York, London, Hong Kong, and Singapore have long been the traditional financial centers, but a global realignment is underway. With rapidly changing regional dynamics spotlighting the fast-growing economies of Asia, the UAE is positioning itself to become a mainstream global market player. For the past decade, the UAE has prioritized deepening investment, trade and geo-political links along the Silk Road, most notably with the world’s two largest emerging markets, China and India. The Abraham Accord with Israel, a credible response to the Covid-19 pandemic, hosting Dubai Expo 2020 and COP 28, highlight a collective policy push to become a global market hub for finance, trade, energy, and AI. This three-week intensive course, 80 percent of which is done in the field, will explore how a small federation of ten million people has created market access to three billion people at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe. This course requires up to 4-6 hours of daily, meeting ministers, top-level C-Suite executives, and on-site visits to key economic entities of the UAE economy.

Contextual Lessons on Engaging Stakeholders: The management of political and social risk orchestrated by stakeholders (those social, political and economic actors who impact a firm's operations, such as governments, NGOs, and communities) is a critical aspect of business strategy. Business success demands identifying key stakeholders and understanding how to favorably influence them to create win-win outcomes for both the firm and stakeholders. This course surveys the managerial, political, economic, sociological and psychological foundations of stakeholder engagement through theory and case studies of successful and failed engagement strategies in various industries and countries. This course leverages the unique French stakeholder context to enhance experiential and practice-based learning, thereby deepening the lessons and insights from the theory and cases.

This is an introductory research methods course intended for students with little or no prior knowledge and experience of qualitative and quantitative methods. The course addresses aspects of research useful for academic and professional investigation, including: problem definition, framing research questions, formulating hypothesis, choosing a research design, research ethics, and evaluating a variety of research methods. We will consider issues in the context of qualitative (e.g., interviews, focus groups, participant observation), and quantitative (e.g., surveys, experiments) research. In addition, students will be introduced to some approaches to analysis of quantitative and qualitative data (Please note that this course will not examine data analysis techniques in detail, as that content is covered in other courses). The main aim of this course is to equip students with the tools, imagination and independence to develop their own ideas and abilities for conducting research.

This course aims to equip students with in-depth, up-to-date knowledge on key concepts in the study of organizations as well as with key analytical skills to support their assessment and evaluation of organizational functioning. The range of concepts, principles, and theories explored within the scope of this course refer to human performance and ability, including better understanding what drives-or hinders-people from excelling in their organization. Specifically, we will examine dyadic relationships in organizational contexts, group formation and structure, group dynamics, as well as individual behavior in groups. We will also investigate organizational structure and governance, work-and job design, and the notion of organizational justice. Through an evidence-based exploration, students will describe, illustrate, analyze, evaluate, and apply concepts, strategies, and theories developed and utilized by scholars and practitioners to maximize the potential and resolve problems associated with an organization’s most significant and valuable asset-its people.

As knowledge and technology are becoming the core source of competitive advantage of firms, effective management of the most valuable asset - human resources - has become more important than ever. Managing Human Capital, also known as Human Resource Management (HRM), deals with the wide range of activities by which organizations attract (staffing, selection), retain and develop (reward, train, and develop), and manage (performance and compensation) their workforce. This course provides an overview of different functional areas of HRM, emphasizing the role of HRM as a strategic partner for organizations. Special topics related to the future of work are also discussed. The knowledge and attitude students will acquire from this course will become a valuable personal asset, whether they end up in HR or not. The student's goal is to be able to discuss the knowledge and systematically utilize and apply the tools and skills to improve and enhance management expertise and adapt to the changing business environments.

As the world of business has become more globalized and diverse, managing diversity effectively and enhancing inclusion is increasingly essential for organizational success. However, diversity and inclusion can be a double-edged sword. When managed effectively, they can be the source of innovation and team and organizational learning and effectiveness. Still, when mismanaged, they can challenge employees' values and undermine performance, workplace relationships, and team effectiveness. This course is designed to help students navigate diverse settings more effectively and improve their ability to work within and lead diverse teams and global organizations. It also offers students the opportunity to develop their critical thinking on topics such as identity, relationships across differences and bias, and equality of opportunity in organizations around the world and the UAE.

Academic research shows that diverse teams are usually more creative and innovative. Female founders are often more successful in starting a venture, with female leaders contributing highly needed skills, including effective communication and teamwork or important customer insights. However, still only 6.4% of all Fortune500 companies are led by female CEOs. Women are underrepresented in key fields such as finance, engineering or tech and gender biases often dominate the workplace. This J-Term course aims to help students discover and build their unique leadership qualities and to become more self-confident and effective leaders. Designed as an experiential learning journey, it combines theoretical insights, practical examples and reflective activities through which students gain skills they can use immediately for personal and professional development. The course offers an inspiring and protected environment for personal growth that encourages students to take the lead, act boldly and inspire others. It will combine self-reflecting activities, classes on behavioral aspects of collaboration, teamwork and leadership styles as well as diversity-related leadership challenges. Women leaders from business, politics and civil society will offer inputs through presentations, panel discussions and one-on-one coaching with participants.

Abu Dhabi has taken a lead role among cities in the Gulf region and Middle East that are rapidly rising as global centers for sports events and sports-led development. Driven by its Vision 2030 strategy, the emirate is promoting sport to spur economic and social innovation in ways that make a positive impact within neighborhoods, between communities, and among nations. This course recognizes Abu Dhabi as a “home ground” for asking the question: How are the cities of today harnessing the power of sport to make the world of tomorrow? The course uses sport as a starting point for identifying, analyzing, and drawing lessons from a range of people, organizations, and institutions in the business, government, and non-profit sectors that influence our larger world. An emphasis is placed on understanding the thoughts, decisions, actions, relationships, and contexts that propel innovators and entrepreneurs who have shaped the modern global sport ecosystem and the changes it brings to its wider communities. Learning is focused on interlacing current events, historical examples, and industry cases to explore, examine, and interpret patterns and principles of innovation and entrepreneurship.

Ethical considerations and notions to social responsibility are increasingly becoming central to the way global businesses operate and are viewed by relevant stakeholders. This course introduces students to key issues, debates and perspectives on Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). In this course, students will learn key perspectives on moral standards and their application to contemporary organizations through which modern societies produce and distribute goods and services, and to the activities of the people who work within these organizations. Students will also learn about the critical importance of Corporate Social Responsibility and will be exposed to key challenges facing businesses looking to develop CSR programs. In the second half of the course, students will learn about the application of ethical and social responsibility perspectives in key areas of business management like marketing, competition, globalization and media. They will also learn about the relevance of ethics and CSR perspectives to issues like job discrimination, whistleblowing and workplace safety.

"Impact investing" refers to investments aiming to generate financial returns while at the same time improving social and environmental conditions for the public. Impact investing is also referred to as "blended value" combining the best aspects of traditional investing and philanthropy. This emerging investment strategy is developing rapidly worldwide supporting nonprofit and for-profit ventures in improving the lives of millions of people on issues such as energy, water, climate change, health or education. The promise of "doing well by doing good" has garnered significant attention and many large asset managers (for example, Blackrock, Goldman Sachs, KKR) are establishing impact investing practices as well as products to meet the demands of asset owners (pension funds, endowments, foundation or family offices). This course provides a comprehensive overview of the impact investing market covering key concepts and practical knowledge needed to engage in this space. Students will examine the developing marketplace, actors as well as financial products. Case studies and guests will explore challenges and best practices in creating successful fund and deal structures.

In today's world, we are confronted with pressing challenges, such as climate change, global pandemics, and inequalities based on gender and race to name a few. These issues compel us to question whether businesses should go beyond conventional forms of organization and management and undergo profound transformations. This course actively fosters the imagination and creation of fairer and more sustainable models of management and organizations. By utilizing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework, this course introduces students to various dimensions of responsible management. Through an understanding of the SDGs and the urgent challenges faced by organizations, students will engage in a mini consultancy project through which they will conduct SDG audits for selected organizations and present innovative ways the organizations can improve their own sustainability vision. By the end of the course, students will have gained insights into the principles and practices required to run a responsible organization. Furthermore, students will learn from each other about how to develop the mindset that enables them to make their own meaningful contributions to shaping a better future.

The main objective of this course is to enrich students' understanding of variations in the institutional, and resource contexts of nations and the impact of these variations on national economic growth, globalization and the strategic management of multinational firms. After taking this course, students can expect to become familiar with these basic areas: (1) underlying theories of international business, (2) environmental factors affecting international activities, (3) the management of business functional operations in an international context, and (4) analyzing international situations and developing international growth strategies. These goals will be accomplished through lectures, readings, case analysis, an international trip, and a group project. The course will also include a visit to a country in Africa, during which students will be able to observe directly how the institutions and resources there impact how business is done there compared to in other countries. While in Africa, students will have an opportunity to explore the host country and participate in presentations and discussions with local experts. They will also conduct market research to help them formulate a market entry strategy for their project report. Note: Pending feasible international travel conditions, this course will include a seminar in Kenya.

This course provides an in-depth understanding of accounting concepts and generally accepted accounting principles used in recording, summarizing, and reporting financial transactions of business entities. The relevant financial information is communicated to different external parties, such as investors, creditors, . This fundamental course is designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to interpret, analyze, and communicate financial information effectively. You will engage in practical exercises and real-world examples to reinforce your understanding of financial accounting. For example, companies you may be familiar with, such as Netflix, Duolingo, or Amazon are required to disclose their financial results following the principles we study in this course. Thus, throughout the course, we will emphasize a balance between theory and practical application. By the end of the course, you will proficiently analyze financial data and interpret financial statements. This solid foundation in financial accounting, will enable you to make effective financial decisions and will enhance your critical thinking abilities toward understanding the financial state of an accounting entity.

Organizations drive and react to technological change. This course introduces students to computer-based technologies that are transforming the modern work world. The primary focus of this course will be on developing competence in computer programming, especially with respect to data construction, management, visualization and analysis, with the goal of understanding the fundamentals of business analytics. The second half of the course applies this skills in examining case studies in current business analytics, especially in artificial intelligence and robotics.

Managerial accounting includes a broad array of tools necessary to measure, analyze, and report financial and non-financial information that helps managers make decisions and fulfill organizational goals. Managerial information is key input to coordinate product design, production, marketing and sales decisions, and evaluate a company's performance. Managerial accounting tools are fundamental for motivating, evaluating, and rewarding employees. In contemporary business environments, fast paced and increasingly uncertain, managerial accounting is vital to develop and promote viable business initiatives, innovation, and change. Today's economy, characterized by hyper-connectivity, information overload, and highly competitive markets, requires effective cost accounting systems to sustain organizations in making better and timely decisions - with the goal of enhancing revenues and profits. Hence, this course equips students with a comprehensive framework and the technical knowledge to understand, prepare, and analyze managerial accounting reports. It also emphasizes interesting aspects of costing and pricing decisions and enrich class discussions with real-world business examples.

This course introduces students to the fundamental statistical and data-analytic tools. Students learn to manage and analyze data and to deploy statistical techniques, with an emphasis on how to translate business and related societal questions into empirical research. Topics include review of regression analysis, building multivariate analytical models, and data visualization and presentation. The course will emphasize structured quantitative analysis and application of statistics to decision making.

In the 21st century, a variety of dynamics is provoking change in the workplace. Organizations are complex, challenging to understand and to manage. With complexity increasing, students need to develop a strong knowledge of change management, of people in organizations and the tasks they perform. They need to develop the skills to use that knowledge in flexible and practical ways. This course will present innovative perspectives in organizational change management problems and propose relevant theories and practical ways to solve them. The course is built for students with the aim of developing leadership skills, cultural understandings and political resources that they need to experience and guide organizational change with success. The course is useful in particular for students who plan careers in management consulting, private equity or general management. Students interested in entrepreneurship, strategy, and human resources will also benefit from the course content.

Managers are responsible for directing resources to achieve a stated goal and this involves making countless decisions. At what price should the firm sell its goods? What wages should the workers be paid? How many units should be produced every month? What contract should be offered to the CEO? Should intermediary inputs be bought on the market or manufactured in house? Is it worth investing in an advertising campaign? How to respond to a rival's new product launch? Is it profitable to enter a new market? Will the business be affected by the government's monetary policy? Managerial economics is the study of how to direct scarce resources in the management of a business (or other organizations) in a way that most efficiently achieves their managerial goals. This course introduces the economic concepts and tools most relevant to managers in their decision-making process and examines their application to businesses from various countries. The goal is to develop students' skills to analyze the choices to be made by managers, taking into account the economic environment and the constraints they face, in order to make decisions that optimally fulfil their managerial objectives.

The most consistent threats to businesses today are the emerging business models that try to nibble on, bite at, or gobble up the parts of the value chain of the incumbent firm. In the past two decades, business model innovation has been the major source of industry disruption. With both successful and less successful disruptions, business models increasingly have become the major source of innovation. Crises, e.g., pandemics, further fundamentally shift the already challenging business environment, and necessitate the emergence of newer business models. This course examines how managers can sharpen their wider, deeper, and stronger understanding of the relationship between crises and the need to re-valuate, re-configure, and re-engineer business models, and more importantly, apply it.

The course surveys the challenges and skills required to operate a successful small business. The objective of this course is to understand the design, monitoring, and control of small businesses that are personally fulfilling as well as financially fruitful. The class aims to develop a realistic perspective of the strategic, financial, and marketing skills, as well as resources necessary to realize the entrepreneurial aspirations of small business owners. The class aims to provide several hands-on tools small business owners can apply to their businesses and aims to take a practical perspective to challenges in managing small businesses.

The class aims to help students develop and understand "how to socially innovate." Aligning social mission is more challenging than economic mission, and balancing the economic and non-economic motives of the stakeholders is an important challenge for social entrepreneurs. Though knowledge of social entrepreneurship is critical, those engaging in social innovation get a list of dos and don'ts on each step of the process. However, seldom does the context meets with the toolbox of tasks, relationships, and tactics that are central to devising social entrepreneurship solutions. Instead of relying on best practices and advice, the course aims to help students grapple with uncertainty and the messiness that is informed by practice and evidence. This course, based on Paul Light's framework focuses on: (1) five goals for creating creative disruption in the prevailing social equilibrium, (2) five tools for reaching the goals, and (3) ten associated tasks. Moving from the notion of "value capture" to creating "shared value," the class aims to scale topics on how students can engage, advocate, and pursue a variety of stakeholders to engage in social innovation.

This course applies strategies and methods used by early-stage companies to acquire and galvanize customers, with a focus on customer acquisition cost and lifetime value analysis. This course will focus mainly on digital marketing channels, with an emphasis on Business-to-Customer (B2C). The course leverages key frameworks and conceptual tools to help students explore new venture opportunities, understand the business model of startups, and analyze problems to develop the optimal marketing strategy for products and services. The core focus of the class is on experimenting with digital marketing and customer management through growth hacking using the modern set of marketing techniques. Students are strongly encouraged to have exposure to marketing principles and theories through other courses, prior to enrolling in this course.

Managing people and teams is an important part of all jobs, whether you plan to work in finance, in fashion, in a NGO, to be an entrepreneur, a high-tech CEO, or a management consultant. Research and practice have shown that our success in the workplace will depend on our ability to work in and lead teams. This course is an accessible and lively introduction to the world of people and teams' management, focusing on models for managing groups and teams that complement traditional/historical models of management; the effects of technology on managing people in teams; and the behavioral skills required to implement a conceptual understanding of management strategies. Topics will be placed within the wider structural and cultural context and will be viewed mostly from the perspective of teamwork. Throughout the course we are going to discuss key topics and issues surrounding people's behavior at work and people's management in organizations.

Design Thinking is a human-centered approach to innovation and problem-solving that can be applied to any discipline. Thinking like a designer is believed to rapidly develop concepts, products, services, strategies, and systems. This course will examine the origins and spread of Design Thinking and show how it is used to solve problems and create solutions that improve organizations. This course is split into two parts. The first part of this course introduces students to the theory of Design Thinking. The aim is to equip students with the mindset and thorough understanding of the human-centered approach. The second part of this course is practice based. Students will be introduced to a series of scenarios from local organizations that highlight a central problem that they are facing, i.e., case studies, and are required to address these whilst applying the theory taught in Part I of the course. By the end of the course, students will develop the basic competencies of a design thinker which includes but is not limited to the ability to ask better questions, create experiments, and curate the ideas of others when tackling problems across organizations.

Global strategy refers to an integrated set of decisions and activities performed by multinational corporations (MNCs), which operate in more than two countries. This course is an introduction to the key concepts and principles of global strategy. It will focus on the decisions and actions taken by managers, and how these factors impact the performance and survival of MNCs. Taking a general management and strategy perspective, we will examine the knowledge, tools, and skills that managers and other decision makers need to effectively run MNCs and their subsidiaries in foreign countries.

From aspiring director refining their cinematic worlds to visionary chefs crafting novel dishes, creativity permeates everywhere, continuously reshaping industries. This course delves into the intricate facets of creativity, its evaluation, and the underlying mechanisms that drive both soaring success and imbalanced distributions within creative sectors. In this course, students will endeavor to understand the diverse interpretations of creativity, its valuation, and the interplay of factors, such as market dynamics, networks, strategies, entrepreneurship, and technology. Open to all students with an interest in studying creativity and creative industries, offering contemporary insights into these subjects in management and organization, sociology, and entrepreneurship. The course unfolds in two phases: firstly, mastering theoretical foundations and analytical tools, followed by industry-specific topics and applications in domains like arts, fashion, music, cuisine, film and TV series, and NFTs. Students culminate their journey by contemplating the evolution of creativity in the age of big data and AI.

To be successful, private and public organizations increasingly need to achieve (and demonstrate) sustainability in their economic as well as social and environmental performance. Sustainability Management and Reporting aims at developing knowledge, analytical skills and a sustainability mindset that will help students to implement concepts and tools of sustainability in every organization they will create or work in the future. The starting point is to understand what a "Sustainability Mindset" is, and contrast it with the dominant story about business - namely, the view centered on Shareholder Value Maximization. The course will critically discuss key sustainability concepts (such as Triple Bottom Line and materiality) and learn how to implement them by applying international standards (GRI, AA1000, SDGs). The seminar will provide participants with a set of conceptual and analytical tools (including a methodology to assess the quality of existing sustainability reports) enabling them to critically reflect on how to start developing a Sustainability Management and Reporting approach for immediate or prospective use in their organizations.

The capstone seminar allows students to demonstrate their expertise in their major and areas of study, as well as further their knowledge, and develop new skills. Students will apply the multidisciplinary theories and concepts learned during the course of their studies to questions and strategic problems that have captured the interests of scholars of business and management. Students will work under the direction of faculty, and engage with peers through discussion of ideas and reviews, to form the core of their capstone project.

Following completion of BUSOR-UH 4000, students will continue to work with faculty to execute their project, which should culminate in an applied or theoretical research report on a business or management topic.